Silicone Baitfish

[fish]

The Silicone baitfish is merely a variation on the Woolhead mullet. I use to spin the egg yarn or lambs wool the same as with the Woolhead mullet, and afterwards applied the silicone. When I started experimenting with rattles in flies it proved difficult to secure the rattle and spin the yarn around the rattle. I use to tie the rattle down and then applied epoxy over the rattle. This was rather a lengthy process, there had to be an easier way. I moved the tie in point of the materials to the front of the hook, after the rattle was secured in place with thread wraps and two coats of “Sally Hansen hard as nails”. This proved much quicker with the added advantage of creating realistic two toned effects in the finished fly.

I use Bostik clear Marine silicone available in most hardware stores. First I apply a coat of silicone and work it evenly from the front of the fly into the body material using a plastic spatula ladies use to apply wax (use any flat narrow object). Secure the tail materials with bull dog clips or the chenille type wire (pipe cleaner) that came with your newly purchased fly line.

Dishwashing liquid added to lukewarm water can be used to smooth down the silicone; I find saliva works better, but will not recommend it, since silicone won’t add anything positive to your daily dietary requirements - maybe in years to come my lovely wife will find me one morning fast “asleep” with a silicone fly in the vice. After the first coat is applied I stick on the eyes and apply a second thin coat after the first coat is dry (approximately 1 hour).

Recipe

Hook: Wide Gape - Gamakatsu SC12S or similar # 1/0 - #6/0
Thread: 6/0 or 140 UTC
Tail: Buck tail and/or synthetics, olive/grey/chartreuse/pink/black all over white are popular colour combinations.
Body: Egg yarn/Polar plus/Lambs wool in combination with synthetics. Clear marine silicone.

Step 1

Tie in the tail materials, buck tail followed by flash and synthetics and/or more buck tail. By tying in a tail more body can be given to the fly, alternatively the materials tied in at the front of the hook shank can be left long enough to extend backwards and act as a tail. The rattle can be secured on top of the hook shank in front of the tail or this section can be used to weight the fly.

Step 2

Tie in the egg yarn, spin it around the hook shank. The yarn extends just past the hook gape with the same length of yarn extending past the eye of the hook.

Step 3

Tie in a synthetic material like slinky blend/kinky fiber extending the same length backwards as the yarn. The section extending forwards is the same length as the body and tail combined.

Step 4

Tie in a length of polar plus the same length as the slinky blend. This step is optional and different colour effects can be created this way.

Step 5

Fold the yarn extending forwards, back underneath the hook shank, with the same amount of yarn on both sides of the hook gape. Do the same with the materials on top.

Step 6

Secure the tail materials with the twist wire and apply the silicone.

Step 7

Apply the stick on eyes and a second thin coat of silicone after the first coat has dried - Your finished silicone mullet.

[MCC]

Howzit

Nice SBS.

I used to also struggle with rattles in flies and the never ending problem was always the bulk created by the rattle. Tying anything on top of the rattle proved problematic and I also found that the materials dulls the sound of those small rattles.

The solution was simple. Using tying thread, tie a short section of plus-minus 50lbs mono to the rattle and coat wrapping with super glue. Now you simply tie this rattle-tail into the fly. Don't make the rattle tail too long and try and get it tucked into the middle of the tailing materials.

This is a simple and very effective solution.

Cheers
MC

[Garage]

What silicone do you guys use?

The ones I have tried always cure opaque or milky. I am looking for a totally clear silicone.

Thanks in advance.

[MarkK]

Another solution the the rattle issue:

Insert the rattle into a piece of mylar tubing and whip it in place. The tubing can now be tied in just in front of the bend of the hook, on top of the shank, with the rattle extending behind the hook.

[MarkK]

What silicone do you guys use?

The ones I have tried always cure opaque or milky. I am looking for a totally clear silicone.

Thanks in advance.

Mike I once got hold of a tube of "Glue Devil" silicone from a craft shop and it was great. Cheap as chips and crystal clear. Also saw a clip recently where an Aussie tyer used benzyne to thin down his silicone. The effect was a clear, shiny and very smooth coating.

[chrisvd]

Nice fly this. What type of ratle do you guys use?

[Flashback Rob]

Thats an aswesome looking fly!
Have you had alot of success with it?

Leeries, skipjack?

Does the silicone keep it more boyant?

[MarkK]

Nice fly this. What type of ratle do you guys use?

The rattle in question is a small glass, plastic or acrylic tube with a couple of steel or brass balls sealed inside. You can get them from some bass fishing shops as "plastic worm rattles" or, if you live near a university, you can bribe the chemistry department's glass blower to make you some. I've seen them sold in smaller sizes as "fly rattles" but, amazingly, anything with the word "fly" in it seems to be twice the price of its "generic" alternative...

[Garage]

Mike I once got hold of a tube of "Glue Devil" silicone from a craft shop and it was great. Cheap as chips and crystal clear. Also saw a clip recently where an Aussie tyer used benzyne to thin down his silicone. The effect was a clear, shiny and very smooth coating.

Thanks Mark.

Benzyne must smell magnificent on a fly!!

[Conrad Botes]

The rattle in question is a small glass, plastic or acrylic tube with a couple of steel or brass balls sealed inside. You can get them from some bass fishing shops as "plastic worm rattles" or, if you live near a university, you can bribe the chemistry department's glass blower to make you some. I've seen them sold in smaller sizes as "fly rattles" but, amazingly, anything with the word "fly" in it seems to be twice the price of its "generic" alternative...

Mark,

I've used rattles once or twice, with no visible increase in success.

My question is whether they really work in attracting fish. Do the guys that use them have increased takes or is it a confidence thing?