How to prevent the wing material from fouling on the hook

**Davo** · 04-08-14

Hi guys.
I'm looking for a bit of assistance, and perhaps a few suggestions or alternative ideas.

Lately I have been tying and using with success, alot of fishskull streamers, mainly targetting leerie and skippies. Its a very simple fly. It consists of a wing of SF blende or Craft fur tied on top of the shank and then a fishskull head. All these flies are tied on 1/0 to 3/0 Gamakatsu hooks. The problem I am having is that the wing material invariably fouls on the hook bend resulting in an unnatural fly about every third cast, it incredibly frustrating.

I have added a 'weed guard' or loop of mono underneath the wing to prevent it fouling which does seem to help a bit, although I've also found this loop can cause the fly swim lopsided during a fast strip. I've also tried shortening the wing material but that defeats my objective as I'd rather fish with a bigger profiled fly in most cases.

One thing I do know is that when I was tying with good old bucktail, the bucktail fibres seldom fouled around the hook shank.

Would anyone care to add any suggestions as to how I can prevent the material fouling so often? Perhaps a larger hook or is it infact the material. As much as I like SF blend is certainly gets tangled up alot more than the stiffer bucktail fibres.

I will try add a picture or two if I can find one.

Regards
Dave

**Gerrit Viljoen** · 04-08-14

Here is the bad news bad casting sets the fouling in motion accompanied by strong currents then your fly design. Post a pic of the fly for further analysis.

**Scythe** · 04-08-14

The fouling is par for the course when you tie on top of the shank using fish skulls or anything else really, and is exacerbated by using softer materials, which kinda sucks because the added benefits from using more lifelike materials is summarily negated by a fouled fly that swims wrong.

If a loop isn't working for you, then you're tying your loop wrong. Post a picture...

As another option what I have found works is to tie in a stiffer material such as a small clump of Bucktail which still fits in to the overall design of your fly.

It helps to 'stiffen' the remainder of the wing and so prevents fouling.

**Jax** · 04-08-14

IMG_7813.jpg

This is what I do to help with Tail Tuck. Also smooth casting is a help. Leave the Jerk at home.

**Ko7Ad** · 04-08-14

All I do is pack a comb and debarb my hooks

**Kevin James** · 05-08-14

[QUOTE=Davo;249817]Hi guys.

Would anyone care to add any suggestions as to how I can prevent the material fouling so often? Perhaps a larger hook or is it infact the material. As much as I like SF blend is certainly gets tangled up alot more than the stiffer bucktail fibres.

I will try add a picture or two if I can find one.

Hey Dave,

Mate, there are a few ideas that you could incorporate into your tying.
As Scythe mentions, adding a surrounding 'collar' of bucktail is a good solution, or any other material that will effectively trap the SF from wrapping.

What I tend to do with mine however is add a mono loop tied in at the tail.
The material is tied on top of the shank as per usual, but rests on this little mono loop.
Stops fouling, doesn't inhibit hookup and is virtually invisible in the finished fly.

For those really stubborn flies that tangle no matter what, you'll find the best solution for this is a flexible cement that you can smear up the sides just past the undershank to stiffen the tail section.

IMG_1449A (Small).jpg

By the way, I use the SF a lot and this is exactly how I fix mine.

Let me know if this is clear enough -
If not I'll put up a picture for you of the loop system.

**HolyGT** · 05-08-14

I prefer to tie SF blend on a shorter shank hook like the Gama SL12. Second thing I normally add, or start off with, is to tie in some buck tail as a base to stiffen things up. Lastly I also add some head cement, hard or flexible, over the eyes and head area to fix the shape and to also assist in the fouling issue.