Tying salmon flies

[andy macbog]

Hi Folks,

Just started tying up a few salmon flies for use before the end of the season (if I can drag myself away from the trout!). Coming to the end of my first season I have learnt where I have gone wrong with some of my trout flies through experience and some of the excellent advice I have gotten off here. So, I was just wondering if any of you could maybe give me a few tips and pointers to avoid any common pitfalls in tying salmon flies, please? I am especially intereted in how heavily the flies should be dressed (light for low water and heavy for high water?) and how to make them as robust as possible as that is what let me down most on my first trout flies! But anything you can think of really.

Thanking youse,

Andy

[seiont]

it all depends on whats the best salmon fly in your area, ask around with local fisherman first to see what they reccomend you to use, then tie the flies.

when i started tying salmon flies last season i tied some blue charms, then i got to know they didnt work well on my local river, it was the cascade that worked best

[hobble]

first rule, unless your tying tradionally dressed salmon flies dont over dress them,

pick 6 flies to tie and master them on doubles singles and trebles,

some flies are very similar to tie such as shrimp flies and hair wing flies; ie blue charm almost identical to hairy mary,

pick good materials and silks etc,

take your time its not a race to tie up as many as quickly as possible.

lastly enjoy fishing your own fly and have confidence in its catching ability,

[seiont]

just to let you know, after all the efort i gave into to tie salmon flies i never caught on them, there was nothing wrong with them, they were identical to the ones that i bought, and i caught nothing on them.

in the end i caught my first salmon on a size 14 or 16 black spider

[Ephemerella]

Originally Posted by hobble

first rule, unless your tying tradionally dressed salmon flies dont over dress them,

pick 6 flies to tie and master them on doubles singles and trebles,

some flies are very similar to tie such as shrimp flies and hair wing flies; ie blue charm almost identical to hairy mary,

pick good materials and silks etc,

take your time its not a race to tie up as many as quickly as possible.

lastly enjoy fishing your own fly and have confidence in its catching ability,

All the above sounds great Hobbie (are you from Harry Potter BTW?)

For me durability rules. A fly should last 3 fish at least; preferably a dozen or more.

Always the first to fail on cheap/inferior flies is 'oval' tinsel. Supplied for military badges and hardware - but not up to the mark for hard used salmon flies IMHO.

So - what does hobbie say?

[hobble]

hobble says he loves harry potter,
hobble says learn to walk before driving a car,
hobble says always use the best materials

[Ephemerella]

Hobble's socks must be the best.

[ACW]

i am with ephemerella here ,make them as long lasting as you can .
use varnish on the shank as you tie ,use wire and mono for ribs ,with hair wings another dab of varnish on the roots,making the head another dab of varnish as its being finished .
Use the best materials you can get , vary your dressings from full and inyer face to light and ethereal .
Use good hooks ,best you can buy ,if you can source UK made ones great,if not for singles look to Alex Jacksons ,double ken sawadas,trebles dont ask me as I no longer use them !

[hobble]

hobble treads on water so dont wear socks
constant wet feet

smelling of fish

[Ephemerella]

Negative phermones Hobbie.