Raspberryfisher's Blog

In creating the various spade variants this fall, I experimented and had to improve my hair wing technique. My technique is definitely improving (I trim before I set and secure the wing – Flush Cut), but also went through different materials > Soft hair that will compress is the best for a secure head.

Using John Shewey’s “un-scientific ranking”, from softest to hardest, here are my observations:

1. Arctic Fox Tail – 20111207 Update:  Much of the Arctic Fox being prepared is for tube flies and the like – soft and impressionistic with long guard guards - and thus, arguably an alternative to spey hackles and dubbing.  Though the guards hairs are fine, I contend the magic lies in the soft hair closer to the tail, and the decision is – do you keep the long hairs in?  Bucktail makes a good conventional wing, but Arctic Fox makes a good soft wing (and available in many bright colours). Use sparingly, and I give an A.
2. Deer Hair Body - All of my deer body hair has been purchased for trout flies or bass poppers, so much of it is either too short or flairs too well for a good low set wing. Same can be said for Caribou, which is also too fragile in this application. Given the primary market supply is for body deer hair is trout and bass flies, suggest one uses Deer Bucktail instead (unless you want flaired and-or short wings). C.
3. Bucktail, Bottom End – Stacks well, holds nicely and now is my default hair wing material. A+
4. Skunk – Have no samples too work with. NR
5. Gray Fox – Have no samples too work with. NR
6. Elk Body Hair – Great mid-brown natural tone with light tips, but selecting the right size clump is very important (smaller than you think) to set and secure a good wing. Material to use, if you want that brown tone (currently not me). B-
7. Bucktail, Top End – A little more uniform than the bottom end, works fine, but I am working my way from the base of the tail first. A-
8. Kid Goat Hair – My sample is  long, fine and difficult to stack. More suited for long hair body flies, like those of Dave Nelson, posted earlier ot variants og the Intruder. For a standard wing, I give it a D.
9. Calf Tail - Can be dyed brilliant, but does stack or not hold onto the hook well. Texture is “crinkly”, and I now use it as an accent only.  It is unlikely, I will buy anymore and will use artctic fox or deer, depending upon desired effect. Calf Body Hair (my samples) too short for wings. Not want I want, and suggest Arctic Fox. C.
10. Elk Hock - 20111205 Update - If you want the lighter dun and use Elk, then use the Elk Body Hair above (less underfur), but you have to be aware-control the amount of flair you want. The longer dark guard hairs do make a good natural wing, but do you have a pattern that needs this colouration (most wet flies patterns do not). B+
    1. Moose - 20111205 Update - Provides for a mix of black, white, browns and duns, so has a natural variation, but it has an aggressive taper and stiff, which makes a good wing, but a large head. B
11. Polar Hair – Yes, I have polar hair and what a great accent it is!  A++
12. Black Bear – Looks great, but hard to get a good patch (limited hairs versus underfur) and secure. Effort to use Black Bear has stopped, and unless you sight buy a great patch, do not bother. D
13. Squirrel Tail – Decided I am not fond of the dyed variants, but do really like the look of the natural tails. It is important to tie in small clumps, for a secure wing or be prepare to secure the butts under the hook (Ed Hass Technique) or along the body (Reverse Wing).  B for the Natural Grey Tails and a C- for the dyed tails.

Quality and suitability of any hair is a function of the animal, time and method of “harvesting” and handling by us, so the applicability of the above observations will depend upon what you have.  Unfortunately, I do not live near a good fly-tying store, much of my collection was mail-ordered from who I can find.  With time, I have had success and some failures, but also taken time and practice to recognize what is good and bad.

Starting over, what would I buy – Bucktail, Arctic Fox and Polar Bear.  Would consider Elk Hock and a natural squirrel tail.

This is as much as a record for me, as it is to help others.

 A Black Demon with Bucktail Deer Hair Wing.

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Don Bastian Blog about Classic wet fly tyer from New England (US).

Precursor to a discussion on Streamer Hooks.

•  Hook: Tiemco 9394 – Size 2 and 4.
• Rear > Red Hackle Fibers or Deer Hair, tied in Red Thread, tied off and then varnished.
• Body > Nothing. Bare shank.
• Wing > Keep it fine, keep it transparent – white, black and olive deer hair.
• Head > Black thread and varnish.
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Yes, it is a marabou muddler (mixed olive and yellow), with the first deer hair colour in a constrasting green. Underneath is a little red yarn and most pf these are now tied with a long peacock and saltwater flashbou tail.

Q: How do I fish it?

A: On the swing, on or just below the surface, particularly over pool with large boulders or an pool with a sharp ledge edge, so the intent is to pull up those fish hiding in hard cover.  Just like any good swing, you control the mend to generate the wake, the light and the movement you want. I will use light sink-tips to help it dart on-off the surface.

Please note that I reference an objective rarely stated in fly-fishing. I am as much interested in how I alter and distrub the light in the pool, the changes in reflection. I do not have rules or guidelines, but I am thinking hoes does the wake and the reflected light from this, signal the fish ahead, something is coming.

Most takes are aggressive.

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First search and read the great comparative review from Global Fisher, but I will note, I have a preference for straight eye hooks.

From small to large, my stable

• Mustad C51S-BLN (discontinued and to be replaced by Daiich 111os or Mustad 3399s)
  • Size 14 – Body Length 8.2mm > Mini-Muddler
  • 12 – 10.3mm  
  • 10 – 11.7mm
  • 8 – 14.7mm
• Daicchi 1750 (Gamakatsu S11S-4L2H is a good alternate)
  • Size 10 – Body Length 18 mm
  • 8 – 20mm - Standard Marabou Muddler, but Size 6 is a good choice.
  • 6 – 23mm
  • 4 – 30mm
• TMC 9394 (nickel plated – heavy)
  • 4 – 30mm – Larger Muddler
  • 2 – 35mm
• Martinek Carrier Stevens 8xl – reported as 2xheavy, I would argue standard weight.
  • 4 – 45mm 
  • 2 – 50mm

Additional Comments:

• I keep a stable of Mustad 34007 1/0 for pike, and 2-6 for other flies.  Maybe someday, I will hit the flats.
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• My muddler sizing is base on the smallest hook, in other words, I might tie a mini-Muddler on a C51S-BLN Size 10, though my default is size 14.
• Understand Circle Hooks are contraversial with hook-ups, but to date, I have no issue with them when on a swing. Anyway, as my stock depletes, I will be going to a Daiich 1110s.
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• Daiichi Size 6 versus Size 8. The body length difference is little, where the real difference is in the gap, so I suggest pick one and forgo the other. Longterm, I am likely to shift ny default to Size 6. 
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• I like the TMC 9394 for its heavy weight to get down (counter a muddler’s head), but I also use the bright shank for the body of a black nose dace.
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• Hooks that I am phasing out or phased out:
  • Mustad C51S-BLN because Mustad has discontinuted them.  My eventual replacement is the Daicchi 1110 which appears to be the same length by size, but finer with a smaller round bend.
  • TMC 300 TDE 6xl Heavy in Sizes 2-37mm, 4-33mm, 6-29mm, 8-25mm, 10-22mm. Why, I seem to prefer the straight eye
  • Daiichi 2370s, nice hooks, but have not found the return eye offers me any advantage.    (May become a Dee Hook).

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Q: What is it?  > A: Simply, a Charlie Brewer 1″ Grub glued to a wet fly hook (exempli gratia Daiichi 1520-8).

• The size of the fly enables it to be inhaled by small and large fish.
• The tail action on the swing is superb.

Q: How? > A: Simple and yet?  Wrap some thread onto the hook, apply some glue onto the hook and push onto grub.

• The plastic is too soft to tie with thread, as you will cut through, so gluing the plastic work is necessary. Yet, the forces placed on a fly in a long cast is substantial, such that a good glue bond is necessary.

Q: Why the name? > A: I started using Gorilla Glue to secure the fly.

• Started! A fundamental issue has been getting a good and lasting bond. Add to this, the soft plastic body does wipe the glue off, as it is pushed forward. 
• I have tried – Gorilla Glue, Epoxy and Pacer’s Zap-A-Gap.
• I am currently wrapping a rough thread body onto the hook and applying the Zap-A-Gap along the length of the hook, but I am not sure this is “good enough”.  (Immediate bond is good, but I am concern it is not durable enough)(also been thinking the zap-a-gap is weaking the plastic itself).
• I am looking into other “glues” and techniques.
• See update below

Q: The inspiration?  > A: The use of plastic tails is becoming more prominent, look to Whitlock’s Scorpion, and float fishing with Pink Worms on a dead drift is so effective for Steelhead.  There are foam flies, et cetera, so I thought, lets adopt (adapt) the soft plastic body.

Q: The process? > A: Last year, I bought a large supply of different soft baits, began putting them on hooks and see what happens and this what I learnt was?

1. The forces applied on a fly being cast is significant, and you need to really secure it.
2. The “Charlier Brewer Vibra-Tail” motion is very seductive for the fish, on a swing though a pool.

Q: Fished How? > A: As above, swing the fly, as a streamer, through a pool. 

Q: What colours have worked? > A: All, but I suggest:

• CBP817 – Green Pumpkin
• CBPF15 – Chartreuse – Orange Tail
• CBPF30 – Hot Pink / Silver Glitter
• CBP168 – Clear Blue Gill

 Yes, the fly has been effective and consistent. It is now my daughters’ start-off fly.

Update October 2 2009: Charlie Brewer Jr recommended Super-Glue, but I note some “super-glues” are not resistant to water.  My current process and recommendation is to use Pacer’s Zap Ca Thin  and apply when the grub is fully pushed onto the hook. Using the long noozle supplied, push the noozle deep into the Grub and squeeze the Zap onto the hook (with thread body), as you withdraw the noozle. This process is to bypass the earlier report issue of the soft body wiping off the glue upon insertion.

With the advent of learning to Spey Cast, traditional, came the need to work on and perfect swinging streamers, wets and the like. One day this summer, I came across a pool, with limestone edging, that I had dismissed years ago; but this year, the pool was teaming with fish and became my special place this summer.

On one of these days, the water and light was perfect, so I can see the fish rise and chase my fly, from 50+’.  To make it perfect, the fish were eager too!   Given this gift, I use this opportunity to improve my presentation and run through my fly box -> 5 casts each fly … then change … see what flies they were most susceptible too.

In order, the best to darn good …. (all took 2 or more fish in 5 casts):

• Dave’s Soft Gorilla
• Marabou Muddler
• Deceiver
• Black Nose Dace

After this date, I reduce my flies to those above.  The Muddler and Gorilla were consistent performers through-out the summer, and often pulled out aggressive strikes on slow days.

Is there anything special about my marabou muddler tie. Doubt it, but here are some notes.

The recipe is typically:

1. Hook – Straight – see below for suggestions
2. Thread – Uni-Thread 6/0 for Body and 3/0 for Head.
3. Tail – Krystal Flash or Flashbou
4. Back Body, Lower – Red Marabou
5. Back Body – Complimentary Marabou
6. Wing – Peacock Herl
7. Collar – Complimentary Deer Hair
8. Head – Deer Hair - Trimmed to wide flat head
9. Finish – Use thin (penetrating) glue to the base of head.

Notes:

Hooks, suggestions:

1. Large – TMC 9394-4 (a little longer would be nice) – Head Size – 9/16″
2. Medium – Daiichi 1750-8 – Head Size 5/16″
3. Small – Mustad CS51S-BLN-14 – Head Size 3/16″

Changes for the Smallest Flies:

1. Replace Marabou with  Unique Hair
2. Replace Deer Hair with Caribou (In Canada, Super-Fly (distributor) provides Caribou in dyed colours, which also allows you to use a size 6/0 thread).
3. Use 6/0 Thread for the head.

There it is, my streamer d’été.

Colours used?

• Green, complimentary Yellow or Chartreuse
• Black, complimentary Purple
• White, complimentary Tan or Light Blue
• Yellow, complimentary Tan or Chartreuse

Presentation?  Greased Line – Swing, either on a intermediate or floating line.

Aside …. an excellent summary on streamer hooks at globalfisher.  Though, for Deceivers and Muddlers, I prefer straight eye hooks. Too each there own.