| #1  12-09-2004, 09:22 AM | ||||
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| Fly Hooks I normally tie my boobies on 'eye down' hooks ; Kamasan B405. BUT I notice in the tackle shop there are some really good specimen coarse fishing hooks - straight eyed. Why are nymphs/wet flies/boobies etc tied on eye down hooks - can I use straight eyed hooks ? __________________ * <0((fluff))< " 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water "     |
| #3 12-09-2004, 10:47 AM | ||||
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| Re: Fly Hooks Quote:
Yeah, I think it could be. But; the pull from a straight eye will in line with the body, which you would think was fairly natural. I'm sure I've seen sea flies tied on ordinary straight eyed sea hooks. I realize most sea flies are 'lures' but so are many trout flies  Cheers __________________ * <0((fluff))< " 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water " |
| #4 01-03-2005, 07:36 PM | ||||
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| Re: Fly Hooks I was just reading an explanation of what flies are tied well with straight eyes, but for the life of me I can't recall the theory. I'll look it up when I get home tonight and post for you tomorrow...assuming I don't forget!!  __________________ Cheers, Hunter |
| #5 01-04-2005, 01:40 PM | ||||
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| Re: Fly Hooks OK, seems that stright eye are good for nymphs and bead-heads and streamers, but others should be eye-down. But I found nothing that backed this with any explanation. I guess I imagined that part. Maybe Smoothound will see this and give some insight... __________________ Cheers, Hunter |
| #6 01-04-2005, 01:57 PM | ||||
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 Re: Fly Hooks Hi Guys, The idea of down eyes came about some years ago, as there was some scientific work done on the way in which a Trout takes a fly. Rarely do they "hit" the fly on a level plane. They come at them from below, the side (left or right) but very rarely straight on. Sometimes they will chase the fly from behind and "nip" the tail. (to get over this use a shorter tailed fly) They invariably move at speed toward the fly. Watch a fish feeding in a clear river or stream and you will see them move towards the flies hatching or washed down river, white of the lips show when they are "mouthing a bait". That said straight eyed hooks do have a purpose, lures need to be fished at speed and on a level plane to make the tails "work" throught the water. Such as Trout lures, Saltwater lures and streamers. Down eyed hooks are used for the majority of flies such as nymphs, bead heads, dumbell heads, and dry flies. These types of fly are normally retrieved or fished vertically in the water, and when you strike or lift into the fish the hook is sent home by the angle of the strike. You can tell how a fish has been feeding by the way it is hooked in the mouth. ...Top inside lip dead centre, it took the fly vertically, inside the scissors at the side of the mouth it turned away with the fly after hitting it. Inside scissors botom lip it took it on the way down and swam down with it. Top lip of scissors it took the fly on the way up and swam up with it. Bottom lip centre, it took the fly on the way down because it saw it at the last moment. Swallowed fly deep hooked, you did not see the "hit" or you had dozed off!  I hope this helps. |
| #7 01-04-2005, 02:07 PM | ||||
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| Re: Fly Hooks Well there you have it!!! Thanks Smoothound! Can you answer me this then...in some of the patterns I have seen, primarily for nymphs, they call for a nymph or bead head hook that has a straight eye. Would you use a down eye successfully for the same patterns? For instance, I have a pattern for a Hare's Ear nymph that uses a straight eye nymph hook. Would it make a difference to the fish to use a down eye? __________________ Cheers, Hunter |
| #8 01-04-2005, 02:44 PM | ||||
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| Re: Fly Hooks You can use a down eyed hook for most patterns, as it is the most versatile. Presentation does not suffer as a result, but to hook up properly I would use a straight eyed hook.  |
| #10 02-23-2005, 08:46 PM | |||
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| Re: Fly Hooks  Hey, but then there's also the 'up-eyed' wet fly hooks, just to confuse matters ! I always thought they were something to do with the wet fly presenting fairly level when attached to a traditional floating line.I've never tied on an up-eye, or knowingly seen one come to think of it, but I've seen the hooks in catalogues and since I often fish in the top foot or so of water from a floating line, maybe I should be considering them...... what say you Smoothie ? |
