Moorhen and Purples

[Roadkill]

Here are a couple of Moorhen patterns tied with purple silks.

A Moorhen and purple flymph-Mustad 3906 #12 tied with purple Pearsall's Gossamer and a dubbing loop body with Alec Jackson's silk floss turned into dubbing.


A Moorhen and purple soft hackle-Mustad 3906 #14 tied with purple Pearsall's Gossamer body and rib and a dubbed thorax with Alec Jackson's silk floss turned into dubbing.

[letumgo]

Very nice! I've got a moorhen on my materials wishlist.

[tie2fish]

I especially like the first one. Also, I agree with Mike about the shorter-shanked hooks improving the overall look of such ties. Ray - FYI, I picked up Veniard moorhen/waterhen wings at a very reasonable price from Great Feathers.

[Roadkill]

tie2fish
As I am sure Mike understands, I tend to agree that the flies overall appearance might be more aesthetic (or fish closer to the surface as Mike tends to fish) on a shorter shank. I chose this hook for the considerstion of weight in my fly and how it will fish(sink) rather than the look of the fly to fishermen. If I wanted just a little more weight I would add a wire rib to the pattern. If you think this is bad you should see my SHs on 7957BX hooks.

[flyfishwithme]

Mike, I agree with your observations about straight eyed hooks and it is extremely difficult to get any in the appropriate size and wire thickness. Unlike you, my preference is to use a normal length hook and I want the wire to be very fine (similar to some of the originals that I have), for the very same reasons to you in that I want the fly to ride very high. It is relatively easy to get them with a down turned eye, a little more difficult to get them with an up turned eye but almost impossible to get them with a straight eye.
The sizes I tie in are 14, 16 & 18 and I have probably stabilised on the Tiemco 103BL in sizes 15, 17 & 18.
I 'doctor' them to get a straight eye by lightly heating the eye and quickly applying pressure to straighten the eye out. Takes a little practice but it works and a few of us 'in the know' are into this practice. Will it weaken the hook? In my opinion it doesn't and a few fish pulling on a size 18 hook which were in excess of 4lbs has confirmed this.

[Hans Weilenmann]

Philip,

You may also want to check out some of the Sprite produced hooks which have an up eye, but only ten degrees up eye - pretty close to ring or straight.

Cheers,
Hans W

[flyfishwithme]

Thanks Hans, will do. I hear that you are going to the BFFI. I might try and catch up with you.

[bbamboo]

Yes Phillip is correct I would place the hook in a fly tying vice heat the eye with a lighter and bend to the required set with long nose pliers.
I also make my jig hooks the same way.
Avoids paying crazy prices for imported specialist hooks like the jig.

[Hans Weilenmann]

Philip,

Excellent. I look forward to that.

See you in Stoke!

Further on hooks - I find I really like how this non-traditional hook works for spider patterns, the Grip 14723BL (or the very closely resembling Tiemco 206BL). To me they look graceful and they work very well in the secure hooking department too.


Fairy Spider

Softy Midge

Starling & Ice

Cheers,
Hans W

[bbamboo]

That's not the reason I dont like the hooks. I am not at all bothered by the human aesthetics involved, however they may be. The shorter hooks, with short points, are better hookers.



Mike I agree spiders are more athletically pleasing to the eye on short shanked hooks
But they are not better hookers
Penetration of the hook improves, as the pull on the hook gets closer in line with the point.
There is an excellent section in Datus Propers book, what the trout said on this very subject. Titled the hook problem.