Spun Deer Hair On Streamers

[lethfisher]

I have been looking for streamers to swing this year with the spey rod and have seen quite a few on the net with spun deer hair heads. They certainly look good and probably move a lot of water, but it seems odd to have a pattern meant to be fished deep with such a buoyant head. Each hair is hollow for insulating the deer, making it a good floating material. Most of these patterns also require a lot of lead wraps or a conehead. Is this purpose of this to make the fly neutrally buoyant and get it down with a sink tip? Why wouldn't you want the pattern to sink quickly? Is there another alternative to the deer for a full head without the buoyancy? Do you think the cutting pattern make a big difference, I guess by flattening the bottom and angling the top you are promoting negative lift as well in a faster current. Any thoughts?

 

I tied these up without deer hair heads in the mean time. Anyone got some go to sculpin patterns they are willing to share?

 

[miked]

The deer hair heads on streamers are primarily so they push lots of water, causing comotion in the water. As per other alteratives i have seen other non boyant hairs, (woodchuck spun in a dubbing loop is one i have seen). Also theres the sculpin wools and the like, but they can absorb water very well also causing a heavy fly.

 

And nice flies!

 

Mike

[monger]

I haven't used hair for years. I'm pretty sure the fish can see/feel your size 2/4 fly moving through the water without it. To me it makes more sense to get the presentation right rather than the having the prettiest fly

[SouthBow]

I have been looking for streamers to swing this year with the spey rod and have seen quite a few on the net with spun deer hair heads. They certainly look good and probably move a lot of water, but it seems odd to have a pattern meant to be fished deep with such a buoyant head. Each hair is hollow for insulating the deer, making it a good floating material. Most of these patterns also require a lot of lead wraps or a conehead. Is this purpose of this to make the fly neutrally buoyant and get it down with a sink tip? Why wouldn't you want the pattern to sink quickly? Is there another alternative to the deer for a full head without the buoyancy? Do you think the cutting pattern make a big difference, I guess by flattening the bottom and angling the top you are promoting negative lift as well in a faster current. Any thoughts?

 

I tied these up without deer hair heads in the mean time. Anyone got some go to sculpin patterns they are willing to share?

 

Nasty lookin tie dude. That will rock some fish. Another suggestion for sculpin head is Pheasant rump palmered and clipped to shape or The marabou off the legs of the pheasant palmered on and then formed to shape, it absorbs alot of water

and also sheds water when you cast so your fly gets down quicker . Keep tyin those nasties they look great.

Mike Mailey

 

[Jayhad]

I've been tying a butt load of deer hair streamers lately and been reading Kelly Galloups stuff. The idea behind the deer hair is that the sink tip will pull the fly down, during stops of your strip the head of the fly will float/swim up giving the fly a very natural action, the floating streamer system supposedly is best fished from a drifter using a jerk strip. When shore fishing non deer hair is prefered with Kelly Galloups system.

 

PS stacking/spinning/trimming deer hair sucks

[lethfisher]

make sense, makes the fly 'swim' through the water with the sink tip. Thanks for all the info guys!