Hi,

I'm relatively new to comp fishing, and have only fished a couple. I have a question regarding international rules:

To what extent is additional weighting illegal? I know you can use a wire rib, but what about using copper wire as a method of building up a thorax (and weight), i.e a PTN

Thanks for your help

Fatfish

Touching turns of wire are not permitted. I have no idea if there is any restriction on the thickness of wire used in ribbing.

Charlie

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Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

Thank you, Thats very useful.

Fatfish

Just use heavy hooks like Kam B982 singles in a #6 or B270 doubles in a #12, both fit the gauge.

The Pirate

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Both the IFFA Rules (to which International Loch Style competitions are fished) and the CEFF Rules (to which all English Eliminators should be fished) say...

"No fly shall be artificially weighted"

This is obviously open to interpretation, but a general guideline should probably be that if weight that is added to the fly as part of the dressing (ie. Copper wire but not the hook) then it should form part of the visible appearance of the fly. ie. Not copper wire wound under the thorax which doesn't change the appearance of the fly but does add weight.

For your info the IFFA Rules also mention beads...

"Fly dressings may include beads provided these beads are buoyant."

Graham.

So where does it say that touching turns of wire are not permitted..... what about a brassie

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I've not lost my mind, it's backed up on disk somewhere.

Campbell

You're right of course Cambell, I don't see why touching turns of wire can't be used to form an abdomen for instance, as long as they are a visible part of the dressing.

I'm not sure what you mean by a 'brassie' as I'm unfamiliar with the term, but brass beads are certainly banned under the IFFA Rules.

Graham

So, just to be clear, I could tie a fly with a normal tail and body and a head made of touching turns of lead wire and, if I wished, paint them red, that would be legal as long as the painted wire were visible ?



Charlie

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Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

Charlie, I knew you were going to put me on the spot here.

It's all about interpretation really, isn't it?

My interpretation of what "artificially weighted" actually means would probably differ from someone elses. Unfortunately, the rules as they stand at the moment don't make this very clear.

I don't think that any of the food items that we attempt to imitate at the size we are limited to, would weigh anywhere near as much as a bunch of wound lead wire, so in theory if you were to use this then your fly would be artificially weighted.

All a bit lame really...: I've often thought that International Rules are vague in several areas, this being one of them. But we have to be a bit careful when we come out with statements like "Touching turns of wire are not permitted" when they don't appear in the Rules. Does this mean that you could wind thick copper wire up the length of the hook before you dress the fly over it,and it would be ok as long as the turns weren't touching?

Has anyone else out there got a better definition of what they think "Artificially Weighted" actually means in relation to a fly pattern?

I guess it is down to what is perceived as 'artificially weighted' (bearing in mind the flies we use also have to be 'artificial') but I would say common sense and ethics dictate what is right and wrong. If in any doubt just check with the match organisers before you wet your fly. Simple eh?
Mike

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