Hypothetically, if I wanted to tie (for mt own personal use) a reasonably close approximation to a certain famous patented Pacific Northwest nymph/leech pattern, what’s the best approach to weighting the fly so that it rides with the hook point up? Anything better than tying in bead chain eyes to make the fly a Crazy Charlie?
Thanks for your help,
tt
Bind the front third of the hook shank down behind the eye of the hook and wrap led around the shank between the eye and the bend. This will cause the hook to ride point up. Something I learned when the first bent style of hooks came out many years ago.
I should add that I can think of a lot better patterns to use than the ones you are looking to tie. 
Ron
Thanks RonMT for the tip on bending the hook. I’m sure you’re right about the pattern as well. Curiosity finally killed this cat though. I have to see what all of the hype is about, and I’m sure not going to pay $1.75/fly.
Thanks again,
tt
Not sure if this will help but for my Steelhead wooley buggers I tie in along the hook a length of bead chain about 4-5 bead chain balls in length on the side away from the hook point. Then I tie the rest of the materials to cover both the chain and the hook. You end up with a nice and fat Wooley that rides down the river hook point up pretty darn well. Started to do this after ending up with more bead chain then I could use for eyes and it was cheaper and better for the river then lead.
EC 413 hooks (60* bend) seem to promote “hook up” when weighted some. I think they only come size #4 and bigger though. They seem to be the rage for some around here lately. 
…lee s.
Just bend a regular streamer hook a bit and tie on a pin with a bead attached. Voila, instant hook point riding up bead jig:
I take a piece of lead/lead-free wrap 1.5 x shank length, fold it in half, glue and tie it to the top of the shank.
There are pics here : [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/030104fotw.html:c00b5]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/030104fotw.html[/url:c00b5]
I really like the look of fishyfranky’s rig though. I may try that too.
Lux
Thanks guys. Quite a few different techniques to try.
fishyfranky,
Now that is innovative…
[This message has been edited by ducksterman (edited 19 July 2005).]
I just use Dazzle eyes.
fishyfranky, interesting idea for attaching a plastic bead.
Joe
You could also consider tying it “tube Style” and in doing that you can use a single hook that has a turned-up eye. Then when you place the hook into the flexible tubing on the end of the tuber you can position it to ride hook-up and it acts as a keel. Smims true and upright. No snags-great hook sets…
Lots of great ideas on this thread.
Hey and nothing wrong with using a fly pattern that has accounted for over 30 IGFA records. This pattern speaks for itself. It is no hype. Jim’s great fly is very cool. I have adapted it for use in the surf and it works very well in SW too!
Rich
FYI, the bead/pin idea is prior art from steelhead jigs. My adaptation is bending a regular hook, and using glass beads instead of brass/nickel. Plastic beads float but may be good for ‘suspending’ streamers. None of this is patentable by the way
As far as the fly that shall not be named, I see a marked similarity to a Diawl Bach.
fishyfranky,
All the the plastic beads I’ve used, don’t float. They are not very heavy and if air is trapped in the hole it may float, but if you put something in the hole, like a pin or wire, even mono, it will displace the air and the plastic will sink.
In the case of your method, I was thinking of a larger bead (salmon egg size) and an egg sucking leech pattern.
Joe
Thanks again for all of the great suggestions several of which serve my immediate application very well and the rest I can see use for in other patterns.
It may be bad form to answer my own question, but I stumbled on another approach with a Google search today at lunch. Here’s a link to another approach to the problem. [url=http://www.alaskaflyfishingonline.com/afb/bouncershrimp.html:1248a]http://www.alaskaflyfishingonline.com/afb/bouncershrimp.html[/url:1248a]
Whups! You’re right flyfisherjoe, it was the trapped air in the plastic bead’s hole. I just kept dunking one and after 6 pokes it finally stayed sunk.
We’re on the same page as far as an ESL, that bead above is 6mm in size.
Wow, just looked at that link trouting_thomas! That’s a great idea!
[This message has been edited by fishyfranky (edited 19 July 2005).]
Yes, that Bouncer pattern gives me a good idea for the eggs on a crayfish pattern using tiny red glass beads.
Joe
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/lakes/:702a5]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/lakes/[/url:702a5]
LaFontaines Roll over scud is a variation of this technique. Tieing a strip or two of lead length wise on the top of the hook will work.
Royce
Adding a strip of weighted wire, on the top-side of the hook shank, will cause the fly to travel with the hook point up. The term is commonly referred to as “Laying Keel”, as is done in Sailboats. Below is the URL connection to the “Tying Tip” on this subject.
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part151.html:35512]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part151.html[/url:35512]
One of the easiest methods of all that I didn’t see mentioned was the TDE hook…if you weight the shank, it swims point up.