Chernoble Problems

[cuttbow]

Hit the crow for a midnight run last night. Tied on a #6 chernoble and had about 60 -70 hits in 2 hrs. Only landed 4 bows. Im using a tiemco 200r and 2 ml foam, Only thing i can come up with is that the hook gap is too small on the 200r.My bodies are extended about 1/4 inch from the front and back of the hook shank.Any ideas on other hooks or bodies. Also had to change tippet every 20 min or so because of the helicopter spin. Went up to 3x tippet but didnt seem to matter. Any ideas on other hooks or body length.

 

Thanks

cuttbow

[Nick0Danger]

Hook gap or your setting the hook to soon. You got the say good save the queen or, son of a B***h then set.

 

Nick

[toolman]

Maybe a smaller fly (#8) would have gotten better grabs. It sounds like the fish were spitting the fly very quickly after mouthing it. Also, a larger fly may have gotten more solid grabs. Sometimes it's necessary to change fly sizes and use different types of flys, to get better landing ratio's.

 

Edit: What type of Stoneflys were in the area and what size were the Skid Bitches?

[cuttbow]

Probably had close to 20 on for a head shake or two. Then all was silent, just seemed to be not enough hook in the lip. Even tried the 10 wt slam as i do on slew sharks. Gonna try tonight and try to bend the hook gap slightly.

 

cuttbow

[cuttbow]

Will try to down size it tonight, let ya know how i make out. Have some 10 and 8 to throw. Am gonna stay with the 3x to avoid the twist. Hate tying at 2 am even with the head lamp.

[cuttbow]

Saw no stones on the water or emerging on the rocks. Did a net sample and the salmon flies out numbered the goldens 20-1. Some of the salmon fly nymphs were about 2 inches in length. Only action i saw was along the banks there were little lime green mayflies about a 18 hitting the water. Dont know what they were but the fish were lined up on the shore picking them off. Some small caddis but very few.

[SilverDoctor]

be sure to clip any hackle alway from the hook gap also the other thing is keep the hook really sharp. There are times that the trout just don't seem to be able to hit the fly right. You can open the gap a little but be careful, it can alos lead to shake off's.I usually switch over to a more standard dry like a Humpy. I tie some of mine with a tight ffoam body for high flotation in the chop.

[wongrs]

those tiemco's you're using look like curved stimulator type hooks. i've received advice from troutfitters telling me not to use curved hooks like that use a larger gaped hook that is straight. they also recommended clearing away hackle/foam from the hook end as the fish can push the hook part of the fly away from it's mouth with excessive material back there.

 

suggestions for experimenting would be to use a wider gaped hook, and tying your foam bodies so that they don't extend to much (or at all) behind the fly with the body tied along the shank, and using less stiff rubber leg material.

 

my thinking is that the fish is likely pushing the gape part (via the extended body, legs, hackle ect) of the hook away from it during the take and mouthing the rest of the fly somehow. then when you strike, the fish is mouthing it and lets go after a headshake.

 

all things that people have noted already to this post so not sure why i'm summarizing .... but there it is!

 

not sure how to correct the heli spin.

[hydropsyche]

Go with a smaller fly with a larger gap and sharpen the hook.

 

A lot of the "hits" you got were probably last second refusals. I think the rubber legs brings them up but when they get closer, something doesn't look right and they turn back down, making it look like a hit. Or if they do hit, its not with confidence. Its more a mouthing to see if the texture is right (just theory).

 

Try different colours. I think the chernobles you buy use colours that are too bright. If you roll your own, try more subdued colours. My favorite chernoble is green with black on top and a small yellow indicator. I usually go with a size 10.

[cuttbow]

Thanks for the advice guys. Switched to a 3x dry hook and shortened up the bodies even to hook shank length. Hookups increased dramatically. Went to smaller leg material and had no problems with the helicopter spin.

Beers free when i see ya on the water.

 

Cuttbow

[wongrs]

hurray for free beers! i'm the thirsty looking guy.

 

i fished ants today as well and noticed that i don't have extended bodies past the gape (and it's on a large gape hook). i've tied the body along the shank and i got 6 of 6 on the line when they actually took the ant.

 

hurray for ants!