Skating/Waking flee's

[mammoth69]

When hitching use Co poly / nylon. Fluorocarbon sinks.

I like tapered leader of maxima 30lb Butt to 20lb to 15lb total length - about 10 ft.

I either put two half hitches around head of the tube or seal the end & put a hole in the side.

This is my favourite way if fishing - takes are so visual!

M.


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[Nigel Passmore]

Yes about 8 feet is a good length (I actually use 9) to give you control from the moment the fly lands. I use 7' of a tappered 9' Copolymer leader a 1.5mm leader ring and a 2' tippet of 13 or 11lbs Copolymer. I use Fog Hair Copolymer but other brands are available. This is hitching the tail of a Findhorn Pool.......can you spot the fly ?

Regards

NHP

 

[keirstream]

Just orderd maxima taperd leaders to try it, would they be ok ?

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Yes, maxima works, it has a very slow sink rate compared to fluoro which tends to drown your fly or at least make it difficult to keep it in the surface film. I mention "straight 8" which is a reference to the B/S required. Use up to around 12lbs B/S if needed where the big boys lurk. Also the length at 8 ft is fine, don't go beyond 10ft, you will start to make life difficult for yourself. Within the above parameters, tapered leaders are fine and assist turnover.
Therefore, disaster will ensue if you decide to flout both pieces of advice and fish 16ft of 30lb fluoro.
Nae guid will come of it.

 

[Night Hawk]

100% of my fishing is done with tubes of one kind or another , small plastic and hitch styles taking up a high percentage as the season progresses , you'd be surprised what works , none , or very few of them are recognized patterns.

Very interesting Phatagrova. Would you be willing to share photographs / dressings of your successful hitch / wake patterns please?

 

[Rrrr]

Yes, maxima works, it has a very slow sink rate compared to fluoro which tends to drown your fly or at least make it difficult to keep it in the surface film. I mention "straight 8" which is a reference to the B/S required. Use up to around 12lbs B/S if needed where the big boys lurk. Also the length at 8 ft is fine, don't go beyond 10ft, you will start to make life difficult for yourself. Within the above parameters, tapered leaders are fine and assist turnover.
Therefore, disaster will ensue if you decide to flout both pieces of advice and fish 16ft of 30lb fluoro.
Nae guid will come of it.

Cheers, orderd 9.5lb as i was planning to cut away the front section but can cut the back taper away instead and should be about right.
Also does no one use floatant of any type to keep flies or leaders up ?

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[mammoth69]

Rrrr


Yes cut back 1st section - 4 - 5 feet. Add tippet ring, then add desired length of tippet.

Adjust till you find what what works best for you.

By using a tippet ring the tapered leader will last a very long time compared to normal leaders.

Tbh

I do the same - but use a 5ft airflo float poly with tippet ring when hitching.

M.


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[keirstream]

Cheers, orderd 9.5lb as i was planning to cut away the front section but can cut the back taper away instead and should be about right.
Also does no one use floatant of any type to keep flies or leaders up ?

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No reason why not on the fly. But as you get used to the technique you will find you don't need it.
Exception of course is when twitching muddlers as per a previous post. Gink is Good.

 

[keirstream]

Very interesting Phatagrova. Would you be willing to share photographs / dressings of your successful hitch / wake patterns please?

Attached is a photo of one of my hitch boxes.
For reference, the small flies on the top row are around 6-10mm overall length.
The dressings are sparse as you can see apart from the Dollies. A turn of tinsel and a wisp of hair usually.
There's quite a few threads on micro and skating flies you can search on here, many with the ubiquitous
circle around the tanner photos.

 

[DrPatrickT]

Attached is a photo of one of my hitch boxes.
For reference, the small flies on the top row are around 6-10mm overall length.
The dressings are sparse as you can see apart from the Dollies. A turn of tinsel and a wisp of hair usually.
There's quite a few threads on micro and skating flies you can search on here, many with the ubiquitous
circle around the tanner photos.
View attachment 45652View attachment 45652

Very nice collection, I will copy a few! Do people use free swing hooks to stop it weighing the back of the fly down or does it not matter? If you free swing does that mean you can use a heavier hook - I got some stingers in size 18 and they look small would prefer to use a heavier gauge and size of hook but worry that would inhibit the skate? All the best, Patrick

 

[Rennie]

I personally find a big heavy gauge of wire hook tends to drown the tube, but expert at this I'm not.Common sense seems to tell me use a 'ook in keeping with what your trying to do, so to me that means light in the wire and not too big.
I find small lethally sharp terribles very good hooker's, think that explains my line of thinking!
Pedro.

 

[keirstream]

Very nice collection, I will copy a few! Do people use free swing hooks to stop it weighing the back of the fly down or does it not matter? If you free swing does that mean you can use a hea

vier hook - I got some stingers in size 18 and they look small would prefer to use a heavier gauge and size of hook but worry that would inhibit the skate? All the best, Patrick

This is the very smallest fly on the top row centre with a fine wire treble inserted. Overall around 10-11mm .
It's important to keep everything in proportion and not lose sight of what you are trying to achieve, i.e. to produce a build up that does not pierce the surface film. So, heavy gauge trebles are not the best for that purpose.
Believe me, once these wee trebles bite they go right in beyond the bend and the pressure is eased on the point of the hook.
You will land most fish you hook in that situation.
Free swing the hook if you like, I sometimes do that with no negative effect.

 

[mammoth69]

Pedro - hence look no further than B990’s

Light wire, thin & very strong. Not expensive & v sharp


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[Night Hawk]

Attached is a photo of one of my hitch boxes.
For reference, the small flies on the top row are around 6-10mm overall length.
The dressings are sparse as you can see apart from the Dollies. A turn of tinsel and a wisp of hair usually.
There's quite a few threads on micro and skating flies you can search on here, many with the ubiquitous
circle around the tanner photos.
View attachment 45652View attachment 45652

That's a very nice collection of wake flies you have there and thank you for posting them. I particularly like the dollies and I bet they ride high on the surface compared to the plastic tubes (could be wrong though). This style of fishing is all completely new to me but I'll be giving it a good go when we get back to some normality.

 

[clydesider]

One of my favourites for trying to bring them up from the deep is the Park Shrimp Muddler.

 

[keirstream]

Yes about 8 feet is a good length (I actually use 9) to give you control from the moment the fly lands. I use 7' of a tappered 9' Copolymer leader a 1.5mm leader ring and a 2' tippet of 13 or 11lbs Copolymer. I use Fog Hair Copolymer but other brands are available. This is hitching the tail of a Findhorn Pool.......can you spot the fly ?

Regards

NHP


View attachment 45644

Reminds me of a competition that used to appear regularly in the sports papers about the position of ball in a football game.
What's that nasty looking crittur on the rock bottom left corner?

 

[AlanT]

One of my favourites for trying to bring them up from the deep is the Park Shrimp Muddler.
View attachment 45661

Superb, where have you been hiding those all this tme. . . .

 

[kingfisher]

Never skated before and would like to try it out over known fish in a pool one day just to see if this alternative method works any better.
What are the best conditions for it?
As in slow pool dull day etc

 

[keirstream]

Never skated before and would like to try it out over known fish in a pool one day just to see if this alternative method works any better.
What are the best conditions for it?
As in slow pool dull day etc

My favourite hitching spots in a pool are those lovely glassy, oily slicks that appear from nowhere behind a submerged rock.
You know the ones I mean, where the Ospreys favourite perch is above?
Otherwise, anywhere with a moderate flow all the way through a pool into the tail out.
Fast necks into pools I reserve for high sticking a hitched sunray after giving it a couple of fast strips square.
Dull days are nice with a wee bit wind but only because I enjoy that kind of weather.
Otherwise, I don't think the fish care too much.

 

[Cyclops]

Ive read that water temperature and dusk fishing are key to greater success

 

[clydesider]

Superb, where have you been hiding those all this tme. . . .

Posted this previously.
The fly is a copy of one which was mentioned a number of years back by a well kent but now "retired" forum member.
This is the original prototype from the thread.
Mike

 

[Loxie]

Very nice collection, I will copy a few! Do people use free swing hooks to stop it weighing the back of the fly down or does it not matter? If you free swing does that mean you can use a heavier hook - I got some stingers in size 18 and they look small would prefer to use a heavier gauge and size of hook but worry that would inhibit the skate? All the best, Patrick

I always use a free hanging hook but keep it small and light. It's very hard to get really good small hooks. I use Owners in 18 and 20, but they are big for that size and I have some mustad 20's that are ideal. 3/4" or bigger you can get away with a 14 B990.

 

[DrPatrickT]

I always use a free hanging hook but keep it small and light. It's very hard to get really good small hooks. I use Owners in 18 and 20, but they are big for that size and I have some mustad 20's that are ideal. 3/4" or bigger you can get away with a 14 B990.

Cheers Loxie - do you use a propellor holder for the hook (clear / see through) - or just a smidge of hook holder to hide the knot - or does that extend the perceived length of the fly? Sorry for basic questions - I have tried hitching and that’s with it stuck out the back of the fly and sometimes with a slight draw on the line to keep it going. All the best, Patrick

 

[kingfisher]

My favourite hitching spots in a pool are those lovely glassy, oily slicks that appear from nowhere behind a submerged rock.
You know the ones I mean, where the Ospreys favourite perch is above?
Otherwise, anywhere with a moderate flow all the way through a pool into the tail out.
Fast necks into pools I reserve for high sticking a hitched sunray after giving it a couple of fast strips square.
Dull days are nice with a wee bit wind but only because I enjoy that kind of weather.
Otherwise, I don't think the fish care too much.

I have just a few places in mind Tom

 

[Loxie]

Cheers Loxie - do you use a propellor holder for the hook (clear / see through) - or just a smidge of hook holder to hide the knot - or does that extend the perceived length of the fly? Sorry for basic questions - I have tried hitching and that’s with it stuck out the back of the fly and sometimes with a slight draw on the line to keep it going. All the best, Patrick

i use the tiniest bit of tube liner just as a knot protector. I find they hook and hold much better than with a fixed hook. The same goes for Sunrays too. In general Keirstream's advice about small hooks holding well applies accross all skated flies. I use a 12 B990 on a free hanger on a sunray with a 41/2" wing. I used to use a 10 but found the 12 hooks and holds better. The same applies to the hitch, if in doubt go smaller.

 

[mc andy]

My favourite hitching spots in a pool are those lovely glassy, oily slicks that appear from nowhere behind a submerged rock.
You know the ones I mean, where the Ospreys favourite perch is above?
Otherwise, anywhere with a moderate flow all the way through a pool into the tail out.
Fast necks into pools I reserve for high sticking a hitched sunray after giving it a couple of fast strips square.
Dull days are nice with a wee bit wind but only because I enjoy that kind of weather.
Otherwise, I don't think the fish care too much.

My heart nearly burst out my chest hitching a fly through bats last year, not a method I've tried often. Spooked a few but no hook ups. Seeing a fish come to your fly must be amazing, hopefully later on in the year ?