Moffitt Fly Systems: anyone use them
- This topic has 14 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated Aug 8, 2009 at 6:06 pm by
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I have been seeing ads for this system for some time now. I went to their website(http://www.moffittangling.com) checked it out. Interesting, but not sold on it. In my opinion you are lining the fish. Just curious what other people think, or if anyone has used it.
-Mike
Michael –
I have a sample that the manufacturer sent to me. I just opened it up. It contains a large bobber looking thingie that is apparently intended to unhook fish. It has three pre-threaded, well, threader-thingies that each have two flies on them. None of the flies have hooks. They appear to be a well-tied straight-shank version of a standard Hare’s Ear, a Pheasant Tail, and a Mysis Shrimp. Then I have three of what I would call micro-circle hooks.
Then I have a nicely printed set of instructions that leave me with some basic questions. Presumably I am still trying to hook fish here; I thought initially this was just a fish-tagging hookless system. Based on the diagrams it looks like the hook and the fly are attached separately, a la an Alaskan bead rig (which I’m fine with). What I don’t get is whether the fly is intended to slide out of the way like a bead? Or stay static on the leader, and if so, how far from the hook should it be? Ok, I see in the fine print it should be five inches from the hook. Wow. It better slide or they’re giving me a lot of credit on the size of fish I’m expected to catch. How do I set the hook (standard circle hook no-set or straight set?)
I’m frankly kind of mystified. I like the bead rig concept because it would probably lead to more fish being hooked in the side of the mouth, which improves survivability. Unfortunately it may improve survivability by resulting in fewer fish being hooked and caught. This looks like the kind of thing you’d need a shop hand to show you how to set up to me – I am not confident that I can figure it out based on the literature.
Michael did someone come by your shop and give y’all some more detailed explanation?
I watched the videos on the website a couple weeks back, and was led to believe that you were expected to hook fish on any of 1 or up to 3 flies tied onto a single leader, with one circle hook at the far end.
I did have a client bring it by the shop, I’m just that not impressed by it. My thinking is why not just use a tube fly with a circle hook. To me you are still lining the fish. I talked to a CO here and described the system, and he agreed with me. I see the bead theory in the design, but not when you have a multiple fly rig and rip the line though the fish’s mouth.
I use the term lining and flossing to refer to the same method. Making the line go through the fish’s mouth to hook it.
I’ve never fished the Moffit System. I’ve talked to some folks who have, with mixed reviews. Seems a little gimicky to me. Pegging a bead for steelhead is killer for different reasons than what Moffitt is talking about and I don’t need “the moffitt system” to peg a bead effectively.
A very respectable fly tying mentor of mine once told me that trout are not inspecting our flies for “negitives”. If that where the case all fish would obviously be turned off by the steel hanging out the back end of all of our flies. According to my mentor – The goal of effictive fly tying is this – “How many positives can we proportion on the shank to achieve the desired imitation and strikes from fish?” (size, shape, color, foot print, flash, floatablity, tracking, swimming, riding in the water, etc.) That is what matters most, not the presence or absence of a hook. Over the years I have found this school of thought convincing and helpful as I build different patterns.
Does Moffitt expect me to throw way the millions of flys that I have aclumulated over the last 20 years? Will we even be talking about this in 2 years? What is it costing Moffitt to run those ads on every other page of Fly Fisherman mag?
seems to me like fly fishing meets engineering. I hate when people try to reinvent the wheel.
I know the say it is less invasive on the fish, but let me stick a hook in his face at any spot, and I guarantee I will get the same response :-/Just a few additional thoughts:
In the numerous hooking mortality studies I’ve read, it is generally held that circle hooks and even small treble hook artificials do less damage than j-hooks because they are swallowed less deeply. However, this difference is dependent largely on the type of j-hook fly/lure used and method. Also, the better scientific studies out there make allowances for angler experience/inexperience in their evaluation of data.
The company claims you can catch just as many fish and perhaps more with their system, so a question is raised: Is it better to hook more fish with circle hooks than fewer fish with J-hooks? Part of the rationale in special regulations such as a single, barbless hook rule is to give the fish an advantage and opportunity to escape–in other words, a sporting chance–and thus limit the number of fish actually brought to hand. One does lose more fish on single, barbless j-hooks.
I didn’t see any link to studies, but I would not buy the company’s argument that the method does less damage to fish until its system is included in some kind of comparative and independent scientific study.
Anglers concerned about hooking mortality self limit their catch. One hundred fish days are not generally a good thing for a fishery. I’d rather have an enjoyable day catching a few challenging fish on a barbless j-hook and making good and timely releases than “slaughtering” them with a new and exclusive system.
I was sent a kit to try as well. Told them I was interested in their dry fly stuff, but they don’t have any yet.
A couple of other people on this board were supposed to get a “check it out pack” as well, but I don’t think they ever have because I haven’t heard from them.
This kit contains only nymphs and I haven’t thrown a nymph since the package arrived.
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