Fly weed guard

[jl3140]

I'm going to try to tie a crawfish pattern fly in the next few weeks and I'm looking into ways I can make the fly weedless. I've read that you can make a single mono filament weed guard, or a double one. How weedless are these? Usually weeds are pretty heavy in the areas I fish. Are there any other ways I can make the fly weedless?

Thanks,
Josh

[andrewlamberson]

I make mine out of heavy mono. Unless you are planning to make a bunch of flies, buying heavy mono in small spools can get really expensive.

Some tackle stores care heavy mono in bulk to re-spool reels and you can buy just  a couple feet. Another source is the butt sections of heavy leaders.

I use from 20 to 40lb test.

You can also tie a double loop for really heavy duty brush busting.

Andy

[hawgthumper]

I sometimes use cheap mono in 50 lb test.  The kind you get about 1000 yards for about a dollar .  It's stiff and makes a decent weedguard. I've also used as heavy as 100 lb test. It's tougher to work with but doable. If you take needle nose pliers and mash your tie in spot down on the mono, It's easier to tie down.  Now, as for different types of guards I've also used wire. I don't know what string on a guitar it is, but the really fine silver looking ones on the bottom . Maybe we've got some pickers on here that could tell you. They make great weedguards. Also depending on how you're fly is formed, you can tie in a small bunch of bucktail do that it comes up over the hookpoint and then coat it with silicone to stiffen it. Sort of like a fiber guard on a bass jig. This works well If the fly is tied hookpoint up. If you're talking craw type flies, it might be worth considering to tie them that way since they'll probablybe fished on or near the bottom. Hope any of this helps. 

[jl3140]

Thanks for the answers guys!! I'll have to see if I can find some cheap 50lb mono and try that bucktail idea. How do you attach the guitar string for weedguards?

[Denny Welch]

I've always used 20# Mason Hard Mono for my weed guards on bass flies. Double it over to create a loop, pinch the ends and tie it in.

[hawgthumper]

You can attach the wire in a couple different ways. First, cut you a few inches of wire and fold it in half to form a loop. Then take your pliers and bend the very end of the Looped or bent end up.I mean just about an 1/8 inch at most. Now take the two free ends of the wire and run them through the hook eye from front toward the bend so that they lay along the shank. Then tie the ends down along the shank. One strand along each side of the shank. Once you've finished your fly,  take the looped end and bend it down underneath to the hookpoint and hook the little bent end over the point. I would add that you need to make sure you have enough wire underneath the fly to have a little bend in it and give it flex so that it will pop off the point when a fish hits it.
  Now the second way is a lot easier.  Bend your wire as with the other method. Only reverse the wire through the eye of the hook do that the free ends are pointing away from the hookpoint and the bend in your wire comes up underneath the bottom of the shank.  Depending on what type of fly you're tying you can actually wait until the fly is almost finished to do this. Then tie the bend down up close to the eye. Once the fly is done,  take the two free ends of your wire and bend them down underneath the fly and spread them so that one strand is on either side of the point.  Of course you need to make sure your wire extends Just past the hookpoint. Obviously,  you need to use heavy thread for these types of guards. They're probably better suited for topwater bugs than underwater flies.
  As for the bucktail idea, try googling a fly called the Bendback Silicone. It was developed by the great tyer and flyfisher Bob Popovics. I believe he devoloped the fly for pike fishing I'm the weeds in Canada. He's probably best known for his Surf Candy series of flies. That's where I learned it.

[jl3140]

Thanks again guys! Next question is where do you get your tying materials? I should probably start a new topic but oh well

[Denny Welch]

If you have any fly shops nearby you could probably find the Mason Hard Mono there.  Otherwise I'd check with Barlow's, Bass Pro, etc.

[jl3140]

Denny, I don't have any fly tying shops withing at least 100 miles that I know of. The only one I've ever been to is about a 6 hour drive away. Do you, or anyone else, know of a place online that I can order tying supplies, such as rabbit strips, dubbing, lead wire, krystal flash, chenille, etc.? I'm running out of supplies that came with the kit I bought and I'm looking into tying some craw patterns before it gets too cold this fall.

[andrewlamberson]

I buy a lot of my flyfishing/fly tying supplies from:

http://www.feather-craft.com/

[Denny Welch]

 I would start by looking at Do-It's website.  they have a selection of fly tying materials that get you started.

www.theflyshop.com

www.bobmarriotsflyfishin gstore.com

www.flyfishingspecialtie s.com

These other 3 shops are devoted to 100% flyfishing stuff, including a huge selection of fly tying materials. 

I used to teach fly tying at Fly Fishing Specialties. 

I've booked many guided float trips on the Trinity River for fall and winter steelhead and on the Lower Sac for trout through The Fly Shop.  It's an icon and does a lot of mail order business throughout the country.

Marriot's has taken more of my money than I care to think about it.  I once spent $125 for a "midge" saddle when other quality hackles were going for half that amount.  It's located across the freeway from Disneyland in So. Cal.

Good luck and bring your checkbook.

[jl3140]

Thanks again guys