Losing fish at the tying bench: method 2047

Clousers on Circle hooks.

Use 'em for flys?

Fishing the surf ... several small fish hooked by the circle Clouser
beautifully ...
scissors jobs one and all ... no worries.

The only really decent fish for the day slammed my clouser so hard the
epoxied eyes were pulled back along and _around_ the shank ...
circle + slipped eyes leads to a gape - 0 ... no hookup.

Think I'll be sticking with conventional hook shapes for Clousers here
on in
and building a more substantial "stop" behind the dumbell eyes to
hinder slippage.



Steve

Stephen Welsh wrote:
Clousers on Circle hooks.

The only really decent fish for the day slammed my clouser so hard the
epoxied eyes were pulled back along and _around_ the shank ...
circle + slipped eyes leads to a gape - 0 ... no hookup.

Interesting post. I'm not 100% sure why this has anything to do
with circle hooks. I've had bonefish flies slide and twist on
regular hooks too.

I like to lightly sand the (stainless steel) shank
with 220 sand paper first, prior to building the body. Then I soak the
body's foundation wraps with CA glue, prior to building the fly
as a whole......the sanded shank gives the glue something to bite onto.
Makes a big durability difference.

pittendrigh wrote:
Stephen Welsh wrote:
Clousers on Circle hooks.

The only really decent fish for the day slammed my clouser so hard the
epoxied eyes were pulled back along and _around_ the shank ...
circle + slipped eyes leads to a gape - 0 ... no hookup.

Interesting post. I'm not 100% sure why this has anything to do
with circle hooks. I've had bonefish flies slide and twist on
regular hooks too.

The slipped eyes rotated around the shank and closed the gape.
On a standard hook there would still have been some gape.


I like to lightly sand the (stainless steel) shank
with 220 sand paper first, prior to building the body. Then I soak the
body's foundation wraps with CA glue, prior to building the fly
as a whole......the sanded shank gives the glue something to bite onto.
Makes a big durability difference.

Sanding's not a bad idea, Sandy.

;-)

Steve (*cough*hack*wheeze* - lurgy season is up*sniff*on us)

"Stephen Welsh" asked:

Clousers on Circle hooks.

Use 'em for flys?

We have tried circle hooks on popping bugs and they absolutely DO NOT CATCH
SQUAT! LM bass and bluegill strike circle hook bugs and never hook
themselves. Even when I keep from flinch hook setting, they do not work.

I have no clue about circle hooks on clousers, salt water flies or bait but
I will fight any Fish and Game department that tries to mandate circle hooks
for all fly fishing! They don't work on popping bugs.
Good Luck!
John

John wrote:
We have tried circle hooks on popping bugs and they absolutely DO
NOT CATCH
SQUAT!

It does appear that circle hooks are a bait fishing only technology.
They rely on the fish closing its mouth and holding the bait
momentarily,
which doesn't happen on lightning fast streamer and popper strikes.

Ironically, it also seems (according to a Florida Fish and Game study)
that bait fishing with circle hooks does do less damage to salt water
game fish that lure fishing with conventional hooks:

Large treble and even single hooks often hook deep in the gullet,
while circle hooks always snag the corner of the mouth.

pittendrigh wrote in part:
It does appear that circle hooks are a bait fishing only technology.
They rely on the fish closing its mouth and holding the bait
momentarily,
which doesn't happen on lightning fast streamer and popper strikes.


In an un- beleivable salt session Sunday last, my mate lost three
thumpers in a row 'at the net' The fish were smashing Blondes on
conventional hooks .... changed to a pattern tied on a circle hook and
hung on to the next three. Still smash takes too. He continued to use
the circles for the rest of the afternoon with no problems.

Fishing conventional hooking Blondes and floating fry (modified Crease
fly)
I had no problems at all until 6 hits in a row failed to hookup (on
conventional hooks).
What the? Turns out someone was a little over excited and was lifting
the rod tip before
setting the hook with the stripping hand. Once remedied didn't miss a
take.

fwiw,

Steve (who should know by now that providence also plays a large part
in hookup rates)

"Stephen Welsh" wrote in message
ups.com...

pittendrigh wrote in part:
It does appear that circle hooks are a bait fishing only technology.
They rely on the fish closing its mouth and holding the bait
momentarily,
which doesn't happen on lightning fast streamer and popper strikes.


In an un- beleivable salt session Sunday last, my mate lost three
thumpers in a row 'at the net' The fish were smashing Blondes on
conventional hooks .... changed to a pattern tied on a circle hook and
hung on to the next three. Still smash takes too. He continued to use
the circles for the rest of the afternoon with no problems.

Fishing conventional hooking Blondes and floating fry (modified Crease
fly)
I had no problems at all until 6 hits in a row failed to hookup (on
conventional hooks).
What the? Turns out someone was a little over excited and was lifting
the rod tip before
setting the hook with the stripping hand. Once remedied didn't miss a
take.

fwiw,

Steve (who should know by now that providence also plays a large part
in hookup rates)


Wow - should have read this NG more often. Someone had suggested to me to
tie up some circle hook flies for a recent striped bass trip we took to
Monomoy Island (off the coast of Cape Cod). I tied up a bunch of flies and
then read an earlier post that said they don't work. Had about 2 dozen flies
tied and didn't try a one. Oh well - we did fine anyway, but I would have
like to use them so the effort did not go to waste. I'll save them up for
next year. Because of the circular shape they make an excellent foundation
for a shrimp.

Harry wrote:

Wow - should have read this NG more often. Someone had suggested to me to
tie up some circle hook flies for a recent striped bass trip we took to
Monomoy Island (off the coast of Cape Cod). I tied up a bunch of flies and
then read an earlier post that said they don't work. Had about 2 dozen flies
tied and didn't try a one. Oh well - we did fine anyway, but I would have
like to use them so the effort did not go to waste. I'll save them up for
next year. Because of the circular shape they make an excellent foundation
for a shrimp.

I think the critical thing, Harry, is to keep the gape clear. Don't
have your dressing close it at the bench or in use (spinning eyes %-).

Steve

I accept no clue about amphitheater hooks on clousers, alkali baptize flies or allurement but I will action any Fish and Game administration that tries to authorization amphitheater hooks for all fly fishing! They don't plan on bustling bugs.

I like to agilely beach (stainless steel) handle 220 sandpaper afore the aboriginal institution-building. Then I soak the base of the physique afore packaging and CA glue, construction, flight as a whole, able artificial handle to accomplish things aces up. Difference acquired abundant durability.