Tying Video: Galloup's Articulated Circus Peanut

[Brian Wise]

I like it better that way too Dave.

[Brian Wise]

Hey guys, I have the Peanut Envy, S. Dungeon, a spin on the Barely Legal, Butt Monkey, and the Bottom's Up all coming over the next few months. After that I am going to start on Mike Schmidt's patterns which, rest assured, are as good and better than Galloup's flies. So there will be videos well through next Spring at least. Also working on doing a little streamer fishing video on the North Fork of the White....trying to get more people to take streamer trips as it is all I am thinking about when I am in the boat. Don't get me wrong, nymphing under an indicator is a great way to catch fish.....but a Thingamabobber doesn't move in the water like these streamers, and you see it ALL when you are in the bow of a drift boat pulling streamers---it will make you dream about it.

If you think about any flies for sure let me know!

[Ted Calcaterra]

I am a huge believer in hook gaps on streamers. I typically use the bass or stinger hooks because of their wide gap. I was lucky one day and had beers with Kelly Galloup. I told him how bad the store bought flies were because of the cheap hooks and he agreed that the first batch (maybe a years worth tied over seas)used the wrong hook. If materials impede the gap; one will have a smaller percentage of hookups. My two cents anyway.

[duckydoty]

Good one Brian! Keep them coming. 44 more days of duck hunting, then I'll get back on the vice.

[Trout Commander]

After that I am going to start on Mike Schmidt's patterns.

There you have some meaty goodness.

[Jeremy Hunt]

Nice Brian kind of a peanut envy/circus peanut hybrid very cool. Are you noticing an improved hook up ratio with a wider gapped front hook? I'm still mainly using the 9395's but I just got back from a trip to the White and couldn't stick a fish on my streamers to save my life. Are there any other wide gapped hooks you are using or like besides the 8089?

I found the Mustad 3366 is the all around best, can't beat it. In my opinion, the TMC 8089 will also miss fish, too big of a gap. There is a balance in when is too big and to wide. The hook I mention is the best because of the short shank and the medium size gap. Stock up on this hook because they just discontinued it. It's still floating around so it shouldn't be a problem finding it right now, but it will get harder to find. The TMC 8089 will hook the bigger ones just fine, but anything in the 20-23 inch range, the gap is too wide to get a good hook set. So ask yourself this...... would you rather have a shot at all fish and not just the bigger ones? I would.

[Jeremy Hunt]

There you have some meaty goodness.

I would and you should You'll be glad when you hook that MONSTER. His patterns will do it!!

[Brian Wise]

I found the Mustad 3366 is the all around best, can't beat it. In my opinion, the TMC 8089 will also miss fish, too big of a gap. There is a balance in when is too big and to wide. The hook I mention is the best because of the short shank and the medium size gap. Stock up on this hook because they just discontinued it. It's still floating around so it shouldn't be a problem finding it right now, but it will get harder to find. The TMC 8089 will hook the bigger ones just fine, but anything in the 20-23 inch range, the gap is too wide to get a good hook set. So ask yourself this...... would you rather have a shot at all fish and not just the bigger ones? I would.

Just measured the hook gap of the Size 2 8089 and it is half an inch.....if a fish can't open it's mouth half an inch it doesn't need to eat this fly.............

[Jeremy Hunt]

Just measured the hook gap of the Size 2 8089 and it is half an inch.....if a fish can't open it's mouth half an inch it doesn't need to eat this fly.............

Let's go fish that hook and see how many fish you hook up on. I bet not that many. I already fished that hook and probably everyone hook on the market devoted to streamer fishing. I field test everything before I fish it, and before I tie it commercialy so the client doesn't have to worry about missing fish from a bad hook because tyers want to substitue. I learned along time ago, the most important part of the pattern is the hook. People spend a great deal of time making sure the hook is correct for the pattern before it is sold. There must be a reson for this.

But that's what makes tying, tying. You can do anything you want and tie whatever you want, but what matters is bringing the fish in the net. Nothing worst then a bad hook on the wrong fly.

[Brian Wise]

With all due respect I do have to disagree with the hook up percentage on the 8089np. We are both pretty lucky that we get to fish quite a bit and feel out all of these hooks before we throw it on a clients rod. But I have talked to a LOT of streamer tyers and hard-core streamer freaks that love that hook.....and in talking to the fish, they tend to be a too little sore-lipped to say too much.

I personally believe the Gamakatsu B10s is a better hook but it doesn't work for me on the Circus Peanut, just doesn't allow enough material to get that sexy Peanut (probably the first time the words "sexy" and "peanut" have been typed together ) movement in the water. Same for the S. Dungeon. These new low profile hooks are the craziest sharp hooks ever made....and they are SUPER STRONG. Super sharp doesn't mean brittle anymore, nor does it mean they are going to break.

As for the hooks on the commercially tied flies. 95% of the commercially tied flies are tied on the cheapest hooks the manufacturers can get away with (this doesn't go for "commercial tiers" that tie 10,000 flies per year for local shops, this goes for the flies people seriously buy). Galloup has even said the hooks on the commercially tied Dungeon are crap (he used a different word but I won't type it here ) No hook gap will hook fish.....but it won't hold them. A Sharp hook with a good gap will hook quicker, and deeper and then hold them there.....they are almost lassoed for lack of a better term.