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Some Amateurish Flies (small Jigs & Lures Really)

Discussion in 'Member Hobbies' started by Rex Russo, Feb 7, 2021.


  1. Rex Russo

    Rex Russo Pirate
    Thread Started By

    It rained a bit on Saturday, so I got to making again. Let me know what you think of these.

    IMG_3474[1].JPG

    IMG_3475[1].JPG

    IMG_3476[1].JPG
    This time I made some Clouser inspired flies. I say "inspired" because I don't think I did a good job tying a real Clouser, except for maybe (big maybe) one of them. One is totally upside down (dark color on bottom and runs hook down) so I call it a Serclou. Making shrimp flies is very tedious but fun. I'm not thrilled with the proportions on that one. It's made with some garbage (literally). I raided the wife's sewing kit for tan and clear thread (she does not know how to sew anyway), and the kid's craft boxes for beads and thin yarns (which she hasn't used in years because she's off to college in the fall) which I used to make the eyes, abdomen, and build up the body. I also used the plastic bag that the salad came in last night to over-wrap the bead abdomen. The rest were parts I had here, nylon covered ss leader wire, 100# and 200# and 50# and 20# mono, a #7 split shot, a black, and an orange, and a bronze permanent marker, and lots of super glue. These are all firsts for me. I learned a lot doing them. My goal is to make enough to "sort of fly fish". I read that in some parts of the country they fish with flies on long (10' +) very light spinning rods, sometimes using what's called a "bubble float" to add some weight. A lot of that style fishing is in rivers and streams for salmon and steal head trout (I believe a close cousin of the salmon). Seems to me that it's a style of fishing that is very adaptable to our saltwater flats, so I'm going to give it a try with a cheap setup to start.
     
    Nautical Gator likes this.
  2. mak

    mak Moderator on Deck Staff Member

    Nice work. Thumbsup1:::1 Will be interested to hear how they work for you.
     
  3. Rex Russo

    Rex Russo Pirate
    Thread Started By

    I added a crab to the mix. Finished Medium Crab3.jpg Finished Medium Crab4.jpg
     
  4. mak

    mak Moderator on Deck Staff Member

    Very cool. I had read some articles not long ago reviewing/testing the crab imitation baits for sheepshead. I never would have guessed a fake crab would work for sheepshead but apparently works well.
     
  5. Rex Russo

    Rex Russo Pirate
    Thread Started By

    Thanks! Imitation crabs work well for sheepshead, black drum, redfish, and tarpon. Scenting them is often a good idea, although I don't believe a fly fisher purest would do that.
     
  6. Rex Russo

    Rex Russo Pirate
    Thread Started By

    Made a small brother to the crab (#1 hook vs. 1/0). Also made some spoon flies. Ones on the outsides are generally as described at the Sight Cast fishing cite on-line. Easy to make (bead eyes on mono stalk, some flash, some light yarn, some super glue, and some reflective tape -- be sure to bend hook (I bent #1 Gamakatsu SS15, bend pattern found at cite). The one with the iridescent spoon, stick-on eye and white/red tail is in the style of a Rainy Spoon Fly. I see some forums where others have tied dumbbells forward on theirs, so I tried it with a clear back cut from a water bottle, with a silver holographic stripe, some bronze polka dots, and a white/gray tail of ostrich feathers. I call them "specs" because of the "see through" nature of them, but Texas Spoon Fly might be appropriate as the cites I found were from Texas. The skinny fella is a spoon fly I came up with as a test project. It's suppose to look like a mantis shrimp. I'll be making more just like these so I'll have two of each, and then a bunch more in other patterns and weights. I still need to get that kayak trailer and finish rigging the kayak so that I can get out there and put them all to good use. These are not likely much good at the inlets other than the crabs, and the fleeing shrimp I made (version 1.0 shown in an earlier post). I'll have an update soon on the fleeing shrimp 3.0 version. IMG_4119[1].JPG

    IMG_4120[1].JPG
     
    mak likes this.
  7. mak

    mak Moderator on Deck Staff Member

    Looking great. Thumbsup1:::1
     
  8. Rex Russo

    Rex Russo Pirate
    Thread Started By

    Still having fun with the making and not nearly enough with the doing (fishing). As soon as my kid gets out of high school, I'm going to be freed up -- that is if work doesn't keep getting in the way. Goal is to start getting out 5 to 6 times a month. Anyway, here's the latest: Pic #1 in clockwise order starting at upper left -- (A) an epoxy baitfish fly (not bad for first attempt but a #1 hook would have been better than the 1/0; head weight makes it a small jig); (B) a gurgler fly tied with some faux bucktail, short ostrich feather plumes, foam and a bit of flash (I tie mine with some weight on the shank since I will not be true fly fishing; doesn't look like much until it gets wet); (C) another gurgler all from ostrich feather plumes (looks awesome when wet); (D) A popping shrimp (also tied with some shank weight); (E) a spoon fly that's a bit of spin on a Rainy Spoon Fly; (F) another popper shrimp; (G) a bit of a spin on an Umpqua style shrimp.

    Bundle shrmp poprs grglrs n epox btfsh.jpg

    Umqua stle shrmp n epox head.jpg
     
  9. Rex Russo

    Rex Russo Pirate
    Thread Started By

    Oh, by the way. If you don't treat the ostrich feathers on the popper shrimps and the spoon fly, they'll tend to come together and not look right at rest between pauses on the retrieve. I'm going to experiment with a dry clear silicone spray. I'm guessing it will work great.
     
  10. mak

    mak Moderator on Deck Staff Member

    Great hobby you have gotten into. They look great Thumbsup1:::1
    After making those little works of art though I would have a hard time messing them up by fishing with them.greenSmiley Laughing2::2
     
    Rex Russo likes this.
  11. Rex Russo

    Rex Russo Pirate
    Thread Started By

    Yep, it would hurt to lose one because some do take a bit of time. But, as I get better, it's taking less and less. There is for me a greater thrill getting a hit on one I made, as opposed to one I bought, and that thrill gets better when I land a fish. So, if it gets lost on a hit or a landing, I'm not going to be all that upset -- maybe not at all.
     
  12. Alec Guito

    Alec Guito Cabin Boy

    sweet looking flies!!
     
  13. Rich M

    Rich M Sailing Master

    You're doing well. Lots of variety too.
     

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