Stinger hook question

[pikechaser]

Hello everyone,

Would you think a stinger hook is necessary on 6-7inch flies?

I used it once on a smaller 3-4inch fly (I don't even remember why I put a trailing hook on a smaller fly) but I do remember catching my only walleye on a fly.

Anyway, do you think, a 7 inch fly tied on a short shank hook will miss hook-ups more than the same fly with a trailing/stinger hook?

I just don't want to tie those on since I already have problems with tying materials getting tangled on the hook all the time and having another hook tied to the fly might make this even worse. But I also hate "wasted bites".

Thanks for your suggestions

Roman

[DownStream]

Year before last I built a series of 3" mini-streamers for rainbows on a short shank 10 with a size 16 trailing stinger.

One in five trout landed were hooked by the stinger - and yes, they are a pain both to tie and to handle...

[Offshore]

I don't bother with stingers... pain in the bum!

[stuarty]

Originally Posted by pikechaser

Hello everyone,

Would you think a stinger hook is necessary on 6-7inch flies?

I used it once on a smaller 3-4inch fly (I don't even remember why I put a trailing hook on a smaller fly) but I do remember catching my only walleye on a fly.

Anyway, do you think, a 7 inch fly tied on a short shank hook will miss hook-ups more than the same fly with a trailing/stinger hook?

I just don't want to tie those on since I already have problems with tying materials getting tangled on the hook all the time and having another hook tied to the fly might make this even worse. But I also hate "wasted bites".

Thanks for your suggestions

Roman

Are you talking about Pike Flies Roman???

[pikechaser]

Originally Posted by stuarty

Are you talking about Pike Flies Roman???

Yes, 6 or 7inch pike flies. I've read somewhere that for pike it doesn't matter because of the way they hit a fly but I keep thinking it may improve my hook-up potential.

As DownStream mentioned it sure helped with trout.

[Offshore]

Originally Posted by pikechaser

Yes, 6 or 7inch pike flies. I've read somewhere that for pike it doesn't matter because of the way they hit a fly but I keep thinking it may improve my hook-up potential.

As DownStream mentioned it sure helped with trout.

Roman,

I had a pike fly that was two Ad Swier 4/0 hooks tied in tandem and initially I thought it was the best thing and then I just starting tying singles... I now tie maximum size 3/0 and base my flies on those of Barry Reynolds... I have had some really great days and not missed many fish... a lot easier for C&R in my opinion - maybe more so for me than the pike (one hook to deal with!)... but that's me. My up and coming love to fish fly is a bucktail Hollow Fleye tied on a Eumer teardrop tube 22mm with a short shanked 2/0 hook... Varivas 2600 or the longer shanked Sakuma Manta again in 2/0.

Regards

David

[Chris Reeves]

If you want to occasionally fish a stinger but dont want the hassle of tying them on during construction try this,

tie in 10 inches of 10lb braid on top of the hook. Twist it a few times and then double it back and tie off. You should have a 5 inch loop with a couple of twists (not furled)

Tie the fly normally on top of the braid with the dressing around the trailing braid. The braid will disappear under all those feathers and marabou

If you want to add a stinger at any time just pop the loop through the eye of a size 4 short shank and off you go. At the end of the day remember to take it off again.

Simples!

[pikechaser]

Thanks for the replies.
David, what color bucktail was the most productive for you for tying that Hollow Fleye?
Chris, very nice idea, sounds like a winner for fishing/not fishing a trailer hook. Thanks

Roman

[Offshore]

Roman... Orange bucktail is my main tie but did this (top one) for the salt and tested it on the pike...

Various other ties in my blog... common theme is orange tho' there is that special red and white fly

[pikechaser]

Originally Posted by Offshore

Roman... Orange bucktail is my main tie but did this (top one) for the salt and tested it on the pike...

Various other ties in my blog... common theme is orange tho' there is that special red and white fly

Very nice blog David, and a good looking "red and white" special. I'll tie some up and see if Czech pike like it as much as your pike :-)

Thanks