Muskie Flies

[CPRASAP]

Man, I think those flies are lookin damn good! Will definitely get some toothy critter attention for sure.

I hear ya about the funds. This is always the hardest time of year for me. I have cabin fever way too bad and I start buying stuff since I can't fish yet. I pulled the trigger on the new St. Croix Legend X 10wt last week. I'm calling it a late Christmas present to myself. LOL

 

[Crotalus]

Is anyone catching musky on Chocklett's Gamechanger? I had luck with them last fall but that was using cactus chenille so they weren't very large. Even with the minnow body they are still pretty slim.

After a failed attempt at using congo hair/EP fibers on another fly i tried using them for a gamechanger but couldn't get it to look just right. I talked to Pat Cohen after he started posting some of his using the same method and found out where i was going wrong. His advice also helped with the first fly i was trying to use the congo hair on so I will be trying it this summer as well.

I have been googling but haven't seen much mention of musky being caught on the game changer and was curious if anyone else has.

Most musky flies are tied to "move water" and I wonder if the GC just doesn't move enough water even though it has great baitfish motion.

 

[BlueSteel89]

Hey thanks guys! I'm so excited to drown some of those flies this spring.

 

[jay348]

Funny you mention the gamechanger. Despite all the hero shots I've seen online glamorizing the GC, I don't love em (yet at least). I've only tied/fished a couple so far. The action was wild, and the construction/design of the fly is a great concept. But there's just something about it that I'm not yet sold on.

As for musky flies, I love the neutral buoyancy that bucktail provides. The GC didn't have the hang/flutter/woundedbaitfishfishpause that I like to see. I usually fish lakes too, so maybe its a time/place thing. I'd take a big deceiver or hang time with some long, swimmy hackles any day.

That being said, if pat cohen handed me one of those big doubles he ties, I'd prolly fish the hell out of it bc they're just cool.

 

[Fishidiot]

Here's one with triple, weedless hooks. Should be good for those blow downs and weedy bays.

 

[BlueSteel89]

Nice tie Fishidiot. Heres what I tied this weekend. A Ghetto tramp and two Bufords. The GT and the olive Buford have rattles in them. Anyone have any experience with rattles? Dunno if they help, but they sound cool as heck. And yes, I have been shaking my flies a lot. :-D

 

[Fishidiot]

Nice flies Bluesteel and welcome to our online community - glad to have yuh.
The rattles can't hurt anything (I suppose). I know some bass guys swear by rattles but I don't know if folks in the muskie community have any thoughts on their effectiveness. You'll just have to try 'em out and let us know.

 

[BlueSteel89]

Fishidiot wrote:
Nice flies Bluesteel and welcome to our online community - glad to have yuh.
The rattles can't hurt anything (I suppose). I know some bass guys swear by rattles but I don't know if folks in the muskie community have any thoughts on their effectiveness. You'll just have to try 'em out and let us know.

Thanks. I'm certainly going to fish the flies with rattles, but since im a newb at FFing for musky it will probably take me a few seasons to collect some data on their effectiveness lol.

I just received an order from J Stockard. I gambled on buying a few bucktails at a discounted price. On the coment section when I placed the order I asked them to pick decent bucktails with long fibers. 3 out of 4 of them were pretty good (better then what I've seen in the local shop). The other was pretty hollow, but regardless I'm gonna tie some new flies in new flavors.

 

[turkey]

Tomes recommends rattles. Just sayin.

 

[Gone_Phishin]

My first go at Muskie flies. Please critique.

 

[Gone_Phishin]

a few more

 

[TD55]

Look good Gonephishin

 

[Fishidiot]

TD55 wrote:
Look good Gonephishin

Yep - you're off to the races GP. Tying muskie flies is a lot of fun - not to mention that the experience with these big flies will shed some light and perspective on streamer fly design that will serve you well when tying trout and bass streamer flies.

 

[TD55]

Here is one I worked up last night. Love the colors on this thing. It's pretty greasy.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

One I got done last night.

 

[TD55]

For those of you looking to acquire and dye your own materials here is some good literature.
The Timid Fellows Guide to Dying

 

[TLoomis]

Awesome ties guys!

 

[TLoomis]

I'm having a hard time getting this tapering thing down. TD55, I love how all of the deer hair is completely uniform and gets progressively bulkier towards the head. I've done it a few times, but I can't seem to get it right, especially with articulated flies. I think better buck tail would make a big difference. I've found some really good ones here and there but usually they're usually pretty terrible these days.

What are some tips on getting the taper down? I've watched Brad Bohen tie the Optic Hangtime Minnow like 10 times and it looks so easy, but it never turns out like that when I do it.

 

[TD55]

TLoomis. The key is definitely good bucktail. If you have bucktail that is short or when you are layering in your colors you have a bunch of different lengths of bucktail it will look weird. The best thing you can do is have all really good bucktail but if that isn't an option just try to trim the hair at the butt before putting on the hook so that all your lengths are relatively uniform. I rarely use any hair that is less than 4 inches.

 

[TLoomis]

Yeah it sounds like I need to get some nicer bucktail. Once I get some extra $ I'm going to order some Primo tail.