Neal Osborn
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Lee – I wanted to add a few comments to your pattern. While I think it is a great design I am concerned it will not create the desired profile when practically fished. This is coming from lots of my own early frustration with deer hair patterns and lessons learned on when and why it should be used. These are just my thoughts based on experience and are in no way a critique of your fly.
For a popper plug head it is a fabulous material and if tied correctly and trimmed properly there is nothing better than a deer hair pattern like bass poppers or divers. They create that pop pop pop sound and trail a bubble pattern when retrieved. However, notice that there is always some billowy fluffy material off the back like hackle or marabou or fibers. Thus they have two parts – the plug and the life-like back portion, both of which combine to create an imitative profile. Your pattern appears to be mostly hair and the claws are stiff so I fear that the fly won’t pulsate and come alive when retrieved. Furthermore, if you pull it subsurface with a sinking line it will probably look like a static block to the fish, rather than a meal.
I almost gave up on deer hair patterns until I met Tim Borski and started tying his patterns. His saltwater patterns opened my eyes for incorporating hair within the general flow of a fly. Look at any of his patterns and you will notice that he blends the hair with other materials to create a foundation while not focusing on the hair itself. I have tied many of his flies and found they work great on warm water. I have also discarded many of hair patterns in evolution because although they look great on the vise they flat out didn’t catch fish. I provide a few examples below of patterns that have been most effective for me. Do a search for Borski flies – I actually bought his DVDs a while back which were invaluable to learn some of the basics I try to convey below.
Sorry about the red wood glow, I shot these pictures in a hurry without thinking about the background distraction.
1. A few of my Borski style bass bugs. Notice how each one incorporates deer hair in the pattern. The difference here is that the tail end has the fibers sticking out and the body has the fibers wrapped but “trimmed” tight to the body as a “foundation” with hackle palmered “through” the hair body. When fully saturated with water the fly has the ability to “come alive” and breath – the hair in the foundation but the hackles move and wiggle and give the fly “life”.
2. This fly shows the general schema with hair sticking out in the tail end and tightly wrapped in the body. Notice all the wonderful arctic fox hair on the tail with saddle hackle; in the water these fibers move and wiggle and breath. The body has deer hair tightly wrapped and trimmed close; the key is the use of big webby schlappen palmered into the hair and up the body. The deer hair does not “overpower” the fly and thus the profile seems natural. This is a killer fly, it sinks slowly and retrieves well.
3. Another similar pattern with synthetic fibers in the body and deer hair for the tail. Tied on a 60 degree hook this fly rides upright in the water. Great fly. Again, I am not an expert, these are just patterns I have found to be most effective through trial and error. It’s the theory of balance that’s important.
4. A crawfish pattern using deer hair similar to above but with the hackle claws in the tail instead of saddle hackle. This is how I would modify the fly you presented above.
5. Another
6. These are bonefish sliders. I have modified them for warm water applications and they are very effective for bluegills and crappie (BTW these are tied on size 8 saltwater hooks so they are actually quite small). These are examples of how to use “a tiny bit” of deer hair to make a soft head but keeping the back profile alive.
I am basically a scientist with no creative eye for composition so I approach things analytically. I do get some good photos – but I think it’s a combination of luck and good gear.
Michael, DUDE, as a scientist you are perfect for photography. I too am a scientist and a real geek at that. The analytical skills you have are tailor made for photography. Once you get a few months under your belt and struggle with your setup and lighting and take copious notes you will be amazed at how much progress you make. Seriously, you will blend your analytical mind with the creative side and then increase your odds of getting the shots you want on command when it counts and that is when you will start to love photography.
Go here http://www.itinerantangler.com/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl?num=1226136248 and read a few of my scientific notes. Try approaching your photography with a scientific method and I guarantee you won’t struggle as much. Have fun!
Here’s a piece of advice someone gave me that has served well, “The only real difference between an amateur and a professional [in any field] is that the pro has paid the price to learn the principles in an effort to increase the odds of getting a desired result more often.”
In the end, you need to take lots of pictures. I am still not happy with most of my pictures but I keep practicing and taking notes.
By the way, listen to anything Ben tells you.
My tails are just chartreuse (lime green from the craft store) foam sheets, cut in a triangle, then dotted with permanent markers in a mixed speckled pattern.
That is a cool pattern Lee! Looks like it would be a great warm water pattern. I never realized you had mad skillz at the tying bench – keep it up. Did you add some weighted eyes to the fly? I have found that spun dear hair crayfish patterns tend to float unless they have a bit of weight to get them down.
Carp Boobie.
I tied a dozen of these tonight to add my carp box. After 2 years of stalking I still haven’t caught a carp on the fly. Maybe these will be the answer, LOL. Seriously, I have learned that it’s not the fly, it’s the angler, aagghh.
Thanks for the link Regan, I had missed that one.
By the way, I am going to post detailed instructions soon on how to add the spinner blades to the Pigboat (or any fly for that matter). I have a method that appears to work and the blades are durable under water.
Morsie, Simon, David –
Every time you guys post anything fishing related I get one step further to booking a trip over there.
Zach, if you decide to do a contest I am willing to donate a full box of flies. You might want to start a query and keep a list to see what you can get. Might just be worth it.
Good luck with the purchase Dave. One last comment in reference to Mike’s above; many people buy average glass for cost and then later regret the purchase, especially with Nikon since the 18-200 is such a good workhorse lens. If you have “any” doubt I recommend saving an additional scrap of cash and going for the better lens – you will not regret it. It is hard I realize but too many people end up with buyer’s remorse and pictures are so important to our families and the memories last forever.
For example, I went to a local new startup fly shop the other day and the owner was trying to take pictures of the shop to post on her webpage.
