What have you tied today?

[rannoch raider]

ha! nothing new under the sun.... just had a flick through dave whitlock's "a guide to aquatic trout food". sure enough there's a crayfish pattern; dave's soft-shelled crayfish jig fly. he's even got the lead down by the eye of the hook to make it sit up. the only real difference is the shell material. brilliant! : if i could find a way to make the claws more buoyant then we'd really be cookin'

Hi Dave, I've been fishing 'soft plastics ' on the spinning rod for perch of late. Some of the shads I've been using are highly buoyant and stand upright on the loch bed held down only by the weight of a jig head. They come in a multitude of colours and are very supple. It has crossed my mind that they could be cut to shape for excellent floating fry imitations that could be cast by the fly rod. They might also fit the bill for provision of a material to fashion the claws you are after. The Daiwa Duckfin shad and the elastane 'Z man' shads on the 'art of fishing' website are probably the most buoyant. It is also worth considering the use of a very realistic 'soft' crayfish pattern(plenty out there) rather than one made of fur, hair and foam?

[corsican dave]

couldn't agree more! obviously it'd have some of the die-hard traditionalists spluttering in their corn flakes, but it's just a different method of presenting bait to fish. I will have no hesitation flicking out a senyo's preyfish with a light spinning outfit if the situation arises and similarly using the fly rod to present bait ( I used a sinking line to present bread flake to tench in a clay pit a few years ago. sadly I missed the strike, but nothing ventured etc...)

just as a matter of interest, the new savage gear crayfish has buoyant claws: http://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/section17083/product28848/PROLOGIC-SAVAGE-GEAR-3D-CRAYFISH.html

I've got a couple on my Christmas list in preparation for Extremadura next year! :

[Buanán]

Nice one Robbie

The Dunkeld is my most successful early morning/day time sea trout fly, palmered like that particularly so.
I like the jungle cock and always include it, perhaps it's just phycological, fishermans' eye candy etc, even so I'd say better with, than without.

[Otter Spotter]

Ropbbie those Dunkelds look amazing, need to blag a few off you!

One of my favourite flies. I predominately use it on the rail esp with an inter line, but have had great success with a green tailed version on the dropper with something bushy on the tail using a floating line.
Pearly invicta is a must have as well.

[Wildfisher]

Getting ready for the March Browns

[attachimg=1]
Sparkle Olive Dirty Aero Wing Size 12

[Wildfisher]

A bit out of focus, but that should not affect the troot.  :lol:

[Wildfisher]

And if they refuse the above perhaps they'll go for these last resorters.

[attachimg=1]
CDC & Areo Wing  Size 12

[Rabmax]

I done really well with this pattern last year in various colours especially in orange.

Cdc wing ,Cdc body,clipped palmered badger hackle
Inspired by Fred's Poly Wing fly going to carry a few poly wing version to try this year.

Cheers Fred.

[Wildfisher]

Inspired by Fred's Poly Wing fly going to carry a few poly wing version to try this year.

Not my idea that one. I used to use ordinary McFlylon yarn to replace the hair wing in the CDC & Elk as I don't like deer and elk hair, but Mac (east wind) put me on to the Aero Wing. It's a lot less dense, much finer and buoyant (it's hollow) and looks like it will do the trick.

The price of Aero Wing  is scary, but when you get it you'll see it will last a long time, so it's not so bad as it first looks.I just bought the light dun stuff and it should do for everything.

[Rabmax]

I have always resisted buying Aero Wing so far as i am a tight git.Been trying out this stuff & its seems very good.
http://www.fishonproductions.co.uk/category-42/ultra-dry-yarn.html
I also treat my finished dry flies at the vise with watershed . Cheers