Your thoughts please

[Uncle Jesse]

Plastic salamanders are awesome for bass when they are bedding, do you think this will work? It's going to need a weedguard I know, I was thinks of figuring out some kinds of a swimming action on the tail too.
Salamander Overhead.jpg
Salamander Lt Side.jpg

[Joe Billingsley]

What are the body and tail materials that you used?

Joe

[namekagon]

Those are really cool.
When I read plastic salimanders was thinking you weren't fly fishing anymore !
Anything will work for bass but I really like your creation!

[rainbowchaser]

Are those eyes tied on top of the hook? If so it will float upside down. If you attach the tail separately by loops on the tail and the tail it will swim more. Keep playing with it until it does what you want.

[Steven McGarthwaite]

I looked at your salamander fly pattern and noticed that you were using a hook with a straight eye, in alignment with the hook shank.

I think that you could avoid a weed guard, if you used a down eye hook, and jigged the pattern with a metal beadhead for the weight.

Most down eye hooks eyes are set at a 45 degree angle. If you bent the hook shank at a 45 degree angle, leaving space for the metal beadhead weight the the hook spear would be reversed and no need for a weed guard. The beadhead would move along the bottom, and the hook shank would be tipped upward slightly. This is how I tie all my patterns that run along the bottom (crayfish, chub, sculpin, small catfish, fry, & leeches)

My fly pattens do not get stuck in the rock debris or sunken logs and branches, the fly just bumps over them....

[Bass_Bug]

The only thing I would critique is that the tail should be shorter than the body. Most salamanders have a longer body than tail.
What are the eyes made of? If weighted, then like RC is saying, it will likely flip hook. Plastic/buoyant would be desire if those are not already so. Although maybe a hook up configuration would be better if you're walking is across the bottom. That might lessen the need for a weed guard as weed perhaps? Just thinking out loud.

[Uncle Jesse]

Yes I confess I am a reformed hardware chunker with 3 baitcaster and an arsenal of spinning rods, most covered in dust.

Thanks for the input, the tail is a scrap of garment grade leather, lead barbell eyes [I think I can just flip the legs over and fish it hook point up} the body, feel free to laugh, is built up from a cheap hair weave I bought at a dollar store, covered with some black yarn I inherited from a friend. The legs are rubber from a bungee cord with a sun damaged cover. The hook is No. 6 Eagle Claw Aberdeen, so I can bend the eye per Parnelli suggestion.

I like the swimming tail idea too, I have some 3 strand stainless wire leader than is good for that type of thing.

Version two will probably have a little wire weight, just enough to sink it, bead chain eyes.

Thanks again.

[ducksterman]

A little side track....

Do trout eat salamanders? Have a lake with lots of salamanders that the trout don't seem to bother.

[Uncle Jesse]

To be honest I was thinking warm water, but salamanders eat fish eggs & salamanders are mostly protein; trout consume protein. I am guessing yes. Remember most fish are predators, you are only safe when you are too big to be easily swallowed.

[namekagon]

A little side track....

Do trout eat salamanders? Have a lake with lots of salamanders that the trout don't seem to bother.

I do love them trout for the selective gentlemen they are.
Trout don't like anything without texture,,,a smooth skinned amphibian for them is like a flat beer.
I do love them bass too cuz if it even remotely looks alive they'll take a taste and there ain't nothing like a flat beer if you're out of sorts.