Swinging flies?

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Cold
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/06 10:12:56 (permalink)
I'd eat it. Good job on not trimming that herl!

What type of hackle are you guys using? Spending the bucks for spey-specific hackle or substituting?
D-nymph
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/06 10:16:38 (permalink)
ORIGINAL: Cold

I'd eat it. Good job on not trimming that herl!

What type of hackle are you guys using? Spending the bucks for spey-specific hackle or substituting?

 
haha.
 
I don't have any special hackle... yet.  I think that it's inevitable sooner rather than later though.  I just used the webbiest hackles that I had in a bag of strung hackle.  The stuff that's too webby for buggers.  I guess it could be schlappen.
KJH807
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/06 10:39:06 (permalink)
i bought a black "whiting spey hackle" 
lots of twisted stems and thin, need to double them up (the thin-under on the intruder post #137)


I also have rump pads from golden pheasant (stiff) cheap on ebay (the red fly on the black AJ hook post #95)
Blue eared pheasant amazing flat and full with out being webby, but $$$
i have a shlton of black schappen/ couqe tails (see posts #12, #95)


with webby hackle... strip one side and wet it with spit
it will loosen/ break down the barbs to get the individual fibers moving

the designer "spey hackles" (whiting, bird fur, burnt goose) are chemicaly treated/enginered to loose the barbs and webbyness

i know swinger has been in the 'reha


*PLEASE correct me if I am wrong/add if you know anything more more *

 
 
 
post edited by KJH807 - 2009/08/06 10:41:42
norm289
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/06 11:01:59 (permalink)
I use alot of various whole pheasant skins. There is lots of usable spey feathers on one skin.

Alot of schlappen.

Blue-eared pheasant is a great alternative to natural heron but it can get expensive. 20 feathers for $8.95 where I get it.

Rhea is great for intruder style flies. 2 feathers for $20. You can tie a good bit of flies with one feather.

I have been using alot of pheasant tail fibers for collars and flared tails.

Of course, lots of marabou.

Just started using synthetic materials for this style of tying. Lots of options, durable, and cheaper but it takes away from the tradition.
Plum Bob
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/06 13:15:09 (permalink)
Yay, very nice looking fly.
 
Good looking shiner pattern. Would be good tied on frodin small/x small plastic tubing with a small cone head, daiichi 1650 size 6 or 8 hook.
 
tube fly - big fly/small hook
Cold
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/06 13:18:05 (permalink)
For the fly I pictured, I didnt add any weight, as I wanted as little bulk & clutter as possible for my first attempt. When I use it, will it kill the action to add a bit of shot above it? Also, for a fly in bright colors like that, would you experienced fly swingers consider it a clear/murky fast/slow water fly? a bright/cloudy day fly?
Plum Bob
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/06 14:50:38 (permalink)
Cold,  Great looking fly, really like the white/yellow/orange color combo. This combination of colors is my "go to" pattern for prime/green,high water conditions. Your choice of materials, not over dressing the fly is very good.
 
White, white/yellow with pearl krystal flash or flashabou is very good in water with a lot of clarity, sunny or cloudy weather, doesn't seem to matter much.
 
My personal preference for swinging fly materials is rabbit strips, marabou, schlappen, fire fly flash, in various combinations.
 
Swinging flies in the PA and smaller NY tribs IMO is best done with a single hand rod about 10 ft, 7 or 8 wt.  Unweighted flies are fine.  Swinging flies with a shotted leader is is controversial topic and considered a "no-no" by many experience fly swingers.  Adding a couple size B shot 18-24" above your fly will NOT hamper the action of your fly or detract much from the  quality of the swing. I have swung flies for years in the smaller NY and PA tribs with very good results using a lightly shotted leader.
 
Swinging flies in bigger water, is best done with a 2 handed rod, skagit head,sink tip system. For erie sthd any thing from a 10 1/2' switch to 12 1/2' 6 or 6/7 wt is about right. Big water examples - Cattaraugus creek, or Salmon river for lake Ontario sthd.
 
You can effectively swing big water with a single hand rod, its just a bit harder to do and you are limited a bit regarding casting distance and water coverage.
Cold
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/06 20:54:34 (permalink)
Thanks guys! Maybe I'll try another one soon.
swinger
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/08 07:56:00 (permalink)
ORIGINAL: Cold

For the fly I pictured, I didnt add any weight, as I wanted as little bulk & clutter as possible for my first attempt. When I use it, will it kill the action to add a bit of shot above it? Also, for a fly in bright colors like that, would you experienced fly swingers consider it a clear/murky fast/slow water fly? a bright/cloudy day fly?

 
Cold I like yor fly. The only thing I would maybe change is the amount of ribs. I would only put about 5 in. Spin one up with less ribs and you decide which one you like better and go with it. I would fish this fly in clear water in the late morning to early afternoon on a sunny day. Thats when I go to my yellows and orange flies. But a steelhead will also take the fly in dirty water on a cloudy day. Nice work.

Quality over quantity

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Cold
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/08 11:57:38 (permalink)
Thanks, swinger.

I tried a few more, but none looked as nice and I think its because I actually used more ribs instead of less. If I ever get a chance to sit down again (the puppy came yesterday), I'll have to try a few more. I'd like to do one in more of an earthtone color-scheme.
KJH807
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/08/08 21:49:32 (permalink)
something new
the tinsel/tag needs work

I posted a step-by... http://forums.fishusa.com/m_222773/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#222773




Rich Farino
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/09/27 02:21:53 (permalink)
This is an awesome thread... glad to see like minded individuals here. Luv the color combos and flies. I tend to tie all mine on tubes, usually 1 to 1.5 aluminum HMH (and sometimes plastic).

Here's my go-to fly:

Marabou spey in fl. orange/purple




Thanks for some good ideas..


Question for you guys launching the big stuff - how well do your intruders work? I tend to keep my tubes on the medium size with Gamakatsu L11S-3H #6 or C14S, depending on how long the marabou is. I throw a 7110-4 Sage Z-Axis switch with a 350 Skagit & tips on the smaller-normal streams, and a 7/8133-4 Winston BIIx spey with a 3M spey short head for the normal-larger rivers. Curious about throwing those monster flies.


Richie
swinger
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/09/27 06:48:12 (permalink)
Welcome aboard.  Throw the big stuff, they will hit it.

Quality over quantity

I am reality

I>U

JC Rules!!!!!!!
Plum Bob
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/09/27 10:36:08 (permalink)
Good looking tube.  Like that fly tied cerise (dark pink)/purple with pearl or silver flash.
 
My favorite tubing is Frodin F.I.T.S, plastic tubing size small combined with x small. I've heard good things about the Eumer tubing but have not tried it yet.
 
Lots of tube tiers like lined metal tubes, I don't, prefer plastic, counter balanced with
a small cone, solid brass bead, or bead chain.  The main reason I like a tube weighted this way is that  it results in a well balanced fly that sinks level or slightly head down.
 
Cones-size small, beads-5/32". bead chain-size small or medium.  If you would like to try frodin or eumer tubing check spey pages, sponsors, several have this tubing as well as many other materials for tying tube flies.
 
Nice to see another tube tyer on this board, only a couple 2 or 3 that i know of are into this. 
 
Please keep posting your flies, I'd post a few, but at present, dont have a working digital camera. 
 
Nice feature about tying with Frodin tubing is that it requires no junction tubing, size small will accept a 6 or 8 hook.
                                                                                  
norm289
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/09/27 10:51:02 (permalink)
Good stuff Rich. Nice to see another tube fly guy on here. There is not many from what I see. I never tried the stuff from Eumer or Frodin. I use just about everything that the Canadian Tube Fly Co. has to offer.
Rich Farino
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/09/27 11:15:33 (permalink)
I used plastic tubes a lot (and always had problems getting the coneheads to stay on the front even though I melted it right) but the big issue was cracking (winter, on rocks and even during casting when the tube would flex), and the hollow tube not getting down. I switched to the aluminum and they get down just right (as opposed to brass).

I tie that fly in a asst of colors (chart/blck, blk/chart, white/red, brown/orange, olive/yellow) for both steel and brownies.

I'm gonna have to try that tip-dyed stuff. I don't have an account with Spirit River though.
Deadbolt401
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RE: Swinging flies? 2009/11/18 17:50:30 (permalink)
Bringin' this baby back to life. Embarking on my first trip tomorrow.

Revive this thread, it's one of the best the boards has ever seen!
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