Sand Eel

It has been really crazy around here and I haven't had time to make a blog post in about two weeks, ugh! Sorry about that!

Today I received a care package from my friend Bob Popovics. He sent me packs of his new FLEYE FOILS, and let me tell you they are really cool! On the paper they appear to be nothing more than stickers, but one placed on a streamer and then covered with acrylic and cured they "POP"! Pardon the pun Bob ;)

Upon receiving the FLEYE FOILS I promptly tied up this sand eel, which I wanted to share with you.  The dressing is relatively simple; the trick to keep surf candy style patterns looking awesome is to not over dress them.  If you have any questions please do send in a comment, I love hearing from everyone.

I hope you enjoy this fly and do yourself a favor and check out these great new products!

Sand Eel

Hook: Standard saltwater (the one pictured was tied on a size #2)

Thread: Danville's mono

Belly: White Unique hair

Lateral line: 3 strands of pearl Flashabou

Underwing: Chartreuse Unique hair, very sparse

Wing: Olive Unique hair

FLEYE FOIL Medium sand eel style

Coating: TUFFLEYE Flex

Wanted: Trout & Salmon flies of Ireland book

This is a post that I made several months ago.

During my last international move I managed to loose the book Trout and Salmon Flies of Ireland by Peter O'Reilly. I'm on the search to replace it and there is a caveat... it's out of print! This has driven the price of this title through the roof. So! I am asking everyone out there to let please let me know if you have a copy that you are willing to sell or trade for flies. Or even if you know someone that has a copy for sale or trade. I greatly appreciate any help in tracking down an affordable copy of this book.

Thanks!
Nikki

The Clown Clouser

The Clown Clouser

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I use to be a tournament bass angler! Memories of jigging tubes and walking zara spooks for big bass still invade my dreams and at heart I think I will always be a tourney angler even if I never participate in a another tournament again. During those days, I used a variety of jerkbaits, and one particular jerkbait that always produced -- when of course the fish wanted it, that is -- was the Clown by Rapala. This jerkbait worked for bass, pike, muskie, walleye and anything else that would hit a jerkbait-style lure.

I can remember many stinkin' hot summer days when nothing would bite, only to have the clown talk one or two fish into taking a nibble. And during a tournament on a hot summer's day, one or two fish may have just been enough to take first place!

Skip ahead a few lifetimes and here I am:  a dedicated fly angler.  There are times when I think back to my tournament days and I am reminded of Rapala's Clown jerkbait. And well, I figured I may as well get busy and tie a few to see how they work! 


Since my intended targets for this fly are bass and walleye, it was a no brainer (at least to me) that this fly would be tied Clouser style. This is a variation on the clown colors; it is not an exact replication. After playing around with a few dressings, I have arrived at this particular dressing as the one that is most preferred by bass and walleye. 

Tie a few up and let me know how you get on with it!

Happy tying!
Nikki


The Clown Clouser
Hook: Saltwater 2 - 4/0
Thread: Danville's Flymaster Plus 210 Denier, Red 
Eyes: Large lead chartreuse 
Tail: Yellow Finn Raccoon with yellow holographic Flashabou
Sides: Blue Finn raccoon tied on each side directly behind the lead eyes
Belly: White Finn raccoon
Wing: Yellow Finn Raccoon with yellow holographic Flashabou
Collar: Red EP sparkle brush

FLEYE FOILS are coming!

A guest blog by Bob Popovics

I'm sure you all can imagine how happy I was when Bob Popovics agreed to guest blog at Flies of Fancy!  He needs no introduction, but I'll give him one anyway.  Bob has been fly tying for decades and has brought to the fly fishing world many innovative flies, like the Surf Candy, that have since become standards in everyone's fly boxes.  He continues to develop new products that shape the fly fishing world, and today he's blogging about his latest creation -- FLEYE FOILS.  

Welcome, Bob!

It's been a long road to get this little project started. 

Back in January, I met Ibbi Mesinovic at the Marlboro Fly Fishing Show.  He showed me something I might be interested in.  A foil!  Neat little item.  Very shiny, shape was cool, and had little tying tabs in the front to easily attach to the hook.  One foil to each side of the fleye was also right!  This looked very similar to a wish I had many years ago, but because the cost to get it started was too much, I scrapped the idea. 

But Ibbi's idea was a better one.  The tying tab was cool, but already done with Tab-Eyes; the shape was fine but needed to be re-shaped, but because it was one side at a time, I was impressed.  My idea so long ago was all-in-one to wrap around a hook.  That was the epoxy era.  NOW, we are deep into the light-cured acrylics and a wraparound foil would not be so good since it would likely shield the light from certain spots and not allow for proper curing of the gel.  With epoxy this would not have mattered.  

I asked Ibbi if he would make these to my specs, and he agreed.  I drew up a few ideas over the next month and finally the FLEYE FOILS are ready to be sold.  Three baits are featured, the Bay Anchovy, the Silverside, and the Sand Eel.  Three to four sizes in each.  Easy and quite fun to tie! The fly is a simple basic, pre-epoxy frame but with Fleye Foils on the sides.  Using the acrylics was easy because I could slide the gel between the foils from the top and bottom, cure it, and put a finish coat on top of all of it and DONE!  The belly sac was there, the stripe was there, and the eye was there!!!  Even a mouth and gill lines were there.  The Surf Candy was looking very smart all dressed up, and so easily tied! 

I hope everyone has a good time using the FLEYE FOILS and maybe they'll even bring out the fun in making something so easily that looks so good.  I sure had fun getting all this together and I am excited that people will enjoy it, too.  Bob Popovics

FLEYE FOILS can be purchased at TUFFLEYE

And the winner is.....

The winner picked by Rafflecopter was Entry #37, Mel M. Mel said that she is going to use these tubes for steelhead and redfish.  Awesome choices!  :)


A big thanks to everyone who entered! Flies of Fancy and McFluffchucker are teaming up for pike fly giveaway in June! Keep an eye out for that!


Once again, congrats to Mel on winning this giveaway. Send us pics of the steelhead and redfish you catch on your new flies, Mel! 


Nikki

May Minnow Madness!

Baitfish, minnows, little fish, whatever you want to call them, bigger fish eat 'em.  That's the food chain.   Baitfish imitations are a standard in your arsenal, regardless of whether you bait fish, gear fish, or fly fish.

I've been working on a series of baitfish imitations that improve upon the standard baitfish fly.  In my opinion, a fly of this nature:  1) should be durable; 2) shouldn't foul easily (or at least not often) and 3) should have as many triggers as possible to entice fish to strike.

After much time spent at the vise and on the water, I have come up with a series of flies that should cover most of your baitfish situations.  I call it the Hard Head series.  They're tied on a #2 Daiichi saltwater hook.  The head has an epoxy finish.  There are five minnows in the series; these will cover nearly all your baitfish imitation needs worldwide.  And before you ask... although you may not have seen them, the elusive chartreuse minnow is bountiful in your home waters.  ;-)

All month long you can take advantage of this months special on our Hard Head Minnows! Visit our website Flies of Fancy to Order!

Hard Head Chartreuse 

Hard Head Gizzard Shad

Hard Head Minnow

Hard Head Mackerel

 Hard Head Silverside

Alaskan Pike Film!

This is the trailer for the film "A BACKYARD in NOWHERE" and it looks wicked cool! Caution: there are a few f-bombs tossed around!

Enjoy!