Streamers /Crayfish - Upward facing hook points

[JakesLeakyWaders]

I have this little problem. I can't for the life of me figure out why everyone ties their streamers and large sub-surface crayfish and nymphs with the hook point facing down.

I would consider my self an excellent spin fisher, however I do not often fish with a spinning rod anymore.

I do know one thing though, I was very technical when it came to fishing techniques and rigging. I used a variety of carolina or Texas rigs or also often hanging some lead pegged below the lure on a dropper line so I could feel my way to the bottom and keep the lure just above the bottom. Plus if you snag the pegged sinker, you can yank the rod and the sinker will slide off.

I prefered soft plastics or hair jigs with the hook always, always facing up. I prefer a particular style of hook for its weedless no hassle design, the Gamagatsu high performance hooks. The reason for this is I want to be on the bottom or bouncing off the bottom because that's where the fish are.

So now, because I do not particularly like down facing hooks on streamers and such, I am searching for methods of tying them so they face up. Below I have a pic of some jigs and weedless soft plastics I used to favor.

I am thinking about maybe using some of the smaller Gamagatsu hooks for streamers and other large patterns that I would like to fish to their full potential, which of course is right on the bottom where they belong. I feel like this is is crucial for me, as I was confident with this setup while spin fishing for bass and walleye and I would like to get some ideas on transfering the up turned hook style to my fly fishing with hopes of matching that success.

 

[gfen]

Heaviest part goes down, if you're not using a keel hook, that means the bend.

Hence the revolution that surrounded the Clouser Minnow and lead eyes, point up then.

Anyone tie their barbell eye flies with the eyes on the bend side of the shank, and intentionally ride 'em point down that way? That would be insanity.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

Gfen yeah, that's what I'm sayin', I want to try that with some crayfish.

I just don't understand why the vast majority of streamers on the market and even hand tied have a down facing hook point. It just doesn't make sense. I want to be able to get down there and stay down there, get cozy even and hang out a while, without getting snagged every damn time, like I did when I spin fished.

Thing I like about the hooks pictured above is if I can find them in a slightly smaller size they would be easy to keep the hook facing up, given their design, just look at them. A few wraps of lead and wa la they automatically face up, just like that.

 

[Pontus]

The crayfish pattern I use is dumbell eyes, two clumps of fox squirrel tail for split claws, ginger chenille, and brown hackle.

I would think it would be hard to tie a successful imitation on one of those hooks. Definitely not impossible, but I just don't see them producing good bodies. It's not very hard to add dumbell eyes to the head of a pattern.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

I'll figure something out, this could be fun. They make hooks similar to that only with a smaller gap and a straight hook shank. I might want to try those.

 

[Pontus]

Yeah, I would want a straight shank for streamers.

 

[Lonewolve]

James,
Hey i use the Whitlock nearnuff crayfish and his older crayfish tie and they are both tied hook point up fishes great and also never brains em or gouges their eyes and thats trout or smallmouth.
Gfen & James
Aside from the above mentioned two flies my number one Crayfish pattern that i tie and fish most often is the Original Clouser Crayfish with a lil piece of cork under the carapiece,most people don't tie em that way or know that is the way they were supposed to be tied.I don't lose anymore of these than any other fly or nymph and the fish love these the most followed by the nearnuff,the other whitlock pattern i use for when i see the fiah and they check the other two patterns and refuse.it leans to the realistic side.
Alot of bigger fish have been taken on the Clouser Crayfish by me and i have a lot of confidence in that pattern.I have more confidence in that pattern than the Clouser Minnow in freshwater.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace
P.S. the closer crayfish swallows up alot of dubbing ,so get your dubbing in bulkier packages from Bob clouser's flyshop if its still around or if hes only doing web thing.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

Those were the only examples I could find without going out to the shed for my monstrous spin tackle box. I keep a few Plano mini magnum boxes around the house filled with small baits and hooks.

I might actually have a few of the other style though. If I find them it's go time.

It might actually be interesting to see whats inside the big ol' tackle box. Hasn't been opened in at least a year.

Lonewolfe,

Thanks, I'll have to check out the near nuff cray by Whitlock.

Here is the other style hook that I think would work. The bend at the eye has the primary function of holding a soft plstic in place at the nose, however it also would allow the hook to be fashioned point up very easily.

 

[Fishidiot]

I use a jig hook to tie crayfish and crab flies.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

Oooooh! I like that.

I got plenty of small 1/32 jig hooks around.

I wish that was a slightly higher resolution pic, but thanks anyway.

What do you do for the claws. That's what I'm trying to figure out.

Looks like green rubber legs or a bundle of something green tied in a knot and somehow the claw is affixed.

 

[gfen]

Clouser crayfish, as LW pointed out, have lead eyes, hook up. Only crayfish pattern I ever tied.

Beyond that, wooly boogers with bead chain eyes.

 

[sniperfreak223]

I'm partial to the "Full-Motion Crayfish", uses lead eyes to keep the hook point up, fairly simple to tie, and if you carry a variety of sizes and colors, will work for anything from panfish to trout to bass and carp. I never leave home without a few, and landed my biggest smallmouth ever(19" and a little over six pounds) on an olive one in size 4 last year on the Susky near Tunkhannock.

 

[Lonewolve]

Gfen, original Clouser Crayfish was tied with hook point down ,but i have tied em with hook up makes no difference smallies and big trout love em.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace

 

[pete41]

The reason streamers do very well hook point down would seem to be by the time they get down to bottom the fly is sideways or tail first and the hook just bounces over most things.Avid streamer fisherman for many years and down branches only problems-stuck either way.

 

[Chaz]

Up facing hooks can cause more mortality because they are forced through the roof of the mouth into the brain killing the fish. Read the mortality studies. It's is documented.

 

[midnightangler]

sounds like you are on a collision course with the meat whistle...

 

[Chaz]

Yeah really.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

@ Chaz,

lol, thanks for pissing in my cup, I hope your computer screen is large.

ACTUAL SIZE

:lol:

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

On a more serious note,

I plan on using these on large streamers / crayfish to hopefully increase my bass fishing success in particular with my 7 weight.

Lots of ledges and drop-offs in the Susky. I used to spin fish without fear of snagging with my weedless soft plastics over logs and through debris.

I am hoping to create or replicate good weedless up-turned hook patterns.

 

[wsender]

Chaz wrote:
Up facing hooks can cause more mortality because they are forced through the roof of the mouth into the brain killing the fish. Read the mortality studies. It's is documented.

Every fish that I've seen that has taken a Vladi worm, which is upwards facing, has the hook through the roof of the mouth generally had the hooks through the lip around the nose.

I'm not saying that doesn't happen just sharing personal experience.