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Toneloc

Bonefish Slider

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As I mentioned in another post I just moved down to Houston, Texas and I definitley want to try some saltwater flyfishing for red and specs.....or whatever will bite.

 

Stopped by a local fly shop and I was told that the bonefish slider is a killer fly for reds. Tried tying a few up...but I'm having a little trouble getting them to come out the way I remember them in the shop.

 

Any suggestions...

 

Here a pic of two that I tied up.

 

user posted image

 

Thanks for any input.

 

Tony

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Looks like a catcher of any predator. I'd love to take a crack at saltwater flats fishing. I bet Striblue has some patterns in the fly bank that will work on those reds and specs. Good luck with the relocation and keep the camera handy......

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Those Bonefish slidders look pretty good to me. Exactly what are you having problems with, I tied one for Gary Soucies next book on "Muddlers"...This book is all about spinning deer hair... the fly is actually easy to tye so long as you use a fine deer hair and clip away carefully. If you check with Scott Sparrow at Laguna Madre flyshop on the Texas Coast he can give you some great flies or check their web site.. I think lagunamadre.com. Spoons and the like are the flies of choice.

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Thanks Ghow...I will defintley post some pics if I get into them.

 

Striblue...Thanks on the tip...I'll have to check his shop out. I've been having trouble getting the deer hair to cover around the eyes. The picture might not show it, but that head is pretty sparse. The ones I saw in the fly shop seems to have a nice tightly packed head. I suppose maybe I need to just add more hair, but I think its got more to do with my technique.

 

I saw those spoons, and I've read they are good, but I guess my feeling on those is why cast em with a fly rod? I both spin and fly fish and if I was going to get some of those what advantage what I have tossin it from a fly rod? I'm defintiley not a purist. In fact yesterday I was fishing cracked crab from the shore catchin some big ugly's. But I just don't think I see the point in tossing a spoon from a fly rod. Perhaps I need some elightenment.

 

 

Tony

 

 

 

 

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Tony, Those spoons are very light and usualy done with flattened mylar and epoxied.......No different that other 'flies" that we tye with epoxy and ...say... super hair or others with mylar heads... it's the action in the water you want.... You can take most flies and weigh them down... or take a jig with Hackle feathers for a tail and cast it with a spinning rod... or the same fly without the jig but with an epoxy head or similar material....or even one with big clouser eyes... and use the fly rod.... so purism is a question of the times... this will be very clear when I finish the History of the Salt Water fly..... 1800's England...Sea fishing.... Mouse tail flies.... Dog fish tail flies, etc.

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I understand what your getting at Striblue. Let us know when your book is available. Sounds like an interesting read. It would probably help set me straight on some of these issues.

 

To be honest I just like catching fish. I'll use bait or fly. Although I admitt I definitley get a bigger kick out of catching fish using flies. I've "evolved" to fly fishing for most fresh water species just cause I enjoy tying flies so much. But, being new to the salt I'll probably start with spinning gear. I just saw those spoons and said to myself.... spoons on a fly rod? They can't be serious? Chalk up my comments to my ignorance to the world of saltwater fly fishing.

 

Speaking of purity...I've been known to chuck n' duck for salmon. Now thats something that is probably much more contreversial than fishing these little spoons on a fly rod. People really get there feathers ruffled discussing chuck n' duck.

 

Anyhow how do you make theses spoons? or are they just a bought item?

 

I'll have to post a few pictures of some of the other flies I've tied up tongiht. My plan is to take both spinning and fly gear with me on my first few trips. If I happen to catch a few on spinning gear I'll try some flies.

 

Tony

 

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Well Striblue....I actually took a pretty close look at those spoons at the local fly shop during lunch. They are quite light weight....I didn't realize that when I saw them the other day. You said they are made of mylar....looks like then they are covered pretty thick with expoxy. I could see it taking some experimentation to get the mylar shaped right to give them the proper action. I'll have to buy a few to try out / try and imitate.

 

Thanks for setting me straight.

 

Tony

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Toneloc,

 

OK, let's see if I can help with this problem.

 

First - I do not use very fine hair. It tends to not flare very well. I use a little bit coarser hair.

 

Second - When I tie on the hair, I take 3 or 4 loose turns of thread, pull that tight and then take 2 to 4 more turns of thread around the hair and pull that VERY tight. I sometimes break the thread dong this but I want the hair tight.

 

Third- I pack the hair VERY tightly. I use the Brassie for packing my hair. I also use my fingers. I place the thumb and forefinger of my left hand behind the hair and use the thumb and forefinger of my right hand to push the hair to the rear and at the same time twist the hair in the direction of the thread (generally clockwise). I do this on all of the hair that I tie on the hook.

 

Fourth - When I tie on the eyes in front of the hair, I push them (eyes) to the rear and tie them securely. THEN, I take a small clump of hair and tie it directly behind the eyes. I turn the fly over and do the same thing on the opposite side of the hook.

 

Fifth - I then tie and spin another clump of hair in front of the eyes. Then I go back and tie in a small clump of hair directly in front of the eyes, between the eyes and the clump that I just spun. I turn the fly over and do the same thing on the opposite side of the hook.

 

Sixth - I tie on and spin the remaining clumps of hair and pack them using my fingers as described above.

 

I pack the hair as tight as possible.

 

You can also stack the hair to get a denser body.

 

I have several tying lessons on deer hair on my web site if you are interested.

 

Here are the addresses:

 

Working with Deer Hair

 

Stacking Deer Hair

 

Article on Trimming Deer Hair

 

Trimming Deer Hair with Photos

 

Trimming a Different Fly with Photos

 

Hope that these will help.

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Well Joe...I took your tips and made a second try tonight.

 

Still not near what they look like in the shop, but I'm getting a little bit better.

 

user posted image

 

user posted image

 

Heres a couple other flies I'm gonna try out next weekend in the bay for some specs and reds....

 

user posted image

 

 

 

Tony

 

 

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Flies are looking good There is a fly called, The Mistress for those big uglys, here is a similar looking fly called the TK Special

 

Hook; Mustad 34007 sizes 2& 4

Thread; Chartreuse 6/0

Eyes; Small gold chain bead

Wing; Tan and chartreuse craft fur, colour vertical bars on sides of wing with black marker

Head; Gold Catus Chenille

Collar; Grizzyly saddle hackle

 

If these are not producing try crab or shrimp patterns. You might even want to try small poppers.

 

Whats your take of those spoon flies. Tying them and fishing them sounds like a good, "new " challange.

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