This topic may have been covered in the past , but down on HHI we are still trying to figure out a fly pattern that works with spadefish offshore on the wrecks. On another bulletin board up north last year , we were told to use small brown pattern and chum with canned clams. No luck. Also tried putting some clear plastic on small gold hook- no luck. Anyone had any success on a fly rod? I have caught them on jelly balls on spinning tackle and they are a blast to catch.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
try tying a cigarette cellaphane to a small sharp hook w/ chart. thread. it is way off in terms of ‘Classic’ flies, but brother it works.
We will give it a try. I assume you just let it free drift back to the fish.?
Miss Libby 2
26’ World Cat
I was going to pose this same question, since I’m heading to MI for the week and usually have luck with the spades on jelly balls. Thought that the fly rod would be a blast.
How much of the cellaphane do you use, Scotty? Have any pictures?
ETA: I’m assuming you mean the cellaphane wrapper that cigarette packs come in, right?
Why not bare hook with jelly ball??</font id=“blue”>
That’s always a possibility - just don’t know if the jelly is strong enough to stay on there for a few false casts. Will definitely give that a try if the flies I tie up don’t work.
Scotty D- Upon further thought on your suggestion, not sure if you were joking. ( if so, good joke !
) I started thinking about what type of cigaratte pack wrapper would work best- low tar, menthol, Malboros , cigars , etc. I know research on cigarette preference by spadefish is hard to find but I did find one 1963 study in Norway, but the sampling size was so small, the results were unconclusive. ( Cuban cigar wrappers showed a slight preference)
If you were serious, a few photos of the fly would be nice. Heading out this weekend and would like to try spades and cobia on flyrod at some of our local reefs. Thanks
Miss Libby 2
26’ World Cat
Scotty wouldn’t mess with ya like that… There were quite a few threads last summer bout them and how to tie them… search back thourgh the fly fishing forum and you’ll find 'em… I saw quite a few “jelly ball” flies posted last summer…
BTW… Hey Scotty D where ya been?? Missed ya at the ville on Monday… we gotta go huck some flies at some reds reel soon…
Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!
Thanks. Found last year’s thread.
http://old.charlestonfishing.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=47052
You were right, Scotty D was not joking. I will give it a try this weekend.
Miss Libby 2
26’ World Cat
I tied one up this morning that I think may work pretty well. I’ll go ahead an apolgize if this doesn’t make any sense, but here’s what I did:
Hook: #2 Owner Live Bait (not a fly hook, but oh well)
Thread: Hot Pink
Other schtuff: Ziploc bag, pearl crystal flash
-Cut a rectangular strip from the bottom of the Ziploc bag, so that you have a piece that is folded like a greeting card.
-Attach the plastic to the hook by running the hook through the middle of the fold, on the inside of the “card.” The plastic should fold and cover the top and bottom of the hook shank. Leave it towards the bend in the hook so it stays out of the way.
-Tie in your thread at the hook eye and put down a thread base about midway between the first and second bend in the hook.
-Tie in three or four full strands of the flash, and palmer forward to hook eye. I did fairly tight wraps, but left them sparce in a few areas so that the pink thread would show through.
-Slide the plastic up snug with the back part of the thread/flash base and fold towards the hook eye.
-Cut small “tabs” in the plastic on the top and bottom of the hook shank and tie in.
-Cut the plastic into a circular pattern.
-Apply head cement to thread at eye, as well as a few drops to attach the upper and lower plastic sheets to each other.
I hope to post some pictures tonight, but it basically looks like a spoon fly with much more flexibility. I hope to try it out next week and will let y’all know how it does.
quote:
Originally posted by Reelescape
Why not bare hook with jelly ball??</font id=“blue”>
I always felt the main purpose of flyfishing is the art of the fly and the whole artificial aspect.
ReelScape- If i was going to use a bare hook with a jelly ball, I might as well as use my spinning rod, because that is the standard set up . I wanted to try and stick to traditionsl fly fishing protocal of not using bait of any kind. I am not a “purist” when it comes to fly fishing. I use Dupre Spoons all the time. I just do not wish to use bait while flyfishing, however, that method should work well.
Miss Libby 2
26’ World Cat
Well I plan to use the traditional approach to locating the spades and will probably catch a few on the spinning tackle before switching over to the long rod.
I’ve got a few different styles of “jelly flies” that I’ve tied up, so I’ll try those first. If that doesn’t work, then I will probably put a jelly piece on the hook, just to feel one on the fly rod, but as Jeremy and rpatterson said - it just wouldn’t feel “right.”
hey guys. got married sat. and am just getting back online. those barbs sting but hopefully a little salth2o will cure that (sorry bad pun) anywho, i would just carry empties and a bobbin with chart thread and whip them on through a hole poked through the bot. center. I found the fastest way is just hold the bend and eye (no vice) and let the hanging bobbin swing around the head till your happy. (you can whip about 30 wraps real fast.) it can be done on the boat…however…after a few liabiations, lip and chin collisions are eneviatable. lead wrapped wire or heavy hooks can adj. sink rate. I believe the original Royal Wulff (lee wulff’s trout fly) was first tied with the red band on top of lucky strike smokes.
start w. the whole celephane, if they seem disinterested you can trim it back or double knot a long piece of crystal flash to the hook shank. i dont think i ever trimmed it though
I played around with clear RTV to make a jellyball fly but never got around to testing them.
First of all, congrats Scotty!
I actually landed my first spade on the flyrod today (first fish OTF, for that matter) but I had to “cheat” to do it. I talked to Josh at the CA and he gave me a good idea for a fly pattern, but the spades balked at it all day. Had several actually swim up to it, then turn and swim away. I couldn’t take it any longer, so I threw a hunk 'o jelly on it, dropped it down, and FISH ON! It was a hell of a fight (nearly took me to the backing), especially since the other two guys on the boat were hooked up as well. Landed those three, plus five more, so we’re having fried spades for dinner. Yum!
After landing that guy, I switched back over to the fly to try some more, but to no avail. I thought of some mods to make to it, so came home and whipped up some more. Hopefully the wind will stay down so I can get back out there and try them again tomorrow. I REALLY want to land one on an actual fly-that way I don’t feel like such a cheater.
have you tried very small patterns? Chartreuse or white simple marabou on a strong,sharp hook might tick em off enough. someone once told me they used tiny 1/2" pieces from chartreuse offshore skirts, just a thought