More experimentation

All about flies Fly Tying
1

Here is a fly design I’ve been playing around with. It is basically just a Puglisi-Style unweighted Shad, except that I made a ‘head’ from 2 ml foam. It floats ‘head-up’ like a shad feeding at the surface. I tried it this morning and caught 4 Stripers, 2 white bass, 1 yellow bass and 1 black bass, all in a little over an hour at the tailraces. This one is tied with silver on top, chartruese on the bottom with a red head. It seems to work.

This one is a bit chewed up, but I wanted to show how well it holds up after 8 vicious strikes. It’s still in good shape.

Floating Head Shad

Hook: Cabelas Model 40 Streamer, sz. 4
Thread: Danville 6/0 , black
Body: Enricos Sea Fibers, Silver on top, Chartruese on the bottom.
Head: 2 ml foam, red-cut roughly in mthe shape of a small heart, and folded over the top
Eyes: Prismatic stick-on

It is tied in the Hi-Tie method. Tie in a small doubled up clump of hair on the bottom, move forward and tie a similar portion on top, then move forward again and do another batch of hair on the bottom, and so on to the head. You only need about 4 sparse layers. Then you just comb it out and trim it to shape, attach the head and eyes, and you’re done. I don’t even Whip Finish anymore. I just coat the string for about 4-6" with Super Glue, or Hard as Hull, wrap it and let it dry. It will never come loose! Zap-A-Gap works well, also.

Semper absentia piscatio
(Always out fishing)

2

You are forcing me to go to the vice and try this fly.

Rick

3

I’m going to tie a few more up with Grey on top and White on the bottom, and a White or Grey head. I’ll draw in gills and a ‘Shad’ spot with Prismatic Markers. I may use Angel Hair or Polar Fibers this time.

4

Gigmaster,

Are those tooth marks in the foam head? Great looking fly and well thought out design.

REE

5

Yes. White Bass and Stripers have a rough surface on thier mouths, tongues and throats resembling ‘teeth’, and they clamp down HARD. Two of them hit it so hard from below that they came completely out of the water and went airborne.

I think this may be a good fly.

6

I’ve had several requests on PMs for the instructions on this fly, so I will try to post them. Bear in mind that this is the first time I’ve done this. I’m not claiming this as an original pattern, because I would be really surprised if someone hasn’t tried this foam head trick before. I’ve just never seen one.

By using differnt colors of hair and markings, you could probably imitate any type of baitfish like this.

Hook: Cabelas Model 40 Streamer, sz. 4
Thread: Danville 6/0, black
Body: Enricos Sea Fibers (or Angel Hair), Grey on top, White on bottom.
Head: White 2 ml foam, cut to shape.
Eyes: Stick-On Prismatic eyes
Details: Prismatic Markers, Warm Grey, Red and Black

This is tied in the Hi-Tie, or Puglisi-Style as follows:


Start your thread and work it back to the last 1/3rd of the hook. Invert the hook and tie in a sparse amount of doubled up White Sea Fibers.


Bend the forward section of hair back and tie in. Rotate the hook right-side-up and wind the thread forward about 1/2-3/4".


Tie in a sparse hank of Grey hair the same way you did the white. Rotate the hook and repeat for the white. Alternate these steps until you are about 1-1/2 hook-eye length from the eye of the hook.


Your fly will build up quickly. Keep the layers sparse or it will get too bushy to cast.


When you get to the front, coat the string with super-glue for about 5" and wrap it. When the glue sets (in seconds), cut the thread.


The glue will seal the thread indefinitely. It will not come loose, no matter what!


Take your scissors and cut through the loops in the hair.


Use a comb (I use a moustache comb) to comb through the hairs, removing all the loose hair. There will be a lot. I save the scraps and use it for dubbing.


Trim the body to shape.


Cut a 2" x 2" square of 2 ml foam from the sheet.


Fold the square in half.


Cut a blunt Valentine shape from the square, like we all did in elementary school. This is the head.


Coat the inside of the head with super glue and, working quickly, fold it over the top of the hook at the head so that it hangs evenly on each side, pointy end to the front. Being careful not to get glue on your fingers, squeeze the sides together gently until the glue sets to the hair. You can do this with Hemostats if you’d rather. Just be careful not to squash the foam. Do not glue the foam to itself, or your fly will hang sideways. (actually, this may not be a bad thing. It would certainly appear injured that way)


Stick on the Stick-On eyes. Coat them with Hard as Hull.


Make a Grey Stripe on top of the head with the Grey Prismatic Marker


Do the gills with the Red Marker


Make a 'Shad" spot 2/3rd of the way down the body with the Black marker


You’re done! It’s time to go fishing!

I hope this helps.

I took this Grey and White fly to the Tailraces this morning and here is what happened in 1-1/2 hours.

I had to quit because the limit here in Ga. is only 15. They are in the freezer now.

Semper absentia pescatio
(Always out fishing)

7

Gigmaster,
I’m very impressed by your Fly!! Obviously the fish are convinced that your Fly is food and THAT is a great example why it’s important to tie your own flies.
Thanks,
Doug

8

I tie an almost identical pattern for pike and it holds up great. I tie min on 2/0 saltwater hooks and have been experimenting with coloring the heads and body to resemble baitfish. I have done a few that were pretty good matches for silver shiners and yellow perch.

I bury the hook eye further back in the fly, but don’t fully glue the foam around the eye. The result is a poper like mouth that splashes on the jerky surface retrieve. have been thinking about including rattles in these flys as big noisy flies seem to really agravate the pike to stike.

I’ll try and dig ou some of my pike flies and take some photos after my move. I have most of my stuff packed up now so can’t take photos right now.

-HMD

9

That, Gig, is an AWESOME tye. Thanks so much for sharing it with us… (now I gotta get to the fly shop for some sparkly stuff!)

ED

10

I was pretty sure that a lot of us have experimented with this type of fly. We just haven’t ‘officialized’ it, yet.

I have some sad news to report. The plucky Grey and White Shad is no more. I was out at the lake this morning trying for some LM bass, when a 3’ gar began stalking my fly. Before I could lift it from the water, the gar grabbed it and the leader parted between those wicked teeth.

Oh, well. Nothing lasts forever. Back to the bench…

Semper Fi!

11

I don’t glue it completly around the eye, either. Just to the sides and the top, sort of in a ‘U’ shape. If you glue it all the wat around, the fly will float sideways.

12

Gigmaster;

Now, take what you wrote up there, along with the pictures and send it to publisher@flyanglersonline.com .

That would be a great FOTW! I think I need to make a few and see how the Crappie and Bass like them as they fatten up for winter.

Don

13

I’ll edit it a bit, then send it in.

Thanks

Semper Fi!