Finally a calendar I like. TU sent me this pocket calendar the other day and what a great idea. It's much like there regular full sized one only in a compact shirt pocket form. Each month has high lighted holidays and the individual days have space to write your fishing related stuff. There are lots of journals out there but most are to large to bring stream side, this one is perfect.
With the coming of winter many of you will start tying flies. Most of you will replace the flies that have worked so well for you over the last season, and you may try a few new ideas. I have been wanting to improve on a fly that I consider one of the five best ever created. The Ausable Bomber. I can hear the screams and head scratching going on as I type. Let me clear it up. No changes to the material recipe of the fly, no one can improve on perfection. What I'm trying are a few barbless hooks instead of the traditional Mustad 9671. The first two hooks I'll be trying are these.
The top hook is the Orvis Tactical Dry Fly Hook. It features a wide gap, and black nickel finish. It is a light wire hook but it is strong. The bottom hook is a Hanak Wet Fly Hook. This hook features a black nickel finish, and a slightly longer hook shank. It is a heavier hook.
This bomber is tied on the Hanak hook.
This bomber is tied on the Orvis hook. As you can see both hooks were able to accommodate the amount of material needed for this fly. I have not fished these flies as of yet but I do have plans to.
Side by side.
November....
Nice ties Alan. I'll be curious to hear how that Hanak supports the Bomber. Going out in a few minutes to try my luck.
ReplyDeletebillp
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Bill the Hanak hook worked very well with the bomber materials. My thoughts were that it may have been to heavy but that was not the case. Enjoy your time out there.
I love the Orvis Tactical hook; I've been using it now for a couple of seasons. I like the longer shank on the Hanak, though. I'll have to pick some up and experiment. Nice ties, Alan; I never leave home without Bombers in my vest.
ReplyDeletemike
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Mike that Orvis hook is super sharp and it's hooking/holding qualities are exceptional. I have a couple of more hooks to try, and they are a bit cheaper, cost wise. Spot on about the bomber.
Is that a whole container of cookies on your tying desk??
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz
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Mark I'm sorry but I just don't see cookies in the photo.
Sorry Alan. The fifth photo down looks like a plastic container of cookies, but is kind of blurry. Probably should have been cookies for fly tying energy in any event.
DeleteMark most times there are cookies about, but not this time. Chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin work well with fly tying.
DeleteI don't use bombers enough. Heck, I don't even use dries enough. I always feel dry flies are a pain to tie do you find them just as easy as your nymphs?
ReplyDeleteFeather Chucker
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There are a lot of dry flies I can't tie, one is the parachute. Others such as the bomber are such a great fly that it has to be fished. Wet flies which include soft-hackles and spiders are very effective and simple to tie.
Hi Alan
ReplyDeleteI also like the the Orvis Tactical hooks and use them for lots of my soft hackles and jig nymphs. I recently picked up a packet of the dry fly tactical hooks (#14) but have found the sizing to run a little small - I think this shows in your Ausable Bomber tied on the Hanak compared to the Orvis, it just looks more 'balanced'.
On a slight side note: I should use the bomber more often, Scottish & Welsh trout love it, just need to use it on my Yorkshire trout.
Thanks for the insightful and perceptive article, it has taken my mind off heavy rain, submerged flood plains and swollen rivers!
Alistair
Alistair
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Alistair I agree with you on the Orvis hook being a bit on the small size. To me they're about a 1/4 under. The Orvis hook bomber actually looks like a humped beetle. I have played with a notion of tying a "North Country" bomber...the problem is the material list.
Heavy rain while a major problem for us anglers it is so much better then heavy snow.
Hi Alan,
ReplyDeleteAs you may know, I recently turned 80. My fingers just don't work like they used to. A couple of ultra simple to tie, dry fly patterns are the Griffith's gnat and rusty spinner. Both can be deadly, at times. I tie them on a longer than needed shank hook but only use the forward section, of the hook, for the dressing. Do you follow?
John Dornik
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Well John you have my sincere best wishes on reaching that milestone.
The two flies you mention are in my box. The Griffiths I toss more than the spinner. I follow you completely.
Alan
ReplyDeleteNo need for floatant on the Ausable!!! One outstanding dry fly for sure---thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill I believe you are right. High floating, high visibility and a fish catcher.
Hi Alan,
ReplyDeleteDefinitely gonna try some Bombers next year. Yours look beautiful. When you get a chance sometime over the winter, I'd be grateful if you'd share some of your small stream techniques. I'm particularly interested in your approach to fishing soft hackles upstream. Complete dead drift, or with occasional movement or lift? I'm one old dog always ready for new tricks!
John
John Strucker
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John I will do that. I will tell you that 90% of my stream fishing involves swinging-drifting soft-hackles downstream. And most times I have the fly in motion "lifting" as a natural insect would do when emerging or perhaps as a dying insect.