What Fly Is Your Go To For Bluefish

[Rick67]

What do you use?
I'm looking for ideas, colors, flash, for the April/May gorilla's.
Pics would be nice.

 

[FredAZaiter]

What do you use?
I'm looking for ideas, colors, flash, for the April/May gorilla's.
Pics would be nice.

If I fishing for Bluefish I would use poppers nothing else..I'll see if I can get some pictures of mine old poppers..I haven't used then for long time but they work great.

 

[FredAZaiter]

If I fishing for Bluefish I would use poppers nothing else..I'll see if I can get some pictures of mine old poppers..I haven't used then for long time but they work great.

Those are the Poppers I used to fish for blues,We were using size 10 or 12 line..lol...I'm now more into fluking in Party boats, using teaser or flies with gulp..But still doing lot of Trout flyfishing.

 

[cany]

I would think blues would tear up flys way too fast no?

 

[FredAZaiter]

Those are the Poppers I used to fish for blues,We were using size 10 or 12 line..lol...I'm now more into fluking in Party boats, using teaser or flies with gulp..But still doing lot of Trout flyfishing.

I would think blues would tear up flys way too fast no?[/QUOTE
That's why I used to fish them with Poppers,

 

[Rick67]

Those are the Poppers I used to fish for blues,We were using size 10 or 12 line..lol...I'm now more into fluking in Party boats, using teaser or flies with gulp..But still doing lot of Trout flyfishing.

Fred I only just started tying again after 20 year hiatus. Put down the fly rod also as I wasn't interested in fresh water here on the island as I was growing up in fla. Suddenly I feel drawn back to it. Acquired a couple short 8', 9 & 10wt rods for kayak. One with floating, the other a shooter int, line.
The allure of of dropping a fly into the middle of finning blues or tricking these finicky Albie's has rekindled the desire.
Tying I'm green again, been a long time. I see epoxies changed. The UV epoxies are out of this world. Hit them with a light and Poof done, amazing stuff.
Anyway your poppers have my attention. Cork or foam!

 

[FredAZaiter]

Fred I only just started tying again after 20 year hiatus. Put down the fly rod also as I wasn't interested in fresh water here on the island as I was growing up in fla. Suddenly I feel drawn back to it. Acquired a couple short 8', 9 & 10wt rods for kayak. One with floating, the other a shooter int, line.
The allure of of dropping a fly into the middle of finning blues or tricking these finicky Albie's has rekindled the desire.
Tying I'm green again, been a long time. I see epoxies changed. The UV epoxies are out of this world. Hit them with a light and Poof done, amazing stuff.
Anyway your poppers have my attention. Cork or foam!

Silvers are Cork but I tie some foam too,I think I tie those around 1985 ..I started to flyfishing for Trout in 1973 and tying around 1974 or 75 , learn almost by myself just reading books, them in 1980 I meet John Lane(R.I.P) in the Conny and He introduces me to salt water, We became very good friend and almost like family..He was my tutor in salt water.

 

[pnutbunker]

Rick, I know you are looking for some advice/suggestions, but what features do you feel are important for a bluefish fly? Obviously, you are planning to fish in April and that's not so far away. Now's the time to procure your materials for next season. Will you be attending the Fly Fishing Show in Edison NJ next weekend? Which UV resin(s) have you used/tested?

 

[Rick67]

Rick, I know you are looking for some advice/suggestions, but what features do you feel are important for a bluefish fly? Obviously, you are planning to fish in April and that's not so far away. Now's the time to procure your materials for next season. Will you be attending the Fly Fishing Show in Edison NJ next weekend? Which UV resin(s) have you used/tested?

SolarEx, Thin Hard, Thick Hard. Been using both as well as Hard as Nails for the fly's. Really like the UV resin. They have a slight tacky feel but i hit them with clear nail polish right after.
Sticking with synthetics, more durable for teeth.
Features to me are flash, loud, or pink. Don't care what they look like.
No not going to Jersey. Working in and on the house on weekends. Will attended the show in Hauppauge for the locals.

Made these up but there more universal. The mylar tubes will probably be destroyed first catch. The fly's a little longer.

 

[FredAZaiter]

SolarEx, Thin Hard, Thick Hard. Been using both as well as Hard as Nails for the fly's. Really like the UV resin. They have a slight tacky feel but i hit them with clear nail polish right after.
Sticking with synthetics, more durable for teeth.
Features to me are flash, loud, or pink. Don't care what they look like.
No not going to Jersey. Working in and on the house on weekends. Will attended the show in Hauppauge for the locals.

Made these up but there more universal. The mylar tubes will probably be destroyed first catch. The fly's a little longer.

Very nice tying, those flies will work for almost anything that swims in the ocean.

 

[pnutbunker]

Rick - Nice tying. I was given samples of Solarez by a friend at the Fly Show last year. He is a member of their tying team. Still haven't opened it. My go to UV resin is Bug Bond. It's never sticky after I cure it with the light torch. Most of the time I use 2 ton epoxy to make the flies bullet proof.

Here's a pattern I use for albies. We troll the pattern slowly behind the boat.

 

[FredAZaiter]

Rick - Nice tying. I was given samples of Solarez by a friend at the Fly Show last year. He is a member of their tying team. Still haven't opened it. My go to UV resin is Bug Bond. It's never sticky after I cure it with the light torch. Most of the time I use 2 ton epoxy to make the flies bullet proof.

Here's a pattern I use for albies. We troll the pattern slowly behind the boat.

And they work great for Flukes,Seabass and Snappers too...lol..

 

[Rick67]

Rick - Nice tying. I was given samples of Solarez by a friend at the Fly Show last year. He is a member of their tying team. Still haven't opened it. My go to UV resin is Bug Bond. It's never sticky after I cure it with the light torch. Most of the time I use 2 ton epoxy to make the flies bullet proof.

Here's a pattern I use for albies. We troll the pattern slowly behind the boat.

I definitely like that
Materials used?
I can’t enlarge enough, distorts detail. Wish October was three months long (Albies).

 

[pnutbunker]

The fly consists of a Varivas hook 1/0, SF Blend (any pale color you like - upper wing), metallic duct tape to form the opaque body - cut to shape, and sili skin to form the outer covering. Two layers of soft body and you are good to go. Caught 13 albies before the fly was torn up.

Cut a rectangle of duct tape slightly longer than the shank. Place the middle point on top of the hook. Slowly and carefully bring the two sides together. The key is to have NO creases on the material once the two halves meet. Trim any material on top where the bend begins, and trim the material under the shank to form the belly. You may have to gently scrape off any extra tape off the hook.

The same scenario applies to sili skin. If the material sticks to itself you will not be able to separate it. I place one half behind the fly and press it to the material. Slowly lower the other half above the hook. Take your time until you feel confortable using the product. Every material has a learning curve.

My last tip is to create a paper template for the tape and sili skin. Once you have the dimensions down you can transfer it to a piece of cardboard. I have templates for many of my patterns. I'm a stickler for consistency. Below is another pattern made from templates.

 

[Rick67]

The fly consists of a Varivas hook 1/0, SF Blend (any pale color you like - upper wing), metallic duct tape to form the opaque body - cut to shape, and sili skin to form the outer covering. Two layers of soft body and you are good to go. Caught 13 albies before the fly was torn up.

Cut a rectangle of duct tape slightly longer than the shank. Place the middle point on top of the hook. Slowly and carefully bring the two sides together. The key is to have NO creases on the material once the two halves meet. Trim any material on top where the bend begins, and trim the material under the shank to form the belly. You may have to gently scrape off any extra tape off the hook.

The same scenario applies to sili skin. If the material sticks to itself you will not be able to separate it. I place one half behind the fly and press it to the material. Slowly lower the other half above the hook. Take your time until you feel confortable using the product. Every material has a learning curve.

My last tip is to create a paper template for the tape and sili skin. Once you have the dimensions down you can transfer it to a piece of cardboard. I have templates for many of my patterns. I'm a stickler for consistency. Below is another pattern made from templates. View attachment 1128

Thanks for that. Added it to a pending mail-order list.
This thing looks like it would bite!
Looks great and time consuming.
Oh and might go Friday to Edison, depends how busy this week is.

 

[pnutbunker]

Thanks for that. Added it to a pending mail-order list.
This thing looks like it would bite!
Looks great and time consuming.
Oh and might go Friday to Edison, depends how busy this week is.

If you go to Edison, look for the Bearsden display. Bearsden usually has two tyers (Jonny King and David Nelson) doing their thing all day long. They are both very approachable and will answer any questions your have.

 

[pnutbunker]

Rick - I confirmed with Jonny that he will be there on Friday. One of the best saltwater tyers.

 

[Rick67]

Rick - I confirmed with Jonny that he will be there on Friday. One of the best saltwater tyers.

Thanks for that. I hope to make it.

 

[Rick67]

Rick - I confirmed with Jonny that he will be there on Friday. One of the best saltwater tyers.

Well I never made it to Jersey do to work.
Ordered Silly Skin so I thought (Never completed the Paypal transaction).
Meanwhile I did some messing around with the aluminum tape and ended up with this "Baby Dorado". Not what I was looking to do but that's usually the way it goes.

 

[FredAZaiter]

Well I never made it to Jersey do to work.
Ordered Silly Skin so I thought (Never completed the Paypal transaction).
Meanwhile I did some messing around with the aluminum tape and ended up with this "Baby Dorado". Not what I was looking to do but that's usually the way it goes.........For the first try, it looks great., Loves that color too.
View attachment 1825