Tying Video - Mike Schmidt's Mufasa

[rfd515]

Something I have been thinking about a lot lately too. Now, I am NOT a designer and I am the first to admit it (I call myself a cover-tyer, like a cover-band covers "real bands" because they appreciate the original so much and they usually can't write their own music, I cover "real tyers" because I appreciate the real tyers out there and I can't design my own flies to save my life) but I think what has happened is that tyers have found a super solid way to produce a certain movement with doing different things on the Front hook while sticking to a pretty basic rear hook. The front hook is really the hook that will ultimately decide the action of the fly. If it is weighted with dumbell eyes you will get a jigging hook, if you don't weight the front hook you will get a swimming or darting fly, then there are happy-mediums between both with deer hair heads, wool heads, etc.

The Double Deceiver is probably one of the bigger strays away from the normal marabou, schlappen, estaz, and rubber rear hooked fly. BUT it has a very specific movement and way to fish it compared to a lot of these flies. But there are other articulated flies that change it up a bit, the Articulated Double Bunny, Conrad Sculpin, Meal Ticket, Ice Pick, and a few others are pretty different.

I'm surprised how popular heavily dressed articulated flies are compared to intruder styles for browns/smallmouth. You can get a big profile in a fly that's much easier to cast as well as a faster and more economical tie. But the downside being the loss of the jigging action.

[Lancer09]

DaddyO,

I have fished some articulated stuff at night. I have had some success this summer on it, especiallly on circus peanuts. I also had a monster smash and missed hook up on a mufasa at the very beginning of summer at night. At night I don't do a whole lot of stripping flies unless its just back to me. I swing pretty much all of my flies and the ones that present a "jiggy" motion have caught more fish for me this summer.

I have caught less fish than if I was fishing smaller flies in the 8-12 range but ALL of them have been decent fish, the smallest of which was a chunky 16 incher, and a male rainbow that had to be a solid 23 or so, one of those fish that actually got put on the reel.

[Nick Williams]

Something I have been thinking about a lot lately too. Now, I am NOT a designer and I am the first to admit it (I call myself a cover-tyer, like a cover-band covers "real bands" because they appreciate the original so much and they usually can't write their own music, I cover "real tyers" because I appreciate the real tyers out there and I can't design my own flies to save my life) but I think what has happened is that tyers have found a super solid way to produce a certain movement with doing different things on the Front hook while sticking to a pretty basic rear hook. The front hook is really the hook that will ultimately decide the action of the fly. If it is weighted with dumbell eyes you will get a jigging hook, if you don't weight the front hook you will get a swimming or darting fly, then there are happy-mediums between both with deer hair heads, wool heads, etc.

The Double Deceiver is probably one of the bigger strays away from the normal marabou, schlappen, estaz, and rubber rear hooked fly. BUT it has a very specific movement and way to fish it compared to a lot of these flies. But there are other articulated flies that change it up a bit, the Articulated Double Bunny, Conrad Sculpin, Meal Ticket, Ice Pick, and a few others are pretty different.

I would be interested in see some flies you designed!! What does it take to be a fly designer anyways?? I guess that makes sense as a cover tyer though. Most cover songs I've heard we're better than the original!

It just seems that we have all these streamer patterns, but they are more like variations than anything. Not that that is a bad thing, because some patterns you have done are sick, but it just seems odd.

I guess there is only so many "movements" you're going to be able to get out of a fly in the end though. Swimming, darting, jigging, ect.

[Brian Wise]

I'm surprised how popular heavily dressed articulated flies are compared to intruder styles for browns/smallmouth. You can get a big profile in a fly that's much easier to cast as well as a faster and more economical tie. But the downside being the loss of the jigging action.

I agree. I really like the way the Intruder style flies are tied and look....and have a really good buddy that has basically started fishing them for trout as his main "large" streamer. Thing is, over the last year and a half they may be producing 1 fish for every 4 (MAYBE) compared to "meaty" flies. Now, those numbers aren't scientific by any means but we have put some stoooopid fish in the boat with big meat over the last year and a half.

Now, the jigging thing is a different story. I am not a fan of jigging flies for browns. Show me a jigging fly and I will show you a fly that rainbows LOVE to eat....hence my love for the action of the Intruder/ super light articulated flies.

Intruders are easier to cast, especially if you are using light gear (6wts and stuff like that) but if you are wanting to fish big flies the way they need to be fished 7 or 8 wt's are a necessity (mostly because they are so much easier to throw sinktips with) and I haven't seen a fly that I couldn't poke out to 80' with an 8wt. Another thing about these big, meaty flies.....they "shouldn't" be super heavy, in my eyes. A super heavy fly isn't going to swim, it's going to be boring in the water. I have talked to a lot of big streamer guys lately and we all agree that, for the most part, it isn't what fly you are throwing.....pick a fly that you can watch in the water, that moves well, a fly that keeps YOUR attention and pound it as hard as you can....if it hits a big browns "area" you WILL see that fish do something, it may not eat, but you WILL see it do something -- and even 1 look or follow in a day is a win, and you have to be ok with that or you will not end up seeing THE fish do what it is going to do.

It just seems that we have all these streamer patterns, but they are more like variations than anything. Not that that is a bad thing, because some patterns you have done are sick, but it just seems odd.

I guess there is only so many "movements" you're going to be able to get out of a fly in the end though. Swimming, darting, jigging, ect.

Exactly. There are really VERY few patterns that are completely original anymore.

[Nick Williams]

I agree. I really like the way the Intruder style flies are tied and look....and have a really good buddy that has basically started fishing them for trout as his main "large" streamer. Thing is, over the last year and a half they may be producing 1 fish for every 4 (MAYBE) compared to "meaty" flies. Now, those numbers aren't scientific by any means but we have put some stoooopid fish in the boat with big meat over the last year and a half.

Now, the jigging thing is a different story. I am not a fan of jigging flies for browns. Show me a jigging fly and I will show you a fly that rainbows LOVE to eat....hence my love for the action of the Intruder/ super light articulated flies.

Intruders are easier to cast, especially if you are using light gear (6wts and stuff like that) but if you are wanting to fish big flies the way they need to be fished 7 or 8 wt's are a necessity (mostly because they are so much easier to throw sinktips with) and I haven't seen a fly that I couldn't poke out to 80' with an 8wt. Another thing about these big, meaty flies.....they "shouldn't" be super heavy, in my eyes. A super heavy fly isn't going to swim, it's going to be boring in the water. I have talked to a lot of big streamer guys lately and we all agree that, for the most part, it isn't what fly you are throwing.....pick a fly that you can watch in the water, that moves well, a fly that keeps YOUR attention and pound it as hard as you can....if it hits a big browns "area" you WILL see that fish do something, it may not eat, but you WILL see it do something -- and even 1 look or follow in a day is a win, and you have to be ok with that or you will not end up seeing THE fish do what it is going to do.

What's the dl on Intruders? Is it a style more than anything, or more of a pattern? I tried to do a mobile research on them, but I can only do so much on an iPhone.

[Brian Wise]

What's the dl on Intruders? Is it a style more than anything, or more of a pattern? I tried to do a mobile research on them, but I can only do so much on an iPhone.

Very much a style of tying. When you think Intruders you have to think swing-style Steelhead type patterns. Gorgeous patterns, really, and VERY functional. Mostly stinger hooks or tubes.

[rfd515]

Intruders are easier to cast, especially if you are using light gear (6wts and stuff like that) but if you are wanting to fish big flies the way they need to be fished 7 or 8 wt's are a necessity (mostly because they are so much easier to throw sinktips with) and I haven't seen a fly that I couldn't poke out to 80' with an 8wt.

What's you typical line/sinktip/leader setup for throwing big streamers (brand, weight, length)?

[Brian Wise]

What's you typical line/sinktip/leader setup for throwing big streamers (brand, weight, length)?

For floating line, I use Rio's Clouser Taper and a Feather-Craft Bullwhipp Furled Leader. I was NEVER a fan of furled leaders for nymphing but started using one for big streamers about a year ago and will probably never turn back for floating line streamer fishing. For tippet, I use Maxima Ultra-Green 8 or 10 pound.

For Sinktip fishing I use Rio's Density Compensated T-3 Streamer line, this has more to do with the river I fish on more than anything else the Outbound Short is better suited for bigger rivers as the sinking portion of the line is longer. Then I drop 3' or so of the Maxima 8 or 10 pound directly off of the line.

I use an 8wt, but 7's will defenitely do. The rod brand itself is up to the caster.