[riverrun]

Don't generally fish big Intruder, tube or stinger flies but decided to tie up a few after swinging a few big rabbit leeches on the Naknek this fall. Today went 1 for 5 on bull/dollies including one hauntingy memorable sized one lost. Lost first three on a 3.5" " purple bunny/wool sculpin then next on a 4" salmon/ginger bunny leech. About 24" visibility, takes came on the strip back after a pause in soft water inside the seam. 10-30 second encounters before came unbuttoned. This does not normally happen to me with normal #2-4 Sculpin or other patterns.

Using a debarbed #4 gamagatsu octopus stinger attached with 20# Rio saltwater wire tippet. Back of hook bend about 5% forward of fly tail. Point straight in line with leader.

Wondering if my stinger too far back? Wire too stiff? What is the general rule on how far back to put the stinger?
Other suggestions? Don't want to keep tying this way if it is contributing to lost fish.

Thanks.

RR

 

[Batt B]

Those are big flies. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not. Maybe next time try some 2.5-3" flies tied on good ol' size 4 and 6 3x long streamer hooks.

Hope this helps. I use similar flies to what you're describing but I also use smaller ones. If I see a negative pattern I try to switch things up to see if success improves.

Sometimes you're just snakebit.

 

[Stonefish]

Trying tying the same pattern on a standard J hook.
They are head hunters and I've found my hook up rate to be better versus stinger patterns.
Good suggestion by Matt as well to try smaller patterns.
SF

 

[riverrun]

Trying tying the same pattern on a standard J hook.
They are head hunters and I've found my hook up rate to be better versus stinger patterns.
Good suggestion by Matt as well to try smaller patterns.
SF

First take today on the 3.5" purple sculpin with stinger. Again, take was on the strip after a pause. 22+" fish, stong grab, surface roll and splash, never a chance to let it turn. Unbuttoned. Must be the fly.

New run, switch to the standard black and gray "Sculpinator" on a #2 Tiemco t300. Tried and true pattern with many, many years of solid hook ups. Repeat above scenario 2x on smaller fish.

Snake bit, I think. Not ready to post free flies yet, but still looking for rule of thumb for stinger hook placement. Same as a J hook proportion or further back?

 

[BN2FSH]

I catch hundreds of fish per year on articulated flies with stinger hooks here in Alaska. I catch kings, rainbows, silvers, and steelhead. I use several different hooks and they all perform equally well. I loose a percentage of fish but not a lot. My hooks are always in the last inch of the fly. In my opinion the biggest issue with not hooking fish on the take is most people pull the fly out of their mouths before they are solidly hooked. Just let them take it without setting the hook. They turn and set the hook for you.

 

[Gone’r]

try this:

This time of year bulls are often found in huge numbers on soft shallow flats, often in 1-3 feet of stagnant water. The type of water you principally reject as a swing fishermen. The type of water you are only covering on the hangdown and strip back. Instead of wading out past it to cast out to the steelhead seam, embrace it. Don't wade deeper than your ankles and fish that water by casting 90° to the flow and stripping actively through that zone with a floating line or light tip and a lightly weighted streamer of your choice. By fishing through the productive holding water at this angle the trout have a different approach to the eat and are often T-boning the fly and the slight downstream slack of stripping the fly back will help keep the line tight after the strip strike hook set. Much better hook up percentage and more aggressive eats.

 

[Gone’r]

You will be hard pressed to fish too large of a fly for Bull trout. Your flies are certainly not too big.

 

[riverrun]

try this:

This time of year bulls are often found in huge numbers on soft shallow flats, often in 1-3 feet of stagnant water. The type of water you principally reject as a swing fishermen. The type of water you are only covering on the hangdown and strip back. Instead of wading out past it to cast out to the steelhead seam, embrace it. Don't wade deeper than your ankles and fish that water by casting 90° to the flow and stripping actively through that zone with a floating line or light tip and a lightly weighted streamer of your choice. By fishing through the productive holding water at this angle the trout have a different approach to the eat and are often T-boning the fly and the slight downstream slack of stripping the fly back will help keep the line tight after the strip strike hook set. Much better hook up percentage and more aggressive eats.

In addition to both naming our dogs Finney, it seems we fish similar spots with similar techniques. Swinging and stripping streamers is my favorite thing to do this time of year up here. Unfortunately, river conditions have been challenging this holiday weekend.

 

[Randy Lindahl]

In addition to both naming our dogs Finney, it seems we fish similar spots with similar techniques. Swinging and stripping streamers is my favorite thing to do this time of year up here. Unfortunately, river conditions have been challenging this holiday weekend. View attachment 129063

Are these some kind of Irish Setter?...they probably like the water. Beautiful!!!

 

[riverrun]

Are these some kind of Irish Setter?...they probably like the water. Beautiful!!!

Very funny, Randy. The liver colored Flat Coated Retriever matches my bamboo rods while your black ones match your graphite better.