Ok I got a fly vise for Christmas and have been trying to remember how to tie a fly. Here is my ice fly that I’m liking. First time with the heavier bead but I think it will be a winner. What do you think? Later J
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Looks good to me, but you really ought to ask the fish [sly].
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I predict...yes!
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I think so will also be interested to hear your reports on it.
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Have you watched this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7nyruQoGyA
By FAR my favorite Uncut Angler episode where he ties a rig right in his tent and then SMACKS the crappie. After I watched this (like 10 times) I tied a few of my own using maribu and got some extra satisfaction in catching fish through the ice with a lure I tied.
I think you'll have great success with it and you'll have double the satisfaction when you get a tug on it.
IMHO - based on all the under water camera footage I have seen in the last few years, I think fish are curious and HUNGRY. I don't see any natural food hanging around the underwater camera footage so anything that resembles food gets attacked or at least tried [
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[#0000FF]Now you are into vice, huh? Oh, that's vise.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There is no doubt that fly will catch SOMETHING...SOMETIME. It is more difficult to find something that will never work than something that WILL work.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Believe me, as a lure maker I have tried a bajillion different things over the years. I have largely come to the conclusion that no matter what you use for ice fishing it is merely part of the BDS...bait delivery system. If you use something of the right size, color and flavor on your jigs, it really doesn't matter much what you use to serve it up.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Oh yeah, we have all had days where fish seemed to show a preference for one thing or another. But unless you tie on something the size of a refrigerator and use a half a rotten cow for bait, you will get some inquiries.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]That being said, little ice flies can be deadly. Tie up a selection of stuff on small hooks in different colors and go for it.
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It will catch fish and preform well including sink rate with a tungsten bead head. It enables you to use premium hooks and go even smaller in hook size.
Fishday suggested smaller and the bite is barely detectable (I'm thinking I'll jig the lure in front of the underwater camera as Jeff suggested).
SBennett also suggested smaller presentations and smaller hooks.
I replied on fly tying with tungsten bead heads.
But, JEFF did it! Yes, it will work!
Strategy is part of fishing, too!
Perhaps the fly fishermen already knew that and just have trouble fly-casting down the hole.
Read the posted suggestions here:
http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...g;#1060091
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I kind of cheated on this post and made a fly just about like the one that I have been using except I put a heavier bead on this one... Right around Christmas I tied some up with half this size of bead and have done really well with them... This is what I got my fish at Porcupine with and Hyrum last week, but it wouldn't sink as fast as I wanted it to sink, so I got the double down on weight and I think it will be the best of both worlds... I'll give it a try soon and report back... Later J
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Hey Rocky I think you will be correct... At least it's little brother with less weight on the head is a proven lure in my line up... It's fun to tie them and have a fish vote yes for them... Later J
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Next time I get out I'll report back on how it goes... I'm hoping this one will be the best of both worlds, small and a good sink rate... More to come... Later J
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Thanks .... J
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Ya know I had a fly tying class back in Jr. High when I was 13 that taught me to tie flies and you are so right how much satisfaction comes on catching fish on something you created yourself... I had a nice looking pattern I invented at the time and it worked like a dream for me in the Uintas... I thought I was pretty good at the time... I didn't know the fish up there will take anything, but that's okay it made me feel like a success at the time and so I kept trying and I've caught a lot of fish on my flies over the years and none of them look that good, but I guess they are good enough to catch fish... I'm sure they won't win any contests for elegance, but they work so I'm happy... Later J
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Pat,
Yes that is very true, but the closer to the right size and feel that you are at, the better the fish catching will be... Can you catch them on anything, maybe, but will you do better with something in the ball park... I think so... I've found that a lure of the right weight makes it so you can feel the fish way better, and then you have a chance to catch it... Time past when I tried to sink lures that wanted to float or tried to put them on with a heavier lure above or below them to get them down faster and then had the bites masked by the rest of my set up, they were hard times and I didn't catch much... I for sure like these little heavy weights (tungsten jigs) that get you in touch with the fish... They have made it a lot more fun for me... Are they better than alot of other stuff, no way, but if I have confidence in them, then I think I'll catch some fish with them... just like you taught me years ago... Besides I can use good hooks when I tie them myself, which reminds me, where did you say was a good source for the sickle hooks... I really like them, but they are tough to find locally... I need to find something that will help me make my fly so it will hang horizontally... I have bent the shank on some, and broke it on others, so I'd like to find hooks that will help me balance things out... I can see this lure making can get time consuming, but it is a fun thing to do... Thanks for the confidence and tips... Later Jeff
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Hey Ron, Thanks for the confidence... I appreciate that... Are you getting out ice fishing? I haven't seen any of your posts yet this season? Hope you are getting out... But I guess in all fairness, there are so many posts this time of year, I'm not able to read all of them, so if they aren't local to where I fish, I may not get them read... Hope you're having a great season... and make sure you get out soon we are nearing the half way mark already... Later Jeff
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think it'll work fine Jeff. here are a few of my creations
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"where did you say was a good source for the sickle hooks.."
[#0000FF]My Matzuo sickle hooks are no longer available. The US distributor discontinued them. Might be a new one by late spring this year.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I do not disagree that less is often more...when smaller stuff catches more fish. But there have been plenty of Pineview ice trips in my past on which I caught the most and biggest fish on bigger lures...with a hefty chunk of perch meat on the hooks. A lot of those larger perch and crappies are meat eaters. The jigging spoons in the attached pictures are 1/4 oz....lead, not tungsten.[/#0000FF]
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Wow John they look really great!!! Do they work as good as they look? So am I seeing right, some are plastic and fly combos? That’s really cool. Do you pour your own plastics? Looks like a fun way to wait for the catfish to start biting. Thanks for showing me. Later J
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no plastics Jeff. I used loons uv resins, feathers , ice dubbing and other traditional fly tying materials.
the only one that I cant find a fish that will look at is the mop fly. all the others have caught fish or at lest got them to come take a look see.
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That is cool, I guess I'll have to learn about those resins they look really good. So you actually let fish chew them up? Probably hurts a little to see that pretty work turn into fish food, but as long as you get good tugs, I guess it's worth it... Mine are rough looking so it don't hurt too bad to let the fish eat'em... In fact I'm looking forward to get mine out there and chewed up... Hopefully this weekend I can get out again... Later Jeff
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