Hook Identification Questions

[Old Hat]

Hook number 1 the Gamakatsu retainer bend is my favorite hook for X-caddis, elk hair caddis, sparkle and comparadun dries. A real winner. I have been using them for years.

[William Anderson]

Carl, this is the first I've seen of either of the first two and the 6th hooks. I've been stuck in Daiichi world (very happily) and haven't seen these in any of the shops I've haunted. I'm impressed with the hooks and the flies you've cited make perfect sense for this hook. Go to the Dressing section and I'll post a couple of flies tied on the first two.

I'm having fun playing with new hooks. A few years ago, I was given very sound advice about refining my tying and understanding proportions for all types of flies by concentrating on a few standard hooks. I would certainly pass that advice along, because I know that learning to tie spiders on the 1530 and SH's on 1550's, Dries on the 1180 and scud/emerger types on 1120's, took the proportions of the hook out of the equation and focusing on the materials forced me to become more consistent and have a better understanding of how to use the hook as the pallet. I believe this gives me a better reference for developing patterns, or tying existing patterns with my own particular look, for lack of better word.

Anyway, these are great and I'm having fun with the hooks.

w

[willowhead]

Hadn't seen this thread til now..........seems you've got it pinned down pretty well. Number 6 is the Gamakatsu vertical eye emerger hook. i've sent so many hooks to so many people, (bout 20K in the last 6 years, give or take.....numbers and yrs.), i can't remember who got what..........
What i've got to do is start staying home more, so i can use more of the hooks i have........

[daringduffer]

Hook number 1 the Gamakatsu retainer bend is my favorite hook for X-caddis, elk hair caddis, sparkle and comparadun dries. A real winner. I have been using them for years.

Never seen it before. Seems interesting. Found this when doing a search for a picture of when in use:

http://therustyspinner.blogspot.com/201 ... -bugs.html

Could be worth trying.

dd

[Old Hat]

Here is an x-caddis I did for a swap a couple years ago. The hook design really lets you make use of the shank in building the body of the fly and allows the fly to float perfectly. You can order these hooks from Bob Marriot's http://www.bobmarriottsflyfishingstore.com/

Disclaimer: The picture of this dry fly will self destruct in 3........2.........1..........

[willowhead]

Carl, that is a way cool tye.....VERY hip. One thing i like to do when doing Caddis dry flies, is make the body a bit chubbier in the rear and thinner up front.....like the real bugs. It allows you to have more room to mount the wing, and stays true to the body form of the natural. Caddis bodies (as you know), are the opposite of Mayflies.....a reversed ice cream cone shaped body. The body you did on this fly is teriffic. i take it your trying to imitate a trailing shuck there and not a tail.....

[Old Hat]

Mark, thanks. I really don't know what is out the back, it is only how the pattern was designed. Caddis don't have a tail nor a trailing shuck when emerging, so I have often wondered what the purpose of that dimension in the design was for, other than helping the fly to float flush in the surface. As far as the shape of the caddis, you are correct in your description of the body shape, however the subtle difference of the body taper, in my opinion, is highly unimportant. More important (and this is even questionable) is the overall profile of the body. Take into consideration the legs, and the taper is a forward one not a reversed taper.

[Jerry G]

Nice tie there Carl. I guess the question will remain what the trailing material was meant to suggest. Perhaps Craig Mathews X-Caddis with the trailing Zelon was the inspiration. Then too there is the CDC and Elk with appendages which I hear is a very successful fly. I've yet to see a natural caddis with a shuck trailing but then that doesn't mean there aren't some. Perhaps the whole intent is to suggest something vulnerable, easy pickings so to speak.

Regards, Jerry

[willowhead]

Thankx guys..............two dynomite replies..........very knowledgeable and sincere. Caddis fascinate me......i've always liked fishing them more than Mayflies...........i love Mayflies too.....but a Caddis pattern is always more fun for me..........and i agree that having "something" on the rear end of any Caddis pattern never hurts it's success.......might even make it a better fly.