Muskie Flies

[plombardo]

Epoxy head

 

[zfisher]

Cool fly Plombardo.

Paco, what hook specifically are you using for that popper? I don't currently have any topwater flies for bigger fish or even any 8/0 hooks for that matter. The balsa I assume is hand carved with lots of epoxy? Thanks in advance.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

I'm using a gama 130 that I lengthened with heavy wire. The 130 is a standard lenght oshagnassy hook. The wire loop is Kinda like the loops they put on old school salmon flys.

You could probably use a wadington shank and tye it tandem like a streamer with the front shank being the head. That's the cool thing about these fish. There's so many different configurations and ways to tye these flys. The head is shaped balsa covered in 1 coat epoxy. It's rock hard.

 

[jay348]

@plombardo...that one on the right...two tone bucktail?

do tell!

(nice flies as always)

 

[zfisher]

I'll have to try that. Looks like the fish would go crazy over it!

 

[plombardo]

Two tone bucktail is Uv2 spirit river two tone buck tail. Very nice stuff, worth the cost. I processes and dye my own tails. Two tone is difficult, It can be done. UV2 quality is tip notch.
I get my hooks at hookeyeandfly look them up!! Exo2 hooks and surgical strike streamer hook. Also just purchased some authentic wire can't wait to try it.

 

[zfisher]

Another question Paco. Where are you getting your balsa? Stopped at Michaels and Lowes today and neither had it in the block form. I could buy online but I just don't want to wait for shipping if I could purchase locally.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

Model shops. It's a pretty standard thing. I got it in 2 x10 in pieces.
A topwater musky is 1 of my goals this year. I caught pike on them. And had musky fallow and hit a couple of times. But I can't seem to figure the hook set out. It's hard to sit off the fast twitch strip set.

 

[zfisher]

Dunno if you read the book Muskie on the Fly by Robert Tomes, but I think he mentions in the book that whenever he gets a top water hit he says ''god save the queen'' and then sets the hook.

Anyway, thanks for the advice. I figured craft stores would have it but I guess not.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

I wish a topwater strike was that easy. I've talked to guys that are best at it and ya have to let em swim away with it becore ya strip em. Exactly the oposite of streamer fishing.

 

[plombardo]

Hobby lobby has nice selection of balsa.

The other craft place have assorments.

Hobby/model shops are hard to find now a days

 

[Fishidiot]

Here's a couple more - been cranking 'em out at the rate of about one muskie fly per month. These guys are tied with weedless hooks - just basic, wire guard, bass hooks designed for use with soft plastics. I've used these hooks for bass flies and they have worked fairly well. Obviously, muskies and pike like their cover and during one of my last muskie trips where I was wading I spent a lot of time pitching flies at fallen trees and kept getting snagged - the water was too deep and the bottom too soft to wade, so I had to break the flies off and kept thinking, "dang, I need a better weedless system for this section of river." Hopefully, these guys will let me get closer to cover and pull through weeds better.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

Alotta times you can roll castem of of a snag even with a full sink line. Just get enuff force with line back wards to bring it loose. Or if its a bush. Just rip it if the bank. I've stripped a couple of honeysuckle in.

I can't wait (td55, bilg25 & I) started dying bucktails last sun. And I picked up some great looking saddles today. Lets just say it game on!

 

[Fishidiot]

PACOFRANSICO wrote:
I can't wait (td55, bilg25 & I) started dying bucktails last sun. And I picked up some great looking saddles today. Lets just say it game on!

Excellent.
Show us some pics when you get some flies tied up.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

Heres 1 I tyed on a head Ive been messing with. I counter balance it with loon tungsten powder. I couldnt leave the feathers I icked up today alone. Its a tandem 5/0 on gamas.

 

[jay348]

@ Paco...

1) That thing is sweet...love the colors.

2) Can you explain the use of the tungsten powder? Is it on/in the head?

I keep reading that adding some weight to the rear hook will increase the twitchy/stunned baitfish action. Makes sense, but I have yet to try this or see it in action. Always something new to try...

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

It's loons tungsten powder. I channeled the head and weighted to ride hook down. I'm looking for a wild knuckle ball water pushing action. If it still too buoyant just shorten the leader.

Nick Granato has a articulated pattern that back hook is weighted and it does add some action but reversing tying bucktail. If done to bulky can deaden action. Portion control is everything.

 

[Phish_On]

where do y'all get your material?

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

Buck tails & feathers?

 

[Phish_On]

yup