Asymmetric Wet Flies

[GreenFish]

I have a question about weighting wet flies. Most of the time this is done by wrapping lead wire around the hook -- which makes the vertical axis perfectly balanced.
Has anyone added a strip of wire to only one side of the hook to create an unbalanced fly? This would add a twisting action when the fly is retrieved. The further the wire is from the hook, the more dramatic the effect would be. For example, when creating a wooly bugger, a small lead wire could be tied to the shank between the marabou & chenile wraps.
What do you think?

[Bugsy]

What do I think...hmmm... I think you might be onto something, but....

1. Sufficient water turbulence can cause most subsurface flies to tumble or spin in the current. Charlie Brooks tied his nymphs "in the round" to lessen that effect.

2. Applying weight to one side of the fly might cause it to swim on its side, but I don't see how such weight application alone would create twist. Perhaps in conjuction with a modification at the head, a sideways bend in the shank, or sufficient offsetting of the bend.

3. Even if some twist could be created by the side-mounted weight, I don't know how much added effect that would have on an "in the round" tied fly such as a bugger.

4. Twisted leaders ain't no fun.

[peregrines]

Greenfish- You may want to try tying one up to see how it swims, and whether it has the action you want in still water and current.

I?ve never tried that? I?ve used strips of lead wire on each side to get a flatter profile for stonefly and crawler nymphs etc. I?ve also tried spun deer hair streamers (like Tabory Slab Flies) rotated 90 degrees so it looks like an injured baitfish lying on it?s side, one glued on eye staring up, and one staring down.

Not sure what effect you?re going for here with a fly like a wooly bugger that?s got the same profile in all 360 degrees as Bugsy noted?..and it would seem to be sort of counteracted by the weight of the hook bend which would kick up on the side opposite the lead wire? A lead wire strip could be useful maybe if tied on the top of the shank to invert a bugger to make it ride hook point up like a clouser, to help it clear bottom, but you could probably do that with lead or bead chain eyes to make it look ?buggier?.

I?d be concerned that a strip on one side could twist the leader if the fly spins in current. If you?re looking for a more erratic looking retrieve you could also try a riffle hitch on your tippet to fly connection. It?s mostly used on dries and wets to create a waking effect on or just under the surface for salmon and steelhead in current, but could be worth trying on a deeper swimming fly like a bugger to get the effect you?re looking for in swimming against current. Here?s instructions:

http://www.frontrangeanglers.com/newsle ... ehitch.htm

Which side to tie the hitch on is a matter of some debate, Art Lee's method is to hold the fly head pointing upstream, and tying the hitches on the side facing the angler, Lee Wulff recommended holding the fly head pointed downstream, putting the hitches on the side facing the angler? I can?t make a case for one vs the other, so you get to choose?

Hope this helps. Let us know what you try and how it works.

peregrines

[dudley]

I guess I'm not too sure of what you're trying to accomplish here.
I do know that anything that causes a fly to swim in an unnatural manner is is not a good thing
The kiss of death matter-o-fact

[GreenFish]

I guess I'm not too sure of what you're trying to accomplish here.
I do know that anything that causes a fly to swim in an unnatural manner is is not a good thing
The kiss of death matter-o-fact

This type of fly would be intended for slow moving or still water, and would be retrieved using small twitches. It should never make a full rotation -- just turn a little with every twitch. Ideally it would look like an injured baitfish. Most fish LOVE an easy meal, and injured prey is easy to catch.
I got the idea from a friend who fishes with 1/32 oz jigs and has a modified mold that makes the heads a little lopsided. He has been VERY successful with them, and I was wondering if the same concept would work with wet flies.
I'm recovering from a blown rotator cuff tendon on my casting arm, or I'd go out and try one of these "gimpy" flies myself. It might be the next superfly, and it might be a complete waste of time and effort.

[okflyfisher]

Gary Lafontaine had this fly

Rollover Scud

HOOK: 14-18; TMC 9300?standard wet fly hook

WEIGHT: strip of lead wire (tied on top of the hook shank)

BACK: eight pieces of Fluorescent Blue Stren spinning line

BODY: Antron dubbing (dubbed rough and shaggy)


The fly, unbalanced by the strip of lead along the top of the hook shank, flips over when it isn't being retrieved. This is one of the few patterns that will make trout that are "grazing" on zooplankton strike an artificial?the sudden roll of the fly triggers a reaction. It is an indispensable pattern on rich lakes with populations of real scuds. It is a valuable searching fly even on infertile lakes, where trout never saw a scud but still respond to the rolling action of the fly. Olive and orange are the best colors for the Rollover Scud.

I read about this somewhere in detail , but I found the reciepe here on FAOL

[Bugsy]

okay...I get it...you want the fly to W-O-B-B-L-E, not twist around.

[rookie]

I agree with Bugsy. I think you are looking for a wooble. This is probably going to be very hard to achieve without a lip or bill. The weighted side is always going to want to be on the bottom and even with a fast retrieve, the timing would be essential. Once the weight went past horizontal it would spin rather than wobble. This is just an opinion as I am certainly no expert nor qualified really to even render an opinion.

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

One thing I've had people tell me they do with Matuku-style streamers is to bind the feathers on top with either a "bend" or on a slant (i.e., not straight down the middle of the shank, but angled). If you were to look "top down" on the fly, the shaft of the feathers at the tail might be to the right side of the tail and at the eye, it is tied in on the left side. For a bend, just have the shafts bound down with a "wiggle" rather than straight. Four feathers should be used in constructing the wing. The idea is that the wing will add lateral movement, or wobble. I don't know how effective this actually is, but it is something one can try with this style of streamer due to the wing being bound along the top of the hook.

For those not familear with matuku's, here's a Jack's Sprat, which is a popular pattern in that construction style. I've only used 2 feathers for the wing. To get the "stearing ability" I would think 4 feathers would be required.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g142/ ... kSprat.jpg

- Jeff

[GreenFish]

Thanks for the advice!