Skinwalkers

[salmobytes 0]

These are a bit of a flap to make. I have a new "thread-based dubbing brush" way to make them now that is a bit faster. Photos will materialize eventually. I try to make most of my flies as fast and easy as possible.......so I have little time left over for the few that aren't. They do move nicely. From end to end. Tied on top of snelled hook, on top of a wire. And then slid off the wire as a last step.

 

[RickZieger 0]

Interesting look. Do the move like an articulated fly?

 

Rick

[fishinguy 0]

Very cool. Bass ought to slurp those things. SBS?

[mikechell 0]

Snelled with what? Mono? I am assuming that's a swivel on the front.

What knot do you use to tie the hook to the swivel?

[Philly 0]

Very nice. They should be deadly. Did you just twist the hackle on the thread?

[salmobytes 0]

Snelled on dacron backing. Yes they move a lot. From end to end. That's what's good about the Skinwalker.

 

The new method (pictures will come eventually) is even more flexible yet. With the new method it's basically a loooong dubbing loop, where the thread is wet with fabric cement just prior to winding the dubbing loop. Or maybe it's a dubbing brush. The end result looks a lot like the ones above.

 

I've caught smallmouth bass channel catfish and lots of large trout on the above streamers. In both lakes and bigger rivers. I moved a huge brown trout on one three years ago, on a small spring creek. Right at dark. That fish looked like it was ten pounds. It followed but didn't bite. Moments like that you don't forget.

[tjm 0]

Sandy, didn't you post once that you were working on a book?

 

I never tried your lathe idea because I had no rotary vise but the "brush" thread the other the other day gave me an idea of making a rotor to be used with my old Thompson and try one those Skinwalkers. may take a while to build but it won't cost me much.

[salmobytes 0]

Cool. We tie for different reasons. Fun is one of them.....which does kinda sorta make up for complexity. In some cases anyway. Good big fish fly helps too.

 

A comment or two up from here I (unwisely) mentioned a "dubbing loop" way to make these flies. I'm finding that method works too, but it's not the same fly. You can make a looooong flexible dubbing loop with thread AND fabric cement, so it stays together even under stress. But that only seems to work well as a tail on a fly tied (in front of the tail) with conventional techniques. That's perhaps useful but not the same as a Skinwalker.

 

http://montana-riverboats.com/?page=Flies/Sandy-Pittendrigh/Articles/lathe

[salmobytes 0]

Cool. We tie for different reasons. Fun is one of them.....which does kinda sorta make up for complexity. In some cases anyway. Good big fish fly helps too.

[chugbug27 0]

Finish that book!

[salmobytes 0]

Finish that book!

 

Thank you. I am working on it. It helps to get a boot in the rear every now and then.

 

I also have a buddy working on a comprehensive but sane and normal collection of Montana flies. He's as good as they get. Former guide buddy of mine. We used to work together at the Yellowstone Angler. So, for each fly subject or category I'll have the conventional wisdom flies to show and to talk about too. Plus my oddball off the wall inventions and interpretations.

 

My flies can be previewed (sans discussion) at:

 

http://montana-riverboats.com/?page=Flies/Sandy-Pittendrigh

 

and

 

http://montana-riverboats.com/?page=Flies/Sandy-Pittendrigh/&layout=lazyloadslideshow