Couple Flies need critiquing

[Brodrash 0]

The first is a cork popper i made a few weeks ago. I know it works from fishing standpoint, quite well actually, but I want to know what you guys think about it.

 

The second is an articulated streamer I just barely tied because I'm bored and its too hot to fish. Its mostly badger hair with a marabou tail, and the two sections are connected by a mono loop and a couple of strung beads. I'm welcome to any criticism y'all may have so let me hear your thoughts.

[zip 0]

Not a bad start there buddy!If it fishes well,then you have accomllished what we all set out to do!That streamer isn't bad at all.My only big thing would be the tail.Pinch the feather together to form a clump then tie in.I personally wouldnt trim the tail,Its gonna give you better movement and durability over time!

[Dave G. 0]

Depending what you want from these, it looks like you could maybe shape the body a little more on the popper.

 

As to marabou, the section of marabou you used I cut out of my marabou feather and discard it. If you look for Mc Fly Lures thread on the Woolly Bugger with Dumb Bell eyes and watch that video, you will see how many people prep a marabou feather, on the larger flies anyway. With Really small flies, rather than pull fibers from a marabou feather ( that is something often done as well) I use rabbit strip fibers instead. Note I didn't say I use the rabbit strip but the fibers. In any fly I never use the part of a marabou feather that you did. Not that it won't catch fish, it will but just sayin. You can still maintain using a stem section but cut the tip out and then as mentioned, squeeze down the fibers and tie the feather in. Watch the video, that's how it's done in the way I am speaking of. Or one way.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I have no doubt that your flies will catch fish, but they are crude. Try a different hook with that size popper. IMO, the hook you used is too short & too small for that size body. Yes, shaping the cork can also be done, but serves only to make them look "pretty". The fish don't see all the bling we add to popper bodies, so that's for us to admire.

 

I like making poppers look good, even though I know they don;t have to for catching fish. However, there is "artistic" endeavor & confidence in what we do & fish with, so if a pretty, nicely painted popper body provides both, then nothing wrong with doing it.

 

For the articulated streamer, the head finish, which is a tying technique issue, could be better. You'll get better with that the more you tie. for now, as long as it doesn't come apart easily, then it's going to work fine. IMO, there's not enough body to justify the 2 hooks. The points are too close together. Personally, I would have either cut the hook at the bend on the front hook & just left the back hook with a point or simply made it a single hook streamer. Articulated streamers are great, but doesn't work well in all sizes. They best for big streamers.

 

The marabou tail has been covered by others & I agree. Check out the video mentioned & you should see there's better ways to utilize marabou in a tail. That "pattern would work well with ostrich herl fibers as a tail too, or saddle hackle, which would be basically a Lefty's Deceiver. I like tying with badger, but the use of the guard hairs should be done sparingly. Those hairs are stiffer than the underlying hair, so take that into account. I actually thought you had used Squirrel tail hair when I first viewed the pic.

 

Keep working on them, they'll get better the more you tie. I only wish I could have had someone to critique my first flies, as it took me a few years to get them to look like "flies" that I saw in the magazines of the time.