Tying Monster Flys for BIG Toothy Critters

[DarkAngelEyes84 0]

Hey All,

 

I am new(ish) to fly fishing, and have decided that I need to take an old obsession (Pike Fishing) and pair it with the new craze. So I picked up some heavy weight rods, some sinking line, and I am trying to get ready to really get after some warm water predators.

 

This is where YOU come in!!!

 

I'm looking for advice on tying up large flys intended for large Esox species (30"+ Pike, 40"+ Musky) I am typically tying on 1/0 to 5/0 hooks and throwing with 9 or 10wt rods

I've banged out a couple of flys that I like, but would love to hear some feedback / advice on a few things specifically;

• Tips or techniques that others find work well to reduce weight while still providing a large profile

• Recommendations on hooks for larger toothy critters

• Reliable leader setups that include or integrate wire bite leads
• Tricks for casting a 9"+ "Wet Mop"
• Anything else that you feel would be good for someone specifically targeting Esox

 

If nothing else, let me see the biggest flys you've tied!!!

 

Tight Lines from the land of 10,000 Lakes!

DAE

[FIN-ITE 34 0]

I can tell you for certain that the most you can learn from watching will be from Daniel D. Holm and Niklaus Bauer videos. You can find them in the English versions also if you need to. They will show you how to create big profile flies with little weight and less water absorption.

Some great tube fly techniques with easy change hook/wire trace looped to a fluoro leader section.

You will not see too much of those big honking chunks of zonker strips that get really heavy to pitch. Check out the lycra fabric tails from fishon.it, I ordered mine direct from Italy but there are some predator fly shops that are now carrying them in the US.

[mikechell 0]

Welcome to the site, Dark. Looks like you've got a good grasp on tying those large Streamers. They look good!

 

I don't tie anything that big, so I can't help you. There are plenty of patterns and tutorials on the "SBS" and "Video" forums on this site.

[MuskyFlyGuy 0]

DAE,

You are asking the right questions. Do you live close enough so you can go to the Fly Angler in Blaine? They are very knowledgeable and have good materials. So do Mend Provisions, Bob Mitchells Fly Shop, and Lunds. There are local fly tying groups, such as St. Paul Fly Tiers, who have many exceptional tiers. If you join your local Muskies Inc chapter, you will find like-minded individuals.

I use 10 and 12 weight rods and use perfection loops on my leader. Keep your leader short and use knottable wire. For exceptionally long or heavy flies, learn to wet load on your casts. Welcome to this site! This is a great, supportive group of tiers and fishers.

[Philly 0]

Nice flies. I don't usually go over 6 or 7 inches for most of my flies. They're cross over flies that I use in salt water for blues and stripers and bass and pike in fresh water. One fly you might want to check out is Bob Popovic's Beast Fleye. They're normally tied in the 10 to 12 inch range. You did ask for pictures of the biggest flies tied. This one was for salt water, it's between 10 and 11 inches long. Tied as a tube fly. I was being over optimistic that I could throw it with my 8 wgt. Did manage to chuck and duck it about 25 feet. But eventually I turned the back half into a smaller fly and reused the material in the front half for smaller flies.

 

 

 

 

And a couple of jointed pike flies based on Bob Popovic's Semper Fleye. They're around 8 inches long and I could cast them with my 6 wgt.

 

 

 

 

[yooperflyfisher 0]

Ep fibers are spendy but they work i usually tie them in the 7-4 inch range on 2/0 or 5/0 hooks they caught me my first pike on the fly!!

[vicente 0]

Yooper you can get essentially the same thing as ep fibers from flytyersdungeon much cheaper, also a good place to get flash, and synthetic dubbings among other things.

[yooperflyfisher 0]

Yooper you can get essentially the same thing as ep fibers from flytyersdungeon much cheaper, also a good place to get flash, and synthetic dubbings among other things.

 

 

I learned that unfortunately after I placed my order thanks though.