weight or no weight?

[sniksoh 0]

i have a limited amount of rabbit strips left and ive never really used the pattern, so im just trying to get some suggestions on wich would be best for me to tie.

[Old Hat 0]

Yes to both. It wasn't an option. It would really depend on the prey and water conditions.

[maddog48 0]

I tie mine with tungsten beads or cones. But I do know guys that tie them unweighted and use sinking lines to get the flies down.

 

 

Mike

[FishyboY 0]

yeah i do some with both wrapped lead and a cone head and some just wrapped lead and some with no weight at all depending on the water i am fishing.

[ChuckingFluff 0]

Both!!! on fast moving waters I use weighted on smaller still waters I use mostly unweighted. It depends where and what your fishing. Walleye on the still waters I use weighted to get it down as deep as possible.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

both depending on water conditions

[tidewaterfly 0]

Weighted, and with various amounts of weight, including lead wire, beads & cones.

 

I never tie them unweighted, but if I saw a need for it, I would.

[sniksoh 0]

well i fish for bass in still water. i was questioning this because i noticed when fishing with rabbit hide it floats for some time before it sinks. i want this fly to sink just beneath the surface and also "suspend" or sink very slowly when i stop stripping. should i tie it weighted or unweighted? and if weighted lead wire or cone head?

[ChuckingFluff 0]

In those conditions I would go unweighted. I usually soak it before I start to fish it then you won't run into the floating issues, even so it usally only takes 30 seconds for it to start holding water.

[Firetiger 0]

I love the way this question was posted, for it reminds me of fashion discussions with my beloved - the kind of "Q: should I get the useless accessory A or useless accessory B for Xmas? A: but darling, of course both! How can you ask that way?"

 

Now since fish can be at times as difficult as women you should be prepared and have both weighted and unweighted version ready. That way you know you are prepared no matter what the situation demands from you

[ashbourn 0]

It is rare I fish unweighted but the amout of weight does matter.

On Rivers

Heavy if I am cast short distances and need to get down deep into pools with a floating line.

Light if I am making long casts with a sinking line were the river depth has more of gradual change.

On Stillwater

I like a lightly weight fly just because I want it to quickly break the surface, not so heavy that sinks much faster then the fly line. But, a heavy fly is great for drop into structure or sudden drop offs. A heavy fly can also work very will with a very quick retrive with the fly almost moving straight up.

 

In short, make sure you have a mix of both. I would have more light then heavy maybe a 4 to 1 ratio.

 

 

Joe Fox

[JSzymczyk 0]

Now since fish can be at times as difficult as women

 

:bs: !!!

[tidewaterfly 0]

sniksoh, although I really like to use rabbit strip flies a lot for bass. I've tried them unweighted, but prefer a Seaducer streamer for that slow sink, suspending type presentation. I feel that hackle has better suspending properties than rabbit strip, even when the rabbit is unweighted.

[Camo Clad Warrior 0]

The simple answer IMO is BOTH :headbang: . I like to have the weighted patterns when the fish are holding deeper. Also, when fishing structure the weighted patterns come in handy. When the fish move shallower the unweighted patterns seem to work the best for me... :yahoo:

 

 

Note: I have only been fishing bass for one season, so I dont have as much experience of some of the others on here.

[DHise 0]

depends on the conditions and what the fish are keying on. if I need weight I use Trinas Sculpin Heads from Montana Fly http://www.castersflyshop.com/onlineflysho...roducts_id=1233