Jump to content
Fly Tying
Sign in to follow this  
TXST-Jake

Hook riding up

Recommended Posts

Hello all,

I have been tying for some time now, and am finally getting to the point of being happy with what I am tying. I tie mostly bait fish patterns. Cannot do a good bug to save my life, but Texas sunfish aren't terribly particular.

Anyways, I'm sure this is asked daily, but how do I get the hook to ride point up? I have tried shifting the weight to either side, and tying upside down, but in the water the fly immediately turns hook down. I know it has something to do with the density and buoyancy of the material, but I have tried it in all ways I can with my skill set.

The only thing I have not tried is using an actual tapered leader and tippit set up. As said, being from Texas means I can get away with fly line to mono to fly. Thank you for the help,

Jake

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Both of these flies of mine float hook point up.

grass shrimp

 

 

Panfish attractor

 

 

Light wire hook, all materials except the eyes are tied on the hook point side of the shaft. The eyes are plastic or metal bead chain, so they don't sink fast. But they do sink hook point up and are fairly weedless.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey Jake, welcome to the site. This is an interesting problem/question. Bob Popovics wrote a book [with his buddy] called "popfleyes." In this book it was claimed that the wing of material was the most important factor in whether the hook point rode up or down. The wing/materials act as a parachute. Mike shows this in his above flies. Weighted eyes can influence this also, but the wing/materials bulk is the most important factor.

Also how much material and hook weight/gap influences things. Putting alot of material on a light hook or one with a narrow gap can result in some pretty poor fly tracking. On a lighter hook going sparser with material helps.

I don't know if I've said this well, but the wing bulk and bouyancy will face upwards and overall have the major effect on fly tracking...regardless of whether the hook point is up or down.

This idea has helped me alot. Goodluck and cheers, Ed

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I found Daiichi X Point hooks to be the easiest to ride hook point up. This fly is nothing but flash blend and holo eyes...

1567a5f9-9e1e-4a58-b4e8-e5ed73c18217.jpg

 

You can also try tying them bend back style...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you all for the pictures and comments! A few more thoughts that went through my head before I read any of y'alls posts were regarding my knot. Mike, I'll try to exact your panfish fly instead of just going off on random tyings to see if that makes the difference, at least until I can get a hang of it. I will for sure keep trying though. And I feel like I have seen those Daiichi hooks around here. I don't even know the type of hooks for most of what I have.

Much appreciated,

Jake

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Mike.... that's a great site! I never knew about it. Thanks for posting. I've already found one that I want to put on my "some day" list.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Unfortunately, too many of the flies posted don't even have recipes. But there is still a ton of info on there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Jake,

The things having the least effect on which way the hook rides are the tippet (whether nylon or flurocarbon tippet or straight mono) and your knot. That thing is just flopping around out there on the end of your cast too much to predict which way it will land.

Location of the materials and weight on the hook are the easiest to control. You can also bend the hook shank into a bendback shape to get it to ride point up. There was a manufacturer who was making keeled hooks, which added weight at the hook bend, to accomplish this, too. Its possible they still do, but I can't remember who made them, and it was an expensive option.

The easiest way to affect the hook is to tie the lighter stuff on the bend side of the hook, and add weight (barbell eyes, bead chain eyes, lead wire tied along the "spine") to the back , of the hook. The Clouser is the most popular example of this principle.

 

Kirk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...