[Sandy Nelson]

So with it blowing a Gale and snowing and generally being a day when I didn’t have any rod bits scheduled for build.
I thought I’d start working my way through Kelly Galloup’s streamer book.  So keeping them small for the river (ie less than 3”)

Here’s my first go at a sex dungeon , went black and red for a proper S&M style



Next up was an olive Boogieman



I think I found the sculpin wool easier to work than the deer hair. But both were good fun to make on a shitty day and should be an ideal size for the river.

Sandy

[Eddie Sinclair]

Very nice Sandy, I too have the book but not tied any patterns yet, I have been at the vice though making tubes for spring on the Dee and North Esk.

Eddie

[Mike Barrio]

Nice work Sandy 

[Neil Walker]

Hey Sandy, those flies look great.

Do you use glass rods for streamer fishing ? Or is that a silly question lol
 I was planning on using my epic 686 next season, but I’m puzzled as to what line to use, I was thinking about a 200 grain opst commando. You got any recommendations please ?

[Sandy Nelson]

Cheers Neil
8’6” of 6wt glass is about perfect for chucking streamers. Although I have been known to throw them on 3wts, 4wts and 5wts too, one of the joys of glass, where a 6wt powerhouse can still present a dry beautifully, yet a 3wt dryfly rod can also launch a heavy streamer, just by changing the way you cast them.  I usually use a 7’9” or 8’ 5wt though. I have one of the Galloup streamer tip max line from Airflo in a 5wt. It casts OK on the 5wt but is brilliant on the 6wt.
These flies I’m doing this winter are a bit smaller than my other articulated streamers, with an eye on having them in the back of the fly box to use on a standard line, so I can try them without carrying some dedicated streamer gear (8’6” 6wt of glass) with me (just keep that for when the water is high and coloured) hence being a bit lighter and less than 3” long. I fancy I will manage them easily on the 5wt and probably the 4wt too.
I know Euan and Mr Kidd have been trying those OPST lines, but ive not had a chance to try one yet. Steven fishes glass too.
 
Sandy

[Neil Walker]

Thanks for the informative reply, i'm very new to glass. Do you think underlining them works well all the time, or is it more specific to a heavier head lines ? the airflow would be a cheaper option than the OPST that's for sure

[Sandy Nelson]

I wouldn’t normally underline a glass rod, sometimes I actually over line them, however the top end ones tend to be bang on for line weight.
I find the Airflo line very heavy for a 5wt. It actually casts really nicely on a 7wt too. But I can fish it fine on a 5wt, I just think it’s much better on a 6.

Cheers
Sandy

[James Laraway]

My thoughts.....

Though you can probably throw a a decent sized streamer on a #5 or even a #4 can you realistically set the hook?

I fish mini lures ( up to size 10 longshank );with small bead chain eyes on  a #4 glass.

Would I throw a tungsten eyed size 6 or 8  lure on a #4 or a #5?

No thank you.

Even if I did would I be confident of setting the bigger , heavier guage hook with a light rod? No again.

I'll throw bigger flies on a #6 confident in the blank being able to throw them and having the power to set the hook

[Sandy Nelson]

Interesting  point James
I hadn’t consciously considered that, but having just received  an 8’ 6wt black glass blank for myself to play with, it could be I was subconsciously  considering the same
Thing we shall see how it compares with the 8’6” one for setting a hook……hopefully 

Sandy

[James Laraway]

Hook size and gauge is definitely a factor i think worthy of discussion in terms of rating of fly rod used

People don't tend to fish with say 2lb leaders on a #7 rod as the chances of snapping increase as there is 'less cushioning' so i think we need to apply the inverse to hooks i.e. the bigger the hook the heavier the rod line weighting needs to be to set the hook

A loch I fish where the trout like a mouthful i can often fish big lures and 'bumbles' on heavy weight size 8 or even 6 hooks

As i prefer now to fish a #4 ( i never thought i would find a #6 too heavy  but i do now!!) I fished these on my #4 glass rod and the amount of fish i missed was unreal. I switched to a #6 and problem solved. I really think the size and gauge of the hook was THE factor in me not hooking-up

These days i still fish lures on my #4 glass but the are smaller and lighter weight (on anything up to a size 10 long shank) - with 1.5 mm bead chain eyes. The tiny eyes still add a wee bit o f weight and swimming action so are perfect for mini-humungous' etc and the trout love em.

Finding tiny bead chain was a challenge but i finally have a decent amount

[Sandy Nelson]

Makes a lot of sense to me.
Kelly talks about using fine wire predator hooks in the book and on his YouTube stuff. So these flies are being made with size 8, 6 and 4 fairly light wire Hooks (partridge universal predator) That might help if I’m using them on the 5wt. The idea with these was to keep them in the back of the box to save me carrying a specific rod/fly box setup for streamers. I wanted some smaller ones I could fish on a floater just by shortening the leader.
That’s why I went with Galloups ideas as he talks a lot about fishing them at short range and quite high in the water.

 
Sandy