Muskie Flies

Thanks to the suggestion from TD, I'm a convert to the predator's as well now. Oddly enough, my only two hookups/landings were on Owner Akis so I can attest to their stickiness. Those are a bit short in the shank however...good for singles, but I don't see myself buying any more.

It's a confidence thing...once I tried something better, it was tough for me to have faith in the cheap stuff.

Plus, you don't lose as many of these big flies.
 
In other news, I scored some schlappen at the show yesterday.

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Celebration ensued.

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Jay, did I see on your blog a good pic of you holding a Muskie?
 
turkey wrote:
Jay, did I see on your blog a good pic of you holding a Muskie?
Click to expand...

Yessir. Haven't touched the blog in ages, but yeah...I got pretty damn lucky that day. The eat scared the heck outta me...never saw it coming, which in hindsight probably worked in my favor.

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To keep things all on topic and such...here's the fly. I think this one was a 5/0.

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crawdad the big game shanks come in 3 sizes 28, 40, and 80mm. The 40's are too small for me and the 80's are too big for what I like. I have been taking the 80's and modifying them to about 55 or 60mm. Some companies make 55mm shanks but they are smaller wire and I don't like how they do the eyes. No worries of the big game shanks coming undone the way they are built. I will probably be buying some wire and just making my own soon. The shanks not only help you get the length you want but the single hook in the rear helps with strip setting. The fly just slides thru the musky mouth until it pegs that hook in the corner of the mouth.
 
TD55 thought on smaller hooks? I am thinking of knocking my hook size down to 2/0 to 5/0 predators.

Chocklett shanks are great. I totally agree with TD the 80mm are way to long. I do use a lot of 28mm and 40mm. I also purchased a Boggs Tacklemaker.
 
5/0 predator with two chocklett shanks and one custom front shank
 

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I still like my bigger 8/0 really no reason just like the bigger hook I guess
 
Now that's some good bucktail! Won't see that in a fly shop. Here is a recent tie for me. Getting donated to Project Healing Waters.

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Very nice. There must be two entire packs of flash in there. What hook if you don't mind me asking?
 
That is a 6/0 popper, so it's big for a popper. I can't wait for some top water toothy action.
 
I've been parusing this thread the past couple of weeks because I have the musky illness. I caught a few last year on conventional tackle and now im hooked. My goal this year is to do it with a fly so I'm slowly building an arsenal. I tie a lot of trout flies so I figured tying these big flies wouldn't be too difficult. Apparently there is a learning curve with bucktail because I tied a few ugly ones lol. I have gotten better though. Does anyone know a good source for Muskie patterns? I mostly watch a few YouTube videos and steal ideas from forums.
 
BlueSteel89 90% of the musky and pike patterns out there are either bucktails or some form of synthetic like EP stuff. I personally like the bucktail flies. Thats all I have ever used. Reverse tied bucktail with saddle or schlappen for tailing and flash mixed in tailing and in the bucktail with some form of head either spun deer hair or a fish mask with eyes or clear cure goo. It's all preference.
 
BlueSteel89,

If you haven't checked it out yet, see if you can borrow or buy a copy of the Muskie on the Fly book by Robert Tomes. Its a great book for information and has quite a few fly tying recipes if I recall correctly. I'm just getting into the tying side of things for Musky too and am running into the same situation. There are some good videos out there that I'm sure you have already run across.

It just seems that most tyers seem to have their own unique spin on their techniques, so I guess I'll just have to develop mine over time too. Good luck.


Jay
 
I have seen that book but unfortunately my fun tickets are being stock piled at the moment to purchase a 10 weight. I have started doing my own thing a bit with some of the flies. Even though they take a while to tie, they really are fun. Let me know what you think. Most of these are tied on Gama B10S 2/0 Stingers but I'm afraid some of them don't have enough hook. What hook recommendations do you guys have?
 

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Nice ties blue steel! Although the hook could be bigger, they will fish! My dad landed a high 20's" musky on a crappie jig once haha.
 
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