anti-fouling technique

[FattyMatt 0]

I tie some long streamers. I sometimes use the "tie on top" method and use a flouro loop at the end to block the fibers from fouling.

 

However, i don't have a strategy when tying on both the top and bottom of the shank.

 

My goal is NOT to shorten the fly, add glue to the fly, or use stiffer material.

 

My only goal is to alter the hook.

 

Check out this pic. Do you think the double flouro loops on the SIDE will stop long, limp fibers from fouling?

[FattyMatt 0]

Here's the pic

[Steve P 0]

Add a simple mono weed guard. Instead of using heavier line that you typically would for a weed guard but something more like a 12 or 15 pound test. It works well for me on some things. On others I like to use a hollow tied bucktail spreader. What are you tying if I may ask?

 

Steve

[mikechell 0]

Check out this pic. Do you think the double flouro loops on the SIDE will stop long, limp fibers from fouling?

I think those loops on the side will just give the fibers something else to wrap around.

 

Why do the fibers foul to begin with. There are two reasons I can think of:

1) The fly doesn't glide, so when you are jerk/stop retrieving, the fibers float forward and tangle. Instead of jerk/stop ... jerk/slow down/stop. I learned this crank baiting with super braid lines. If you stop too suddenly, the lure glides over the line and hooks in in the treble hooks. By slowing the retrieve to a stop, the lure stops without gliding forward. With long strands of floating hair, you are trying to prevent the fibers from drifting forward.

2) You had a fish on for a second. It never ceases to amaze me, in clear water I see fish swim up, inhale a fly or a lure and spit it out without my ever having felt the fish on. Another problem with the jerk/stop retrieve is the small amount of slack line created when the fly/lure DOES drift forward. Even a small amount will put enough slack in the line that you may never feel a hit. Of course, when the fish spits out the fly, it's a balled up mess. Again, slowing to a stop, instead of jerk/stopping, can help to keep that critical tightness in the line to allow you to see or feel the hit.

 

Cure the reason for fouled up fibers, rather than tying extra junk on the fly to "band aid" the problem.

[Steve P 0]

Mike a lot of materials will also foul on a cast or even on the fall. Zonker strips for instance are notorious for fouling. A simple loop of mono over the back of the hook usually solves that problem. Longer hackles on things like flat wins can also be an issue from time to time on some of the pike and muskie flies I tie but I usually solve all of that with the simple weed guard described above.

 

Steve

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I dislike mono loops (or fluorocarbon ones...)as an anti-fouliing measure when tying with tail materials that are problemnatic. I much prefer a sparse amount of bucktail fibers tied in first as a support for the maribou or rabbit strip tail to follow. Here's a few pics of flies using this technique and most are non-fouling -something really important when you finally get that one shot at a big tarpon or large snook. Flies that foul simply don't get bit...

[cdnfishguy11 0]

When I tie my longer flies for pike or musky (anything over 5") I have adapted a technique used by the salt water flies. By tying on the back of the hook most of the material is already out of the way.

 

 

What materials are you using?

 

 

Most of my big flies are tied with synthetics. I tie my pattern with a mix of slinky fibre and sf blend.keeping the tie down point only a couple of mm infront of the bend. I use superglue at this point as the synthetics are harder tie secrurely so the superglue is more for peice of mind. At this point I tie in a big bucktail head, it pushes a ton waterand is stiff enough to provide a little extra support to the synthetic fibres.

 

 

 

I will post some pictures when I get home tonight.

[agn54 0]

I have been using the buck tail method Capt Bob talked about for a while now and it works great. Another option for rabbit strips is to wrap your thread around the zonker strip 6-8 times so it kicks the tail up a bit.