I have been thinking for some time that I need another version or two of my head-stand carp flies. My head-stand worm is very interesting in that I often get takes on the strip. That was the intention of the design - to have a worm pattern that was more flexible in the presentation. Still, I am a little surprised. After all, how often does a carp see a red worm swimming along in a rocking, bouncing motion? Obviously this is more of an attractor / strike trigger response and I attribute it to the action rather than the overall worminess of the fly. Perhaps I can get even more takes on the strip if I combine that action with a little more body and a crayfishy color scheme.
I will publish recipes if / when the design(s) get finalized and catch carp but at first glance what do people think? Any winners? Any ideas? I am thinking of some combination from #1 and #3.
Off-topic, I am really digging what I can do with my underwater camera now that I am getting the hang of it. Keep tuned, I am going to try and make under-water videos of the drop and strip behavior of a bunch of carp flies.
Wendy has a similar idea with his high tail craw pattern. It works and I am sure these will. I do believe that prototype number one needsmheavy field testing, and I guess you could twist my arm into helping with that.
ReplyDeleteI will have to look that up! You would like the one with pheasant wouldnt you. Fortunately I included one (call it prototype 1A the prequel) in your care package.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff. That first prototype has an awesome action. Looks just like a crayfish fleeing.
ReplyDeleteNumber 1 looks money. No question it will get bit. Two and three will have there place too. Edpecially 3. Very similar to the bug I use for Surf Perch on the beach here.
ReplyDeleteSeems we are all pretty much feeling 1 the best. We will have to see if the fish agree...eventually. Gonna be hard to get much field testing done for a couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the others - number 1 is my pick. Where do I sign up for the Fly Carpin' field testing team?
ReplyDeleteNice work keep it up. I am up for field testing too!
ReplyDeleteWell, alrighty then. I hadnt thought of that, we are talking about a pretty serious group of carping enthusiasts there. It would be foolish to turn that down. If your serious John, Ty, David, Ryan and Kev send me an email with your address. After I get done restoking my box for the slam I will mail out some flies.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment about the worm on the strip. I tie a similar worm pattern with barbell eyes on the top of the shank so it rides hook up. I used to think I needed to barely move this pattern when presenting it, but recently I've been finding that carp will sometimes take it in the middle of the water column, and have sometimes moved and taken them aggressively on the strip, when the fly isn't moving 'naturally' at all.
ReplyDeletePrototype #1 works. I chucked it at a fish in shallow "back out of" water today...strip strip, white mouth...backing.
ReplyDeleteBut, like the idiot that I am I tried to Roland Martin the fish and beach that sucker in a hurry by basically sprinting up the gravel bar...straightened the hook. I am a quick sob though and I ran back down the gravel bar and leapt on the fish like an osprey...the fish slipped free but persistence pays off and after much splashing, falling, running and making a general ruckus I scooped her up and lifted her high, one hand style.
Good fly.
That is quite the image. I can defenitely picture you diving on a fish like a wwf wrestler!
ReplyDeleteNice to know that fly worked. As I remember that one had a marabou tail instead of a squirrell strip tail with some pheasant hackle. That was also a really heavy one with a 4.25mm tungsten on a SIZE 6 2x heavy-ass caddis hook! You musta really been sticking it to that fish!
When I typed that I sprinted up the bar to beach her I wasn't kidding. Big tail down the bar...I wanted that other fish!
ReplyDeleteOK, ALL GOOD! Hey, you have me really thinking McTage! William saw a small, 1.25" leech, don't ask me how, in a silt bottom almost covered. When I disturbed the area he left in puff of silt, as Gary Lonfontaine spoke of with his bristle leech. We as well see multiple leeches mid day here just swimming. If we see as many as we do of these nocturnal guys the carp really must be on them in the right areas. I like #1 if only for the flowing rabbit and suppossed leechiness, one with a rabbit body as well. I can't wait to play with this, been in tying funk recently. Way cool!
ReplyDeleteGregg
Like you I love rabbit. My latest iteration has been a rabbit tail with rabbit fur cut off the leather and held in a big paper clip so that I could put it into a dubbing loop and then dub the body and add a belly to flatten the profile ala the carp stew. One landed so far, but the color combo I tried first is just too outrageous I think (hot flourescent orange)
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