The same company that brought you the Magic heads (Petitjean fishing equipments) also has a fantastic piece of equipment called the "Magic Tool". Now I have to say it is a top addition to any fly tiers bench but to be honest, as I'm the ultimate tight arse, And not prepared to fork out 30 euros for it, one can make something quite similar which will do the same job for practically bugger all.
1st cut yourself a piece of wood some 80mm long and cut a 5mm groove down the center of it.Remember to sand down the groove to make it smooth before use.
Place the marabou feather or hairline with the vein over the groove.
Push the feather down into the groove.
Take a normal office paper clamp and slide over the protruding feathers. Clamp tight.
Pull out of the groove
Take scissors and cut away the feathers vein
You're just left with the feathers which can now be placed into your dubbing loop. I actually saved myself a whopping 30 euros there.
Collect old beer cans, then here's one for all you pike lovers out there. The can comes curtious from Associated brewing company, Evansville, Indiana for $ 6,00....Unfortunately out of stock!
Now here's something I wouldn't mind parting with my hard earned cash. The Schmidt whopper beer glass. only $8,50 each.......only $8.50.....maybe not!
Durable double walled design keeps your drink nice and cool. Holds a standard 12 oz can. Costs US $ 7,49 from Rivers edge products Or how about a set of pike tile coasters from Cafepress.co.uk for..........wait for it! £6.50 each.
Have been watching a shit load of Saltwater fly-fishing film footage recently. Whether its because I'm pining for some crystal clear water to chuck some fluff at Trevally...I don't know, but this fly is my ode to the "Rooster fish"
When I looked at the flies other fly-fishermen are using to target Walleye/Zander, Ifound the only criteria they followed was to generally have a weighted head. Materials used varied, yet bucktail & plenty of flash is very popular tied clouser stylie with dumbbell eyes. As I mentioned last week the most effective way to target this species is with rubber jigs. So I thought why not simplify the fly down to the bare minimum and I’ve come up with “The Simple Simon”.If your looking for the easiest tie all year for targeting Perch/Walleye/Zander/Bass then here it is. Materials needed, Raccoon fur, Pearl tinsel & 1 Ostrich hurl strand.
Step1:
Start by cutting a section of tubing 20 mm long. Slide over inner tube.
Step 2:
Leave a 5 mm space then run a small section of cotton around 3 mm wide around the tube. Wrap a single strand of pearltinsel flash around the cotton and tie onto the top of the tube.
Step 3:
Cut a 10-12 mm piece of Raccoon zonker strip (I used white here but one can use any colour you prefer) and tie onto the tube.
Step 4:
Take another strand of Pearl tinsel flash and wrap it around the cotton then tie over the fur. Follow with one black Ostrich Hurl feather.
Whip finish and apply a dab of head cement. You can add a small eye with a small blob of resin but its not necessary.
One can either place a small weighted cone on the front or better still when they come out one of the new weighted jigging heads from Eumer.
I've wet it to show you what its profile would be underwater. A simple easy baitfish which can be used as a walleye jig or just as normal tube fly.
I went out yesterday for a few hours to test some new tube flies and ten or so casts in and I hooked into this nice looking girl. Several locals were fishing for perch and were not only amazed to see someone fly-fishing the area but frowned at the idea that I was specifically targeting Snotrockets. One chap was adamant that there were no pike to be found, yet to see the smile wipe off his face was priceless once he saw I had this one on. Anyway after a good 8 min or so I had the young girl in my hands, unhooked, a quick photo and then back in the water. This action though wasn't met with great cheer as I then spent the next 5 min receiving a barrage of complaints from the old boys ( All in their late 60's I might add) for slipping her back. They actually became so irate with me I had to leave the area due to the racist abuse that rained down on me. I've been here long enough to know that "Me" the fucking Englishmen know nothing about fishing and that I should fuck off back to South Africa. Ignorance is bliss I say!
Will post where I fished on my Google maps sometime tomorrow.
A couple of Raccoon fur/Marabou doubles for the end of the month. Am off down to Merikarvia on the 4th, 5th, & 6th to firstly have a meeting with Eumer & Vision fly-fishing about next years Pike fly tournament, but also to get out and fish the Merikarvia river mouths estuary. It will be virgin water for me which is always exciting. I need to learn the area anyway as I will be running a couple of Baltic pike tours there from next season on, as well as also do the pike on the fly guide work for the Eumer's lodge and clients.
Start by running your thread along the length of the hook shaft. I used a Gamakatsu big game saltwater hook size 6/0. Depending on the colour of the Ostrich hurl will depend on the colour of the schlappen & hackle feathers you use. Here I used a black schlappen feather at the back with 2 Olive Chinese neck hackles in front on either side of the hook. Cut the excess away & place a small dab of head cement or super glue over the area.
Step 2:
Make a dubbing loop (You do this by extending your cotton down some 200mm then loop it over your finger ,then loop it back over the hook. Take a few turns around it on both sides to hold it in place) and hook your griffin spinning loop tool between the cotton. Then place a 15mm strip of Olive arctic fox fur between. As I mentioned depending on what colours you are using will depend on the colour of the fur.
Step 3:
Cut the leather strip away and push the fur up as close to the cotton as possible.
Step 4:
Then spin the loop tool sufficiently for the fur to become tightly spun. Wet fingers and pull any excess fur away from the mass of spun fur.
Step 5:
Palmer the fur onto the hook remembering to pull the fur backwards with each turn you make around the hook shaft. This will act as slight ridge for when you lay the ostrich hurl over the top of it.
Step 6:
Take you ostrich hurl and cut 30 or so of the longest feathers. I used Black 1st with this fly. I like to use the longest towards the back as it gives the fly length and volume when in the water. Take clumps of three at a time and wrap ¾ away around the hook, leaving the bottom free. Cut excess material away and place a dab of super glue over it.
Step 7:
Make your second dubbing loop and place another 15mm of artic fox fur between and follow the same process as steps 2/3/4.
Step 8:
Now place a row of either the same coloured feathers, or in this case I used Olive as in step 5.
Step 9:
Make your 3rd dubbing loop with arctic fox fur and then cover with another section of Ostrich hurl feathers
Step10:
Now make your 4th dubbing loop with arctic fox except this time use a strip around 80mm. Whip finish with a drop of head cement then stick some eyes on if you want.. I’ve used Gator eyes here from Deercreek.com
Here are a few more Walleye/Zander/Pike-perch tube flies from my vise. The difference with these ones to the doubles I tie, Is these have a far stiffer tail made from trace wire and I use small treble hooks instead of a normal smaller single hook. A Black n White double was fished along side one of these also in the same colours, and this stiffer tailed version was definitely more productive. Whether it was the use of treble hooks or stiffer wire I'm not sure yet. Another batch has gone out for testing this weekend........I wait for feedback!
Walleye/Zander especially here in Finland seem to favour different colours of rubber jigs in different lakes or rivers. One of the great things about this design tied onto tubes instead of hooks, is that one can mix and match the tails so you can have a Black n White main body with a yellow and green tail depending on what colour the fish are more attracted to.
Yes they're a little on the heavier side due to the cone heads I've been using but you aren't casting these 70ft and are mainly used as a jigging fly over drop off points where shoals of fish are congregating. I've wet them here as well to show what their profile would be in the water, and as you can see the tail looks and acts just like a rubber jig would. Especially if tied with Raccoon fur.
The same company that brought you the Magic heads (Petitjean fishing equipments) also has a fantastic piece of equipment called the "Magic Tool". Now I have to say it is a top addition to any fly tiers bench but to be honest, as I'm the ultimate tight arse, And not prepared to fork out 30 euros for it, one can make something quite similar which will do the same job for practically bugger all.
1st cut yourself a piece of wood some 80mm long and cut a 5mm groove down the center of it. Remember to sand down the groove to make it smooth before use.
Place the marabou feather or hairline with the vein over the groove.
Push the feather down into the groove.
Take a normal office paper clamp and slide over the protruding feathers. Clamp tight.
Pull out of the groove 
Take scissors and cut away the feathers vein
You're just left with the feathers which can now be placed into your dubbing loop. I actually saved myself a whopping 30 euros there.
