Foam Body Boatman

[Spurly]

Need some advice on attaching the preformed foam bodies to the hook.If I try to tie them on, they deform.

I have tried to attach the hook, and legs with crazy glue, then after it dries, put a bit of epoxy overtop of the hook and legs.

What do you guys do?

Thanx in advance.

[DougC]

You need to make some shallow slits in the body with a razor blade. Check out this video.

 

[Spurly]

awesome, thank you very much.

[danhunt]

I love fishing boatmen/backswimmers, and I like the JUB but I find it kind of a pain to tie. Here is a recipe and some pics of a pattern I came up with to accomplish the same thing, but I find it easier and quicker to tie. I also noticed that the swimmers I've caught and observed have had a sheen on their wings from the air bubble they trap, but you can still see the body color and markings, and the underside is still olive in color.

 

Hook - 1xl 1xh size 10

2mm tan foam, width about the same as the width of the hook gape

Olive chenile (I like the stuff with a little bit of sparkle in it)

Olive medium rubber legs

Silver fabric paint for the first coat

UV cure resin over top the fabric paint for durability

 

I start by cutting a point on the foam before tying it in to reduce bulk. Tie your chenile in, and then your rubber legs. Wrap the chenile forward, and tie off. Before folding the foam over I run a bead of superglue on the underside of the foam to keep it all together. I then fold the foam over the back, putting a little tension on it to keep it snug. Tie of and trim. You could leave the body like this and it would probably work just as well, but I like to trim the foam in to a tent shape by laying my scissors at about a 45 degree angle to the wing and cutting from the front to the rear of the hook. I then use sharpies to color the foam up like the original JUB. After that, I run a bead of fabric paint up the back and I use a bodkin or needle to spread it out to the sides. It goes on opaque but dries clear. Adding the UV cure resin over that gives a really interesting depth to shine, and still lets the body show through. I came up with this after fishing the swimmers this fall, so I have high hopes for it but it is as yet untested. If you give it try send me a PM and let me know how it does for you!

 

[danhunt]

Sorry, having issues posting the pics... lol

 

[danhunt]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[danhunt]

This is the finished product

 

[SilverDoctor]

That looks great

[Spurly]

Very nice. Thank you

[monger]

Try some with a bit of a "gurgler lip" on the front as well