Maribou Streamers

[grayer]

My first attempts at a marabou streamer with some pretty boring colours lol, I also was messing around with some nymph hooks and came up with 2 nymphs! how do they look?

 

[Christopheraaron]

They'll definitely fish, try to go lighter on the marabou though.

 

[ChaseChrome]

That first little nymph is nice...

 

[Jacklake]

I agree with Chris, about 1/2 the marabou on the streamers - but they are difinitely fishable. The tinsel body is quite nice and all the flies are tidy for first efforts. For the streamers I suggest pulling some hackle fibres off the quill forthe tail rather than tying in a feather tip. The result is more movement and possible a better retrieve without the feather tip acting like a rudder and causing the fly to spin.

One general suggestion is to put a second coat of head cement on the final thread wraps. You will be surprised how it smooths out the head and makes the fly look more professional.

 

[ChaseChrome]

They'll definitely fish, try to go lighter on the marabou though.

Yup...try the select marabou

 

[grayer]

Awesome thanks guys, I can always count on great feedback! And Jacklake I have just started putting a second coating on, can already tell the difference.

Cheers

 

[grayer]

Tried to go a little lighter on the maribou….little better?

 

[grayer]

I also did this one, sort of like the popsicle I have seen guys do, but I don't own an red thread or salmon/steelhead hooks just yet!! I liked the colour scheme though so i tried it out

 

[Christopheraaron]

It's definitely looking better, I like that you used the marabou tail in the second one, looks a lot better than a hackle tip. For the popsicles try palmering the feather, tie in by the tip, stroke the fibres back and wrap it like a hackle. And just to see if you can try making an even body use some tinsel on the body.

 

[Jacklake]

Getting better! I think the head could have another wrap or two (up and back) of thread to builld it up before you tie off. And if you have applied 2 layers of head cement, try 3. Check out this one for example.
Do you use any magnification when tying? Either drug store glasses, clip-ons if you wear glasses, a light with a magnifier in it. You will find that if you do your thread wraps will be exactly beside each other for a much smoother appearance.

 

[ChaseChrome]

Try the Classic Rangeleys...​

​

​

​

 

[Christopheraaron]

Floss is a little bumpy there chase, J/K, very clean tie!

 

[grayer]

First black nose dace, a little more tricky than I thought it would be lol! But here it is. Have heard this fly is good for trout, and I have a frozen deer tail in the back of my truck so I saw an opportunity to tie it up!

 

[ChaseChrome]

get a hair stacker

 

[Christopheraaron]

get a hair stacker

Use your fingers. Or, get a shotgun shell.

 

[ChaseChrome]

Use your fingers. Or, get a shotgun shell.

either way...stack your fibres

 

[Christopheraaron]

either way...stack your fibres

I'll agree with that, but there are a couple cases where it looks better unstacked.

 

[Jacklake]

Grayer -
Your first BND will catch fish, however it should look like a minnow with a stripe down the side. Each bundle of hair should be almost the size of what you have on the hook for your first one. First bundle is white, then black, then beige/brown. Each bundle is cut on an angle toward the eye so the head does not become one big lump.
Let's see the next one.

 

[grayer]

Not the cleanest (especially the tinsel) but heres #2, I need to get a hair stacker. I am having a difficult time doing it with my fingers! I made more of a "stripe" with the buck tail this time, but still hard to differentiate between the black and brown.

 

[Jacklake]

Much better, although the tail is a little heavy.
For the tinsel, are you tying in at the eye and wrapping down to the tail and back to the eye, or is it just one layer?
For the bucktail:
When tying in/on the white, pinch it hard against the hook shank so it does not fold around the sides.
When tying in the black and then the brown, first make a wrap around the black ONLY to bundle it and then tighten the thread as you bring the bundle down to the hook. Cover with two or three more wraps and cement the butts lightly. Repeat the bundle procedure for the brown bucktail. This will keep each bundle separate and on top of each other. Cement the butts once before wrapping a tidy head - cement the head.