Surface Lures

[holly]

Hi there, it's that time of the year again, getting as much advice, information as possible, ready for 2014.

I have only just started to use the surface lure (muddler) in 2013, with some success, however, there is a question which I would once again appreciate, a constructive answer.

I have read that you should never apply gink to a muddler, but I'm not quite sure of that.

Having read an excellent piece of work on the science of surface lure fishing, and got the drift with regards to fishing in the surface film and not on it.

What I do is to just apply gink to the top half of the muddler and leave the bottom half to sit in the film.

Can anyone suggest the correct method.

Thanks in anticipation, holly.

[jj1]

I designed the mouse surface lure to do just that, sit in the water rather than on it.
the eathafoam head gives it the buoyancy and the deer hair and tail gives it the subsurface so you get the pop and wake off the head and the visual and sonic movement of the body/tail. Have you tried tying a muddler with a foam head instead of deer hair? Also another fly i find very effetive is a 1" silver stoat plastic tube with a eathafoam ball head either tied direct to the tube or slid down the nylon in front of the tube, thus no need to tie mounts associated with other surface lures, also its advantageous over a single hook muddler in that if the hook blunts or rusts you just change it.
jon

[Blue Jewel]

A muddler made in the correct fashion, IE tightly packed shouldn't pose any problems with reference to floatability and shouldn't require any treatment to aid floatability, as for position in the water, I tend to fish like you say in the film and not on top, fishing it through the surface makes more of a commotion which is the whole idea of a surface film lure.
When it comes to trimming the Hair I always tried to make the lures with plenty of longer hair intact creating a bushy sort of thing.
If the Lure fishes to high in the water then it can be pushed away from the fish at the take, Think plastic yellow duck on the water and a toy boat in the water, its toy boat for me.
Hope this explanation helps you Holly

Mike

[T7]

I designed the mouse surface lure to do just that, sit in the water rather than on it.
the eathafoam head gives it the buoyancy and the deer hair and tail gives it the subsurface so you get the pop and wake off the head and the visual and sonic movement of the body/tail. Have you tried tying a muddler with a foam head instead of deer hair? Also another fly i find very effetive is a 1" silver stoat plastic tube with a eathafoam ball head either tied direct to the tube or slid down the nylon in front of the tube, thus no need to tie mounts associated with other surface lures, also its advantageous over a single hook muddler in that if the hook blunts or rusts you just change it.
jon

Do you buy those ethafoam balls JJ or make them yourself??

[jj1]

Make them myself t7, i know similar are available for sale but i just like making things from scratch, the smaller sizes also double as sight indicators lol.
jon

[T7]

Make them myself t7, i know similar are available for sale but i just like making things from scratch, the smaller sizes also double as sight indicators lol.
jon

Do you bore a hole and then line it or something similar?

[jj1]

If used as a sight indicator yes, but if used on tubes then pierce and open bore until wide enough to slide down line and fit snuggly over head of fly.
jon

[T7]

Makes sense

What shape are they?

[holly]

Surface Wake Fly

Many thanks for your replies, should any of you need a rod on the River Lune, get in touch and I will arrange it for you, free of charge of course.
holly.

[jj1]

T7 oval/egg shape, it all doesnt have to go over the tube/fly, just enough to stay on sound, larger ones can be used ôn larger flies and you get a cracking in the film wake with them.
holly, most appreciated.
jon

[lancsflyman]

I dont us surface lure with dair hair anymore, apart from muddlers like youself occasionally, because their harder to cast & like you say after a while they start to sink.
I use ones made up with a plazote top over a fritze body, they cast a lot easy IMO.

Hooks: size 6 Kamazan B180 & size 14 flying treble
Body: Black fritze & black plazote topping
Tail: Black buck tail with a couple of strands of peal flash.

Thats a kind guessture to offer.
Where abouts on the Lune are you ?
I could offer in return a session on the Mid Ribble.
Paul.

[holly]

Surface Wake Fly

Hi there, I have a rod on Kirkby Lonsdale and Whittington, I am willing to share a rod on Whittington either on Saturday or Wednesday commencing Mid - May.

Many thanks for your advice, holly.

[lancsflyman]

Hi there, I have a rod on Kirkby Lonsdale and Whittington, I am willing to share a rod on Whittington either on Saturday or Wednesday commencing Mid - May.

Many thanks for your advice, holly.

Is Whittington higher up than Kirkby Lonsdale ?
Are there a few fish to go at so early in the season ?
I'd be up for sharing a rod, it's always nice to meet new people & fish new bits of water.
It's not to far away from me either & 1hrs drive.
I have fishing on the ribble around Clitheroe & on the Calder foot, probably better fishing late June onwards.
paul.

[holly]

Surface Wake Fly

Hi there lancsflyman, Whittington is downstream of Kirkby Lonsdale, downstream of Lady Templar's pool.

The beat is private and the stretch of water is fantastic, equally as important, if not more, the syndicate members, and the keeper are fantastic.

It is a privilege to fish this beat.

I fished at Arkholme for three seasons and had Sea Trout in mid - May, however the main run starts mid - June (keepers quotation).

We will arrange the fishing in mid - May 2014.

Tight lines, holly.

[laffingravy]

Holly, I fish below your Beat having a Sunday rod at Arkholme. I also fish above your Beat having a full rod at Rigmaden. The sea trout run this year on the Lune was exceptional and the reports of more juvenile fish at the top end of the river at Tebay than has been seen for a good number of years is extremely encouraging (I have a rod at Tebay also). It is a great pity that the salmon run has been so desperately poor this and last year. It is to be hoped that 2014 brings something better. We only had a handful of salmon at Arkholme. A very successful floating pattern for me on both beats for sea trout has been this one:

The Dressing

Hook: Partridge Salar Size 7 silver.
Thread and body: Black
Tag: Glo Brite No10 floss
Rib: Broad silver tinsel
Wing: Buck tail overlaid with 2 doubled strands of mother of pearl Krystalflash
Head: Black dyed deer hair trimmed to a bullet point