Hi Guys

Saturday was my first outing with my new 9' 9# and 4/0 and 6/0 bunny bugs, ive never cast such heavy, large, flies before. I was using 15lb mono and 12" wire trace on a 9# floating and sink lines.

These are the flies i was casting in a rather stiff breeze and the odd very strong gust !



I felt when using these big flies on the back cast a kind of "clunk,clunk" as if the fly was "hinging" which i dont get with smaller flies.

Im wondering if the Ad Swier type spiral lock and trace with less or no swivels would help ?? Do you "need" swivels ??

Also im assuming using a heavier mono 25lb, 30lb, 50lb !!

Wondering what other guys who use when using 6/0 flys ??

__________________
Englander

"Barbless since 2008"

Vision GT Four catapult 9' 6#
Vision GT Four SW 9' 9#
Vision 3 Zone 9' 5#
Vision Cult 9' 3#
Shakespeare Trion 9' 5/6#
Cortland Endurance 9' 6#
Shakespeare Expedition float tube
Vosseler DC3 reel
Okuma Helios 8/9 reel
Greys G series 3/4 reel
Snowbee Geo 3/4 reel

What rod have you got??

I use two types of rod for bunnys, the first is an Orvis Power Matrix tip flex (which is not really tippy at all) and one of my own designed rods i build for the Pike Fly Fishing Association which has a similar action, perhaps a tad deeper action.

The reason I dont rate fast action rods for bunnys is because the narrower the loop, the more of a hinge and "clunk" you will get!

Its really important to open the loop more and this will soften out the "clunk". The wider the loop, the less of a clunk you will get.

If you have a fast action rod, increase your casting stroke and this will open the loop more.

I use a minimum of 20 pound mono when using bunnys, and a solid leader with no swivel.

Lastly, retrieve the fly and then left to the surface, do a big circle around your head to get rid of excess water, and then go into the cast. This stops that first "kaboom" on the back cast

I hope that all makes sense....

Rob

Ooops..just read your profile..Vision GT SW..a fast action rod!! Thats ya problem. Great for firing out size 2 EP Bunkers at Tarpon, not so good with big, heavy flies. Suprisingly, the average SW fly is much smaller than the average Pike fly.

Like a say, open the loop, maybe overline by one weight which will slow the rod down, and you should find Bunnys nicer to cast..but never "nice"

Rob ~

The Vision GT four SW is "medium" fast action and id say middle to tip, i dont like fast or tip action rods and the Vision is neither

Like the tip and shedding water cheers makes sense, like wise i had a feeling the "swivel" was apart of the problem too

It was my first outting with "big flies" and im not the best caster in the world anyway so i think these big guys are showing up a few weak spots

You say solid leader, no swivels ? can you tell me more ? Im using rather supple wire at present (Wychwood 30lb forty-nine strand wire) it works ok but im sure theres better ??............... ive just got hold of some 30lb mono today to play with hopefully later this week.

__________________
Englander

"Barbless since 2008"

Vision GT Four catapult 9' 6#
Vision GT Four SW 9' 9#
Vision 3 Zone 9' 5#
Vision Cult 9' 3#
Shakespeare Trion 9' 5/6#
Cortland Endurance 9' 6#
Shakespeare Expedition float tube
Vosseler DC3 reel
Okuma Helios 8/9 reel
Greys G series 3/4 reel
Snowbee Geo 3/4 reel

Sorry, i had only cast with the Fast Four..i did not know they did a slightly softer version..appologies. Nice rod by the way

As for the leader, I got put onto the idea by Ad Swier who has used solid leaders for years and years. I then came across a pre made version marketed by Orvis. http://www.orvis.co.uk/store/product...subcat_id=5428

These are great in the longer size, but expensive..so I now make my own with either stainless steel or titanium single strand wire from American Fishing Wire. Impossible to kink and there is no stress on crimps or twists. Its also very neat.

Another commercially available leader is the Fox Mini Jerkbait Trace. Just snip off the swivel..much cheaper than the Orvis ones.

I just feel the stiff mono knotted direct to a stiff trace produces far less hinging and stress than using a soft twisted lure.

I think the important thing to remember when fishing bunnys is to realise that you will never get the perfect cast, but you can minimise the bad ones

Hi,

Garioch gave you some very good advice. Those are actually small flies and should be no problem to cast. One thing is to open your loop, or, you cna just kinda let go to the line on backcast it comes with expirience and enables a very comfortable casting.

Now, in your place, i would get a nice set of #11 shooting heads. This shall load your rod deeper and shall get a lot of that clunk clunk out, a bit of practice with giving in on the backcast and it shall be almost gone. Not to mention those bunnies shall fly out like rockets with #11 heads. One other advice. Bunnies soak in water. So do not start casting at once, but make a few hm don't know how to call it, kinda wannabe relaxed short casts before kinda just easily swinging a fly through the air. Hard to describe, but it gets a lot of water out and the fly is much easier to cast.

I almost always use a swivel and i don't think it is a part of clunk problem.

BlueOne

Or some Rio Outbounds

I used to use shooting heads almost exclusivly until I was shown an Outbound. For day to day fishing the outbound is awesome

How long was your leader Englander?

The biggest mistake I see quite often is guys coming from a Trout fishing background use far too long a leader and really struggle to cast and turn over the fly.

Thats a good point Dougie...6 to 8 feet for me.

Rob ~ No appologies required mate thanks for the tips.

Blueone ~The whole shooting head thing, all sounds abit complex to i have a lot to learn just taking it slowly.

Dougie ~ I was using 6ft-8ft 15lb mono with both floating and sink ? Might see you up at you at know where thinking about taking the tube up there soon, first time up there i caught pike even when i wasnt fishing for them

Bought some 1.5mm Music wire today i make up Ad Swier type spiral locks, to try out .........can some one explain "why" these solid sections "work" better than just a snap clip on the end of normal trace Im not disputing what you guys are saying i just cant figure out why they are an advantage

__________________
Englander

"Barbless since 2008"

Vision GT Four catapult 9' 6#
Vision GT Four SW 9' 9#
Vision 3 Zone 9' 5#
Vision Cult 9' 3#
Shakespeare Trion 9' 5/6#
Cortland Endurance 9' 6#
Shakespeare Expedition float tube
Vosseler DC3 reel
Okuma Helios 8/9 reel
Greys G series 3/4 reel
Snowbee Geo 3/4 reel