Weedless for Pickerel

[Baron]

I've been after some easily tied weedless flies to use for early season Pickerel. Some are size 6 weed guard style. Others are large Gartside style soft hackle streamer tied onto upturned Gamakatsu 2/0 wire worm hook. Red beads added for ballast and color. John Deere Is tied onto 1/0 heavy Octopus hook.

 

[JerryC]

Looking good, Baron. Of course, the question is did you cheat on the Black & Red Woolly Bugger and use a Gamakatsu Weedless Worm Hook? That's all I use when I tie weedless flies

 

[Dave_W]

I use lots of bass and soft plastic hooks for fly tying.

Those look good Baron.

 

[Baron]

I'm on a quest for two types of weedless for this year. One type is for later in summer for dragging flies directly over Pads and Hydroclees. The other type represented here should go through lite weekend grass beds with little trouble....more for open shallow water than for back in the stumps. The glass bead idea came from Jerrys creations, where he used brass, and I may still have to add lead as the glass beads are not very heavy. The Gartside Streamers and awesome and easy.
Jerry the Black Bugger is on a #6 bail style weedless hook. Sure would like more Ideas on weedless and simple.

This one will get bass from the local pond:

 

[tomgamber]

You can tie a mono weed guard on almost anything to make it weedless.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Your tying is really getting better. Kudos!

Keep in mind the rule of thumb: The more weedless, the poorer the hooking. I know it's pretty much a necessity when fishing the lakes you frequent, especially where pickerel hang out. If you plan on aggressively casting into weeds and other snags, the wire weed guard is hard to beat. But you may find you miss more fish with it. THat's part of the game.

Another thing to consider is that pickerel are murder on flies. I would favor synthetic materials over natural materials for the durability.

 

[Baron]

Yes, as far as tying truly Weedless flies I'd only use them in Pads. You know where I fish and Jig style or upturned hook should do it when not in heavy weeds. I like that Kreelex you mentioned and will give it another shot this summer. I find I really enjoyed tying the longish soft-hackle streamer. Easy, cheap and lovely to look at.

 

[tomgamber]

somehow I missed the flies at the top the first time. If i were a pickerel, I'd eat that.

 

[Baron]

Thanks, Well I'm hoping to increase the size of the Pickerel I catch as well.
Still lots to learn. This quest for pickerel was put on hold for 45 years and now I have the time.

 

[Fredrick]

Try this hook out

https://www.slideinn.com/product/ahrex-pr378/

 

[Baron]

Frederick I like that hook but isn't the offset too much for Soft hackle streamers? It does give allot more shank than the Gamakatsu I used.

 

[Baron]

I did my homework and I see that Ahrex GB Swimsuit was designed by Gunnar Brammer with fly tying in mind. That explains the longer shank.
They are expensive and sizable.

Thanks for the tip. For Pickerel would you stay with the 2/0 or go bigger?

 

[Fredrick]

The 2/0 will be fine you could even use the 4/0 if you want to try for bigger fish . Why limit yourself to soft hackles ?
Modify this fly to fit https://www.saltwatersportsman.com/techniques/fly-recipies/weedless-baitfish-fly/

 

[Baron]

Fred,
I'll get there, thanks for the link. My current rule is only tie flies that are 1) simple and 2)inexpensive. The Bendback and/or worm style hooks are new to me. I like them. With this hook you mention by Ahrex and also the Umpqua 435 there is no need for adding the stem. Ties are done directly onto the long shank. So you say 2/0 will do. I prefer smaller than larger so I won't go to 4/0 just yet. Besides I'm no sure my 4wt rod will toss even a 2/0.
Do you use guards when you're after SH? I've seen you casting through the lily pads and apparently not snag. Were you using the fly in your link?
Don



So you

Fredrick wrote:
The 2/0 will be fine you could even use the 4/0 if you want to try for bigger fish . Why limit yourself to soft hackles ?
Modify this fly to fit https://www.saltwatersportsman.com/techniques/fly-recipies/weedless-baitfish-fly/

 

[Fredrick]

Depends on how thick the pads are , if they are really think I like to use a double dipper frog from CGH customs.

https://www.cghcustomtackle.com/product-page/double-dipper-weedless-frog-fly-large

 

[Baron]

Fred, I like this frog. I think you showed us this before but being new to the design didn't know what I was looking at nor the genius behind the design. Are the Dual Mono Tags really effective or do you sometimes wish they were loops?

I did attempt to tie up the weedless baitfish and found it to be somewhat tedious and also quite expensive. It takes 3 white caribou feathers to make the tail for a size 2 hook. The hook is $.69 and the Large size crystal chenille is another 20-25 cents. Very Pretty though. Maybe with time I'll be able to pick up the accuracy, buy bigger eyes and find hooks for less.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

I like it! It looks like it will get plenty of fishy attention.

And, although it's late and I'm tired (mental filter is failing), I will resist the urge to comment on what is clearly a typo (yes, caribou feathers are quite rare and expensive). ;-)

 

[Baron]

Haha, good ole spell check got me. And also I said that the hook is size 2 while in reality it is size 2/0.

 

[Fredrick]

Nice , if you have hook up problems make the body slightly smaller so the hook will get exposed more on the hookset . No problems on that DD frog at all I wasn't a believer when I first saw it either , that frog is the bees knees . Its the only weedless fly I fish that is not an original tie of mine and I have tried more than a few .

 

[Baron]

Thanks, Yes, I may start that one over to address that. I'll also have to get appropriate scaled eyes. I used a size 6 Cricket Hook shank to tie it onto. I tried 50lb mono but I don't have the ability to make it stick.

I came up with the one below. Very buoyant, self righting. Hope to try it in April.