Saturday 27 February 2010

Fly Candy

Some Raccoon bunny's.This one has a turquoise tail.Then added some sea blue & Dark blue FFF Flash then several long strips of rubber,then dubbing looped grey raccoon for the head.

This one has a grey tail then 12 grizzly microbarb hackles then a red raccoon dubbing looped head.

Pike on the fly in France

Friday 26 February 2010

Fly Candy

This is another double rig fly. Wouldn't even know where to start with a name. I started with the trailing hook 1st by tying on a strip of white raccoon fur 60 mm long then added som Xmas tinsel then two clumps of Chartreuse bucktail around the hook. Then attached it to the main long shanked hook by way of some 60lb mono. At the back of the hook I placed another decent clump of chartreuse bucktail mainly as a guard to stop the coon strip from wrapping around the hook. Then wrapped red chenille around the hook shaft down to the eye. Then tied on another 60 mm length of white raccoon fur strip halfway down the hook.Then added several microbarb grizzly saddle hackles and then palmered on chartreuse and white marabou feathers. Whip finished and stuck a couple of cheapo eyes on

Click image for a larger view

Top tips with Raccoon

For those that have never used Raccoon Zonker either because your not a natural's Person or because you've heard it gets heavy after 20 mins of fishing with it. well here's a top tip to use before tying onto your hook.

Firstly take your Bone comb and comb through thoroughly pulling out as much of the underfur as possible. Then take a sharp pair of tying scissors and snip away 4 - 5 mm sections along the length of the leather strip. This drastically cuts down the weight by a 3rd. and water is dispersed a lot quicker out of the tail with a couple of false casts. I've also noticed that these gaps in the fur trap air in between them and leave a small trail of bubbles behind as you strip back

And as I've mentioned before if your a tight arse like me, then there's no waste as you have some fantastic raccoon dubbing left over

Friday pin up after 12 beers!

"The Petrol heads", Australia's answer to the "Pussy cat dolls". This five peace dance/singing ensemble are putting the finishing touches to their 3rd album,"Its hot today". 24 yr old Trudy and lead singer for the group, pictured second from the left, says they can't wait to get their 34 venue concert tour off the ground. Its going to be a mix of slick fresh dance moves combined with a visually stunning pyrotechnics laser show.....Cant wait to see the video!!!!

Thursday 25 February 2010

Fliers

I'm really stoked with the new fliers Lena ( Lk graphics ) has designed for me for this years fly fairs around Europe as well the workshops I'm busy in talks with in South Africa for the end of the year. Balticpikeflies.com shop will be open in a couple of weeks as well.......and from reading your emails it will be stocked with products you generally cant get over the counter, specifically for pike on the fly, at your local fly shops.......for considerably less than if you could. This shop is not my intention to rip people off but to be able to bring products to fly fisherman at a far more reasonable price than many retailers or other webshops out there do. Take for instance A packet of raccoon zonker retails in fly shops here for around €5,80 - €6,20.... with us you'll be able to get them at €4.25 and if you take 5 you get a sixth one for free. This way one can get six colours for the price of three.... from your local fly shop!

Anyway nuff said!

Pike on the Fly 42" Esnagami Northern

Wednesday 24 February 2010

Fly Candy

Here are a couple of "Clowns" I've tied up. I started by cutting 1mm foam sheet in to the shape of a tail then stuck them down over a 100mm length of 60lb mono. Then attached the mono to the hook shaft. Tied on some flash n slinky above and under the hook shaft. Then Hollow fleyed bucktail up to the eye of the hook. length 120 mm. This one has Orange, then red and finally yellow bucktail.

While this one is just Black n White bucktail mixed.

The Shit box


Poos. We all do them (except Her Maj, of course). The trouble is, dropping Mr Brown and the kids off at the pool is nigh on impossible when you’re enjoying the great outdoors. Yes, you can make like a bear and shit in the woods, but curling a log straight onto the ground feels a bit, well, dirty. Enter, with a snigger, a nudge and a somewhat aghast face, the Shit Box.

Click here to read more or buy one for ₤15,99

Tuesday 23 February 2010

Fly Candy

These three are around 125 mm long and are tied onto Tiemco 811s hooks.

The red baron

Blue pointer
Perch

EP Baitfish streamer

Here's a wicked little EP Baitfish streamer tutorial I stumbled upon a while back.

Monday 22 February 2010

Fly Candy

Reading a few friends blogs this weekend they hinted that spring might be on its way.....Well its definitely not here on Replot. Temps didn't rise above -15'c and ice still covers the sea. Its not as thick as last year due to the amount of snow we've had over the last couple of months so I expect it to have melted come the beginning of April....well most of it anyway.

Time has been divided between the new Baltic pike flies shop and getting through a couple of fly orders for people. How I could do with an extra day added to the weekend! anyway I've been tying an assortment of these EP stylie baitfish patterns, except flash n slinky has been the material of choice instead of the usual EP fibres.

These are just Off white flash n slinky with a splash of red arctic fox tied on under the chin at around 120mm.

This one has a short strip of Xmas tinsel down its flank

Pike on the fly

If you watch this and don't get turned on by the footage then there has to be something wrong with you. This is the reason why I fly fish for pike.

Saturday 20 February 2010

Helsinki fly fair

So for all you Fins out there or any others here in Scandinavia for that matter.I will be tying at the Helsinki fishing fair from the 5th-7th March next month. You'll be able to catch me at the Eumer stand and come down and say "Moro". I'll be tying all the usual suspects and many other patterns all day both days on both, tubes and hooks. If your looking to extend your fly box, I'll be taking a large range of flies for you to choose from and if you mention PikeFFArticles I'll thrown a discount for you on as well.

Pike on the fly in Alaska



They all count!

Friday 19 February 2010

Fly Candy

More Raccoon bunnies. This one has a turquoise tail with Orange Ostrich hurls then a grey dubbing looped front end.

This one has a yellow tail followed by blue Xmas tinsel flash then a turquoise dubbing looped front end.

This is my favourite colour combination White tail,grizzly microbarb saddle hackles then a red dubbing looped front end.

Friday pin up after 12 beers!

Here's another of those eastern block womens Olympic hopeful hammer throwers, that has definitely let slip her personal hygiene since she stopped competing on the professional athletics circuit. Olga....Or should we say Oga! says that when her Gillette sponsorship fell through towards the end of the nineties, is when she started to loose her femininity. All I can say is "Imagine nuzzling up to that on the couch after 12 pints! "

Thursday 18 February 2010

Baltic Pike Flies

Many of you might not know this but I am presently building a new and improved internet pike fly shop which will not only stock a new range of pike flies but also a new saltwater range of flies.It will also stock a large selection of different furs, raccoon, arctic fox, bucktails, feathers, synthetics, tube accessories, hooks....well most materials you'd need to tie your own flies with and will most definitely be cheaper than your average high street fly shops or internet stores.I'll be running monthly specials on products as well.

We've been working on it for a month or so now and it should be open by the middle of March or maybe sooner depending on whether we can solve some small programming glitches we've been encountering within it. ...Its got to be user friendly,you know!


The JK Flubber



Now here's a fly that really interests me. I love the sheer simplicity of it it and once I get some more rubber next week I'm gunna be tying me up a couple of these on some 6/0 hooks. Stay tuned.

Wednesday 17 February 2010

More raccoon tube bunny's.This has a grey tail with trailing White microbarb saddles and yellow raccoon fur dubbing looped at the front.

The have a white tail then 20 or so strands of holographic xmas tinsel then turquoise raccoon fur at the front

And lastly this one has a Brown tail then a mix of fine brown tinsels and 15 brown saddle hackles finished of with a bright pink head

Bird is the word!

Just a little something to brighten up your dreary Wednesday mid week blues for you



Tuesday 16 February 2010

Tube baitfish tutorial

Here's a tube baitfish pattern for Salt & fresh water purposes. Can be tied in a multitude of colours and sizes depending on what species you intend to target.



Veiw in full screen mode

Monday 15 February 2010

Fly Candy

You'll be seeing a lot of these raccoon tube bunny's over the next week in a multitude of different colour combinations and styles.

Yellow tail mixed brown,gold n black thin tinsels and a brown dubbing looped raccoon fur head

Grey tail with 10 grizzly microbarb saddles and a sea blue arctic fox dubbing looped head.

White tail, then added 30 or so Olive Ostrich hurl feathers then dubbing looped yellow raccoon fur for the head. A very simple set of flies to tie that would be great for Spring & Autumn time.

Cock soup

Why does everything have to taste like chicken?

Sunday 14 February 2010

Off the chart!

Click the image for a larger clearer view of this chart. Would have liked to have seen Pickerel and also the Amur pike there as well.


Saturday 13 February 2010

Fly Candy

I've been tying up several dozen different colour combinations of tube bunnies this last week in preparation for the Swedish fly fair. This one I've used Red raccoon zonker for the tail and added White and grizzly microbarb saddle hackles then dubbing looped grey raccoon fur for the head and added a silver cone to finish it off.

This one has a white raccoon zonker strip for a tail then added grizzly microbarb saddle hackles.Then tied on 30 or so yellow ostrich hurl feathers and then dubbing looped white raccoon fur for the head and added a silver cone to finish it off. These are one of my favourite flies to fish with,and contrary to belief after the second false cast they are extremely light to cast with.

Freaky popper

Friday 12 February 2010

Fly Candy

Don't know what to call this really except its another of my scrapyard flies from left over materials lying around on top of my desk the other night. Its really just a combination of green & black party wig hair material and some peacock flashaboy. The head is just a fat clump of 0ne inch wig hair tied on backwards to form a small collar. I've tied these in blue and silver before and they have worked well for me so I'm hoping this colour combination will do the same.

Friday pin up after 12 beers!

If you can excuse the pun....literally! then Joyce from Alice springs in Australia is PikeFFArticles 1st true "PIN UP". Here's a women that takes body piercing to a whole new level. Unfortunately though this over indulgence has come with a price as she's unable to hold liquids in her mouth as they literally pour out of every hole in her face and she suffers terribly from extreme bouts of dehydration and has to be given fluids through intravenous drip twice daily instead.Whats even more concerting is the lack of blood circulation she has in her face which is evident from looking at her eyes.

Thursday 11 February 2010

Fly Candy

I've called this the clockwork orange. I started with tying on to the trailing hook some black Chinese cock neck hackles as well as some Orange shlappen. Then added grizzly microbarb saddles and a mix of brown/silver & gold fine tinsel then covered it with some orange bucktail. To finish of the tail I added a large grizzly saddle on either side of the hook shaft. whip finished and added head cement. Then attached it to a long shanked hook by way of 80 lb mono.

The main body is a mix of long orange shlappen feathers as well as black and Orange ostrich hurl feathers. A couple of thick gold xmas tinsel strands down its flank then Orange arctic fox Dubbing looped at the front. I just know this is going to have a lot of movement through the water and is extremely light.

fluff chucked pike



Wednesday 10 February 2010

Fly Candy

A couple of black Gurglebug salamanders. First tied some black raccoon zonker on to the back then added grey/black foam with rubber legs....A couple of eyes and a pinch of red arctic fox tied under belly.

Vic Reeves Pike

Vic Reeves' water pike from George Miller on Vimeo.

Tuesday 9 February 2010

The Rhody Flatwing

Here's another great saltwater fly that could be modified for snotrockets.

Monday 8 February 2010

Spot the differance

Friday night with a bottle of wine Lena wanted to learn how to tie a couple of flies for herself for the spring time,and this is the 1st fly that Lena ever tied in her life. We were going to start with a simple deceiver pattern for her to follow but she went off on another tangent. Anyway this has black Chinese cock neck hackles tied onto the back of the hook deceiver style.Then she added some strands of silver FFF Flash, then added several small white microbarb saddle hackles. Palmered on 2 Burnt Orange Marabou hairline feathers then finished of the fly with Five longer WMSH's. Stuck a couple of rattle eyes on and then Bug-bonded them together....without any help from myself.

Can you spot the difference between the two flies here.One has been tied by myself and the other by Lena as is the second fly she has ever tied in here life.

I went through the SBS and she watched and listened intently.

Then produced this! To be truthful I didn't have high expectations for here 2nd effort, but once she had bug-bonded the eyes on I realized that she had tied one bad ass fly. I know a lot of fly-fishermen that couldn't tie a fly that well.


Saturday 6 February 2010

Ray's fly

Here is a simple fry pattern with minimal materials that would be great for a number of species. Sure not a pike fly as such but still a hand addition to any fly box. I might tie up some variations of this for Ide this coming spring.

Friday 5 February 2010

Fly Candy

Another bobble head tube fly.This one I started off tying in 10 -12 different length White and brown microbarb saddle hackles The tied on 20 or so Yellow Ostrich plume feathers. Then finished of the fly by dubbing looped orange arctic fox for the head. Super light and will have plenty of movement in the water

This one os more of a tube bunny in that I started by tying on a 60mm strip brown raccoon zonker.Then added several brown microbarb saddles, then dubbing looped pink raccoon fur for a head

Pike on the fly in Canada


Friday pin up after 12 beers!

24 yr old Lucia hails from Bolognia in Italy and is the daughter and heiress to the billion dollar franchise "Spagbol minute dinners". She's says she's been single for several years now,which she puts down to guys being scared off by her massive wealth.......Personally Lucia I'm sure its got nothing to do with the amount of money you have............Maybe I'm wrong!