whistler question
I'm getting ready to tie up some whistlers for an upcoming trip, and my question is which is better for a collar, hackle or marabou? I've found recipes online that call for both, but I'm wondering what the relative benefits are of each. Thanks in advance for the help.
The originator, Dan Blanton, designed the fly with hackle collar to provide bulk and push water. Marabou slims down in the water much more and doesn't provide the same profile or bulk. Both styles catch fish. Since I reach for a Whitler when I want a bulky fly, I don't tie them with marabou collars. If I want a slim fly I go to a Deceiver or Clouser Minnow. Dan's instructions for one of his favorite variants are here.
www.danblanton.com/spswhistler.html
My favorite color variants in addition to the SPS are the original Red Collar, white body, a chart. over white body with either a white or chart. collar, all Black, and a Red collar with yellow body.
This has been a very effective fly for me for largemouth bass, stripers, pike, and our local kelp forest species.
That's what I was looking for. Thanks for your help.
In every recipe I've ever seen for a whistler a short shanked hook was always specified.
This is for the jigging action you would not get from a longer hook.
When Dan was speaking at our club this past winter, he demonstrated a whistler for a few of us.
I was very suprised when he used a jig hook instead of the eagle claw short shank that I've seen him use before.
When I asked him about it he said that he liked the action of the jig hook better and had changed his mind.
The simpler the outfit, the more skill it takes to manage it, and the more pleasure one gets in his achievements.
--- Horace Kephart
Dudley,
The hook that Dan primarily uses now is the Eagle Claw EC-413. This is a hook designed for use creating leadhead jigs and has a 60 degree bend at the front of the hook. I believe Dan was originally introduced to this hook by George Glazener, who developed a fly called the "Spinster" for lake Texoma Stripers ( www.danblanton.com/spinsterstory.html ).
When a Whistler is tied on the EC-413 all of the material is tied on front half of the hook shank but not on to the bent portion. Eyes are tied in clouser style. A small amount of bucktail is tied in opposite the point side of the hook but the rest is tied in on the same side as the point.
The EC-413 is a great hook for many patterns and that bend in the front helps it ride over obstructions, though it does not make it snag proof. Clouser Minnows adapt to this hook quite well. The late Del Brown tied his Permit Crab (Merkin) Flies on this hook during his last years.
The EC-413 was originally available only from tackle making supply houses but a growing number of fly shops now carry this style of hook. I believe that Umpqua will have in their catalog Flashtail Whistlers, and maybe other patterns, tied with this hook this year.
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