7 replies to this topic

[oatka]

I have only tied weedguards on a few flies over the decade+ that I've been tying. However, I think that's about to change. I tied one on last week on a popper and really found the benefit. Even with simple weeds (instead of sticks and larger hang ups) they seem to make a big difference. I don't seem to have to clean my fly as much, even when fishing in heavy cover.

 weedguard.jpg   1.12MB   74 downloads

The above fly hooked 3 fish last Saturday but I was only able to boat one....and as you can see in the next photo....my kayak fishing photography with a cell phone in a waterproof case skills are severely lacking.

 2012-05-19 07.37.20.jpg   818.1K   69 downloads

[riffleriversteelheadslayer]

great fly Mike and as far as I can tell nice fish bout time you started some preventitive maintanence or however its spelled

[Stippled Popper]

Very nice popper!

The above fly hooked 3 fish last Saturday but I was only able to boat one. . .

Sometimes weed guards prevent landing a fish. But I find it balances well against the times I have to boat
over to the popper to extricate it from being snagged. What is the weight of the weed guard and is it a
double guard or is that a reflection against your hand?

[Capt Bob LeMay]

Very nice work... I use weedguards extensively in the saltwater portions of the Everglades - but I never use them on poppers... I was just never satisfied with the way the popper worked when it had any kind of weedguard. In the places my bugs or flies get used weeds are never the problem, my anglers are usually dealing with snags, branches and leaves instead.

Once again - very nice work.

Tight lines,
Bob LeMay

[oatka]

riffleriversteelheadslayer, yep it was about time....only 15 years too late.

Stipple, I agree! I'm using 25lb test line, doubled. I never liked the single because it never seemed to stay lined up with the hook.

Captain Bob, I love the fact that I can toss these flies into branches and not worry.

[perchjerker]

Very nice bug; good fish, and the weed guard looks great on the bug.

They key to a successful single strand weed guard is to make sure the mono stays in perfect alignment along the hook as it is being tied in; especially in the bend area. This requires frequent checks as you go, and adjust as necessary. If you wait until you have it tied in along the hook, and if it has been properly bound to the hook, it will be too late, almost without fail, to properly align it. It is surprising at how much the slightest deviation will throw the whole thing out-of-line. It is a matter of paying attention to "Detail"; at least in my experience.

Keep up the good work!

Cheers!

[heavynets]

Here is a weedless method that you may not have seen.

View on Vimeo.

[Phish]

I found that by going the tube style way on poppers can make them even more weedless without adding weed guards. Weed guards on small poppers have dismal hook up rates but using the right hook with a wide gap like spinnerbait hook and I add my folded over wire weed guards, I stopped using mono since its a very poor material to use.

Here is what I been doing to make them entirely weedless.