Some of the most effective pike fly patterns are large muddlers. They owe their incredible effectiveness to their unique work in the water. Properly tied muddler when pulling the line swings strongly to the sides. Individual hairs of deer hair are hollow tubes inside. When they are tied and squeezed with a leading thread, they lay perpendicular to the hook. The hair tubes accumulate a considerable amount of air inside, which, in the case of constructing flies without a load, makes them float Using a small load in the lures, we get zero buoyancy. When fishing with a slowly sinking line, we can suspend such a fly in the depths for some time. Larger loads make it possible to obtain different rates of descent, from very slow to one at which the fly will reach a depth of several meters in a few seconds. As practice shows, the largest number of strikes occurs during the slow descent of the fly. Wanting to take advantage of this while fishing, tying the fly we need to focus on its proper weight, so as to overcome the buoyancy of the coat in a planned way. We can use balls, cone heads and eyelets resembling the shape of dumbbells. All the mentioned types can be seen in the picture. With the size of the load it is worth experimenting.

LOAD TYPES

                     To make heads in contrasting bright colors, we will use hair extracted from the belly of deer. In sales companies, this hair goes under the name Deer Belly Hair. Wanting calmer, subdued colors, we should use hair sold as Deer Body Hair. The hair is available in a wide variety of colors.

                     We imitate the torso, and at the same time the tail of our fly with synthetic or natural hair. From natural materials it is worth reaching for: yak, Shetland sheep, goat and llama, while from synthetic materials, for example, Wing Fiber, Big Fly Fiber, Angel Hair. We can use both types of materials alone or combine them with each other. It is very popular, for example, to weave several strands of Crystal Flash between dark strands of natural hair. Between the synthetic materials we can mix a few hairs of backtail in a contrasting color to the other materials.

                      In order to make a muddler head in the size we want, it is necessary to have a thread that lays flat and will not cut the fur, with the greatest possible strength. In practice, this means threads such as kevlar, dynema with a thickness of not less than 6/0.

                    The average size of a pike fly measured from the beginning of the hook eye to the tips of the materials is between 15 and 20 centimeters. To make such a fly, we will use a 4/0 size hook with a standard shank length. Examples of models that can be suggested are : special, barbless Partridge AD Swier Absolute Pike Hook CS45BN or hooks with a small barb: Partridge John Holden Heavyweight Sea Greyshadow GRS4S, Daiichi 2720 Wide Gape Stinger Bass Hook.

                     The amount of space left for tying the head, including the knot attaching the wings, should be about 1.5 cm. In the example model of the fly shown in the photos, we used eyes with space for inserting pupils.

                     We prepare the first bundle of hair by arranging it in the Hair Stacker. This instrument helps to arrange the hair evenly from the side of its natural ends. We attach the hair to the hook, where the previous materials are tied, with the natural ends toward the end of the fly, so that when it is tied, they form an even orifice

                    To fill the entire circumference of the head, we need about 4 bunches, which we attach tightly next to each other. We fix each bundle with two - three windings of thread, pulling it tightly, so that the ends of the hair rise clearly.

                     The resulting orifice of fur is scraped in the direction of the fly's wings. On the exposed part of the hook, we attach more bunches of fur, so that we gradually fill the space to the crossbar of the eyelets.

                      In the place of attaching the eyelets, we proceed in the same way, attaching the hair on and under the crossbar connecting the two eyelets. This is a good time to make a colored spot at the top of the head, which, especially in specimens with more subdued colors, makes it easier for us to locate the fly while fishing.

                        With the next bundles we fill the space that is left to the hook eye. To make the entire head in a fly on a 4/0 hook, we need about 12-13 appendages of hair.

                    After carefully finishing the thread and sealing the knot, we proceed to the initial formation of the head. We can do this with sharp scissors or a razor blade. We cut the head in the direction from the eye of the hook to the wings of the fly. We mold until we get the effect we want, being careful not to cut off the natural ends of the hair, from the first attached bunches.

                  When tying flies with a ball or cone head, accurately filling the space intended for the head is somewhat easier. With this type of head, if we consider it advisable to additionally paste the eyelets, we use fast-drying glue, gluing them directly to the cut hair. An interesting effect can be obtained by preparing the place for pasting the eyelet with a special burnisher.  

TEXT - ARTUR BANACHOWSKI

artur@lowisko-piaseczno.pl

FLY MAKING AND PHOTOGRAPHY - NATALIA PATOKA

natalia@lowisko-piaseczno.pl