Here’s a weighted fly that is one of my more successful creations. The top is a fake fingernail. “Electric” finish is two coats of fingernail polish: Black creme + clear holographic flake.
Body is made from clear fuzzy yarn with multi-colored tinsel. (wal-mart) It looks light purple when wet.
Tail is just a couple of black marabou clumps.
I’ve caught trout, smallmouth bass, and yellow perch with it. What do you think? Got any suggestions?
that fly looks AWSOME!! :shock: were is the tinsel, i cant see it in the pic. is it just wrapped around thedubbing as ribbing?
Thanks! 
The tinsel is very small and woven into the yarn. Here’s a pic.
GreenFish,
I’m proud of you for finding a 'GOOD" use for fake fingernails. You might try cutting/shaping the nails to form a Beetle pattern. Are those stick on eyes?? Would Epoxy look better on the head?? How much weight do you use??
Thanks,
Doug
I tie with fake fingernails, too. Here is my offering. I call it the Bass-Kicker!
I start by tying on a marabou tail, then clip the line. Then, I just glue the nail on the hook, fill the bottom with 5-minute epoxy, then add the details.
Semper Fi!
Yep, those are stick-on eyes. They are coated with a very thick version of “hard as nails”. (I forgot to screw the cap back on and it thickened overnight.) Epoxy would probably look better. For weight, I just use a very small lead wire and tie it to the shank. Not sure how much it weighs. The unweighted version also works in calm water, using a very slow “twitch-twitch-pause” retrieve. Barbell eyes can be used for heavy current.
A beetle sounds interesting. Fake fingernails might also make a dandy scud pattern. Hmm…
Have you tried to cut the nails? (trim) Can you do it with your fly tying scissors?
Of course I haven’t researched Nail Polish, but isn’t there a LOT of colors you could use??
Doug
I use nail polish on mine. It comes in every color of the rainbow. And yes, the nails can be easily cut and/or filed to shape. I’m thinking of making a crab pattern with them.
Semper Fi!
My wife says it’s just sick and wrong that I have more colors of nail polish and thread than she does. :shock:
Oh yeah, your bass-kicker is awesome! I’m going to start playing with epoxy and see what I can come up with.
It works pretty good. I’ve caught several bass on it. It wobbles like a spoon on the retrieve. I’ve made a weighted version to use with my spinning rod. It works, too.
I was just telling someone recently that this is an exciting time for the Craft, because there is no end to the creative possibilities with modern materials.
Semper Fi!
Several successful fly patterns have been incorporated in jig hybrids. Wooly bugger, and bunny leech jigs have become very popular here in the northwest.
I tie both jigs and flies, so naturally there’s some cross-breeding. Here’s a jig version of the electric hardtop fly…
I was just looking for a good cheap supply of fake fingernails to use to make spoon flies.
Good Job,
Skip
I found el-cheapo fake fingernails at the dollar store. The entire assortment is only 99 cents. There are some that are too big, but at least half of them can be used.
How are you attaching the fingernail to the body?
I use fingernail clippers to cut barbed notches on both sides at the front of the nail. To keep the thread angled toward the head, I wrap from the head to a notch on one side, over the top of the nail to the other notch, then back to the head. Do a loop at the head, then repeat as needed.
I use Super-Glue to tack it position, then fill the bottom with 5-Minute Epoxy.