Confused by Bombers

[logan1193]

I'm having some trouble with tying bombers for atlantic salmon. I have found that there are so many different methods of tying one, and I'm not sure which version most people are using.What types of hooks are you using? Any tricks that seem to make the job easier?

thanks,
Logan

[Flyrodde]

If you describe the problem you are having, we may beable to help a little more.


I tie mine with a hair tail, packed deer hair body, hair "wing" (more like a tail but on the front) and a palmered hackle through the body. I usually use a standard salmon hook but I have tied a rendition small for a strike indicator on a caddis hook.

[DBenner]

So where is the trouble? Front, back or middle?

I use calf tail that is stacked to get even tips for the tail and then make a second tail for the front, put them on first, then spin the deer hair for the body making sure it is tightly packed, then I use two hackles for the hackle so the barbs point forward through the body. Voila, one bomber. Now, that is all put on a Partridge Bomber hook typically in size 4 or 6.

These things are a little tricky to do, probably the hardest fly I teach at the local Fly tying course each winter but definitely worth it for the fishy rewards that come in the summer. they are also great with bass.

Dwight

[Jayatwork]

It was a fly of the week, if it will help.
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flyt...051407fotw.php

[logan1193]

I found the problem was with trimming the body.Does this just take practice or are there any things that can be done to make it easier?Would you rather use hair scissors or a double edged razor blade?

[DBenner]

Scissors, definitely scissors. I know there are probably alot of people that user blades, but I like scissors. Just takes some practice, ok, alot of practice. I do use two different scissors though, I have a larger set to get the bulk off, then a finer set to trim up with. Clipping takes the most time for me, but then again, I only tie about a dozen of these a year so I get out of practice.

Dwight

[DBenner]

If you want to see some nice ones, check out wwdoak.com (and I am not affiliated with them except being a very happy customer).

Dwight

[Jayatwork]

Getting smooth symmetrical bodies takes practice with either tool. The razor will give you a nice smooth surface in one pass while the scissors will require many snips. However you can ruin it a lot faster too.

[Micropteris]

I go through a lot of bombers on the salt so I tye up quite a few each year.

They make a killer floating clam worm.

The easiest way to get a round profile is to make four cuts parallel with the hook shank, in other words turn it into a square, then make four cuts and cut off the corners of the square and keep cutting off the corners until it rounder and rounder.

Every time you cut of a series of corners it get rounder.

This is a little trick that I learned from a good tyer and it works pretty darn well to get a nice symetrical cigar shape from the deer hair.

[dmdmd]

I have tried razor blades in all positions--straight, curved--and scissors. Finally got a tip to be sure to use SERRATED scissors and most of my problems (not those related to practice, practice, practice) have been solved