On Nov 3, 11:10 pm, Mike wrote:
On 4 Nov, 05:01, Sprattoo wrote:



On Nov 3, 9:36 pm, BJConner wrote:

On Nov 3, 3:29 pm, Sprattoo wrote:

Hello again gang,

I have been tying flies for quite a while and only just recently
started tying them for sale in our shop. I have fished with TONS of
tied flies from our tyers and seem to be having a problem I hope this
group can help me solve.

My tandem streamers fish great, and work perfectly, in fact I have had
many compliments from old, weathered fishermen on them which is
always nice. The problem I am having exactly is that some of my single
hook streamers tend to roll over when fished. It seems that hydro
dynamics and aerodynamics should work about the same, but in practice
maybe not. It seems to me a streamer wing would naturally keep a fly
upright when tied on top. Some flies work great and some don't at all.
I don't want to be selling flies that roll belly up when fished.

What exactly is it that makes a streamer that looks well tied, roll
upside down when fished?

I have copied the patterns of my tyers to the letter, and still seem
to occasionally have this problem. The ones I have the hardest time
with are patterns with multiple hackles on the wings. Grey ghosts and
the like in particular. Patterns with only one or two hackles seem to
stay upright. Are the feathers out-weighing the hook? Even if this is
true why wont they right themselves when stripped in? Any help would
be appreciated.

Lloyd Metcalf
The Fishin' Holehttp://www.mainetackle.com

If they look good they most likely are good. The knot you tie them on
with probably has more infulence than the "ballance" of the fly. If
you tied them with every feather, and every hackle matched from side
to side you might have the same problem. The length of the tag end of
your knot is more influential than the "ballance: of the fly. Most
flys don't really look like what they are supposed to imitate so who
knows or cares as long as fish go for it.

Thanks for all the tips.. and the link.
i will certainly take a closer look at my knots before I dig deeply
into the hackle issue. I think i have good supplies. I like to use
rumf (since we are rumpf dealers)

I have been giving my clinch knots some extra twists to keep them from
slipping, maybe I should switch knots when fishing streamers?

Lloyd Mhttp://www.mainetackle.com

It is not a good idea to give extra twists to a clinch knot, it
weakens the knot, and will not prevent it slipping. Use an improved
clinch instead;

http://www.mike-connor.homepage.t-on..._ups/Leaders/l...

(scroll to bottom of page, the "improved clinch knot" is the same knot
as the "tucked half blood knot".

Quite a number of streamer dressers prefer straight eyed hooks for
their streamers, and Keith Fulsher has this to say about it ;

QUOTE

In weighting a fly, I like to add the weight only to the forward part
of the hook shank, primarily under the head. This keep the fly from
riding upside down due to the added weight upsetting the natural hook
balance and give the fly a little diving action as you swim it across
the water in a series of darting motions. A 4X to 6X long straight eye
hook is the best one to use because the straight eye acts as an
extension of the head and the retrieve is not influenced by an up- or
down-turned hook eye.

UNQUOTE

Others use various tricks to produce certain actions, but this too is
an extensive and complex subject.

Using the right hackles will make a big difference.

TL
MC

I use an improved clinch, but was still having slipping problems. The
only time i don't have that isue is when i put a double loop through
the eye, then tie the improved clinch.
This is only possible when the eye is big enough though.
I was finding 5 twists on an improved clinch slipping regularly and
incredibly frustrating. I was however, using a relatively light tippet
(2-3lb test) something like a 4x I think. So maybe I should just suck
it up and fish my streamers with more like a 3x or 2x at 6-8 lb test.
Perhaps the heavier line would tie more securely.

I was having to twist my improved clinches as many as 8 times to get a
solid hold.

I will try to us some thicker hackles, I found myself trying lighter
and sparser hackles thinking they would work better, but if, as you
say, the heavier hackles have more hollow fibers to make them more
buoyant, that would make sense.