Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 17

Thread: Synthetic Baitfish

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Stilbaai
    Posts
    990

    Default Synthetic Baitfish

    You need to be logged in to view images.


    Fire Tiger


    During the past 10 years or so there has been a boom in the manufacturing of synthetic fly tying materials. I believe a lot of these materials are used in other industries, creative fly tying material manufacturers quickly pick up the uses of these materials as a potential fly tying material and manufacture similar materials.

    Apparently flashes as we know today, especially all the flashabous, were originally used as showgirl wigs and decorative materials. Back then these materials weren't available in funky colours, like Steelhead Silver, Midnight Blitz and Wild Olive like it is today. Fishient, a proudly South Africa business has revolutionised synthetic materials and exports to more than 40 countries. Based in Scottburgh Natal, the innovative Cliff Rochester and his wife Tarryn are on the forefront of bringing us fanatical fly fishers a wide range of synthetics, they just know that we love all the available colours and are just as easily caught as a hungry West Coast snoek when a new colour hits the shelves.


    Baby Rainbow trout


    We have had good sucess in the local Western Cape waters with synthetic baitfish imitations. These patterns cast extremely well and shed water quickly. If tied and trimmed correctly these flies will not foul while casting, something which is a very important aspect of any fly. I have sent up a few to the Zambezi last week and it took numerous Tigerfish before it started showing some visible signs of injury. After all these flies are great fun to tie, even if they might not see any water and just looks pretty in the fly box.

    By using marker pens most minnows can be imitated.

    Tying a Southern Mullet

    Recipe

    Thread: 6/0 or mono.

    Hook: Any short shank, wide gape hook like the Gamakatsu SL12S, SC15, SC17. Hook size to be proportioned to fly size.

    Gills: Polar Fiber or Frizz Fiber or Mirror Image.

    Body materials: Any of the following range of Fishient synthetics – SF Blend, Mirror Image, Deadly Dazzle, Slinky Blend. There is aslo other brands of materials, but I am not familiar with these.

    Eyes: Epoxy eyes.

    Step 1


    Tie in the gills below the hook shank.

    Step 2


    Pull the fibers in the middle of a section of materials outwards to create a taper. Tie in a length of white body material approxiamtely 2.5 – 3 times hook shanklength. I cover the base section with Loon Soft Head up to a point just past the gills. This gives the fly a "spine" and will aid in the fly not fouling while casting.

    Step 3


    Tie in a lenght of grey body material on both sides of the hook shank, followed by the topping colour.

    Step 4


    Use the same colours, the length extending backwards is slightly shorter than the length extending forwards. In this example,white below, grey on the sides and mullet brown on top. Use a empty pen casing topush the fibers back.


    The following step is important, create a thread "foot" by making thread wraps back and forth, this will gradually push the fibers back. Add varnish after each step, this improves durability. If the fibers are just tied down there tend to be holes in the body when trimmed.


    Step 5


    Repeat step 4 till the hook shank is filled. Comb the fly to loosen and even out all fibers before trimming.

    Step 6


    I prefer trimming the fly from the belly side first. It is also easier trimming the fly from the tail side forwards, since every cut is against the fibers' direction. By using quality scissors the end product will be much neater. Add the approriate size eyes (I use Alcolin clear glue) when the general shape has been cut out, further trimming will be made much easier. The eyes provide a very good reference to create the right size body.

    Step 7


    The finished fly. Add epoxy to the thread wraps and I also cover the eyes with epoxy with a thin line of epoxy connecting the hook eye with the fly eyes for added durability.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Stilbaai
    Posts
    990

    Default

    Some Tigerfish food

    IMG_1775.JPG

    Silver Robber

    IMG_1778.JPG

    Striped Robber

    IMG_1810.JPG

    Imberi

    Others

    IMG_1789.JPG

    Baby Mackerel

    IMG_1798.JPG

    Baby Bass

    IMG_1787.JPG

    Why would a red head be swimming in the sea? Don't know, enough reason to be eaten.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    gauteng
    Posts
    1,164

    Default

    awesome stuff fish! nice ties, and easy to follow
    bushveld scalies - worth the blood, sweat and tears

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Eastern Cape
    Posts
    6,248

    Default

    Great going, very nice.
    Handle every situation like a dog.- If you cant hump it, piss on it and walk away. --JASPER.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Eastern Cape
    Posts
    6,248

    Default

    Your Imberi is a great replica of a baitfish down here in the Eastern Cape called the '' Gorrie''. Cob and Elf and even Leerie love them.
    Dave
    Handle every situation like a dog.- If you cant hump it, piss on it and walk away. --JASPER.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Gauteng/Centurion
    Posts
    258

    Default

    Awesome SBS. Thank you!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Parys, Free State
    Posts
    9,760

    Default

    Great set of flies!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Cape Town, Western Cape
    Posts
    1,327

    Default

    Baie mooi!
    Fly fishing, fly tying & rod building.....

    http://www.flytalk.co.za/forum/album.php?u=2531

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Gauteng
    Posts
    766

    Default

    Great flies there!
    ".....angling is a sport that requires as much enthusiasm as poetry, as much patience as mathematics and as much caution as housbreaking". - James Rennie 1883

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Western Cape
    Posts
    25

    Default

    IMG_3317.JPGHere is my baby tiger army of the same materials. One can get a nice sparse fly that still pushes a lot of water.


    IMG_3320.JPG

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •