Something new for me

[Coastrider]

Well, been toying with tying trailing hook flies as its pretty new adventure for me. Didnt have time to research so just slapped a couple together. Any advise on style, technique, colour and such would be greatly appreciated. Im somewhat none artistic so colours dont come easy, neither do inventing new patterns

[woolybugger]

Nice patterns coast! Love the blue.I TY

[bronjuan]

Looks good. Just use 30lb mono and make sure that your hook point is on the opposite side of the shank than the side the eyes sit on. You'll get less hang ups on bottom and keep your hooks sharper.

That orange/white one looks like a bully killer

[Sinkline]

Beautiful Patterns!


Randy

[Coastrider]

Thanks guys, I was actually thinking I was going to get hammered as i've no clue where to start on these flies. I actually lost the 2tone flesh coloured one today, had it on my fly patch of my bare wading jacket and when i got to the car it was gone. O well, I need the practice tying The hours ive spent hiking today finally took its toll on my boots. Looks like its new wading boot as a next purchase, any advise?I want better ones this time as my old ones, all the coating came off the fabric. Probably from being left wet overnight a few times. Definatly want to stay with the felt soles, as long as I can keep the felt one them

[Zane]

Fly patches(sheepskin) are useless for barbless hooks and next to useless for barbed hooks IMO. I have lost lots of flies and try to remember not to use it anymore. I'll probably forget and lose more flies.

[professori]

Any advise on style, technique, colour and such would be greatly appreciated. Im somewhat none artistic so colours dont come easy, neither do inventing new patterns

Coastrider-I know the drive to invent new flies is pretty strong in many of us, but my advice (for what it is worth) is don't rush too fast to that step in your progress. Get some good examples of successful flies and learn to tie those well. Fish them and see if you can tell what makes them successful (colour combo? movement? sink rate? flash?) then maybe try altering the patterns for your use. Hone your tying skills and observations and you will come up with successful patterns consistently. All that said, intruder and popsicle styles are pretty much a free for all and you can't come up with a real mistake. They have such an enticing action, that you are almost guaranteed to find a fish that will hit whatever colour you run past his nose. Those you have tied will work for sure.

I just bought a pair of felt-soled Cabelas (under $100) this summer and am really happy with them. one thing I did this time out, was buy the boots a full size larger than I needed and them I spent almost as much on a pair of insoles from FootSolutions (I don't recall the brand). The difference in my fatigue level in my feet, legs and back after a full day of walk and wade fishing is unbelievable. Best investment I have made in gear in the past decade.

[BCBound]

Coast - Love those patterns. As prof said, tie those up in color combos specific to whatever species your after and you should have success constantly with them. Personally I haven't tried playing around with the long zonker tails, I'm worried about them wrapping around the hook shank.

I picked up a pair of Reddington boots two years ago, I think they were $119.00, so far so good. I went with the rubber soled ones, just my prefference, but either way happy with the quality of the boot.

Prof - The insoles you purchased, are they designed for water use or hiking? You've peaked my interest as I tend to get lower back fatigue after a full day out and the first thing that crossed my mind was durability of the insole.

Zane - Couldn't agree more about the patches, absolutley useless.

[herkileez]

Nice ties, Coast !

I suggest using 30 lb braided Berkley Fireline for your trailing loop. It's stiffer than mono and keeps the hook in line better, as it has no memory, and won't curl on you, or let the hook drop down the way mono can. You can have a fishing store peel off 15 or 20 feet for you, without having to buy a whole spool. Also, make sure your loop is big enough to allow changing out of the hook. I've had Mustad Ultra hooks straighten out on a big fish, so I stick to Gamakatsu for the stinger.

[Jessebergen]

Flies are looking great, I fish very similar patterns for bulls and steelhead. Just a couple tips ive learned, Fire line is your best friend, but I would find a way to attach your trailer to your rabbit strip, i usually poke it through, other guys tie it strait to the strip, both work fine, you do this so that if your fly hits slack water, the tail stays nice and straight, instead of dropping. The other is that you have your eyes on top, and you rabbit is facing up, so when fished the rabbit will go swim downwards, i don't know if fish care, it just looks nicer imo. Other than that keep it up! in natural colours they make great sculpins, I like a dark olive head faded into a natural rabbit tail.

Tight lines!