Nail.head Candy

Nail.head Candy

Bob Popovic's surf candy was a real popular and effective pattern, and recently he have also came out with a brilliant idea of stick-on fish head profile call Fleye Foils. 

Well.... we don't get these awesome materials in Malaysia.... with a combine idea of a Fleye Foils and Fish Skull... I came out with this crazy idea of using artificial stick on nail which I found in my wife's dressing table...

Ooopss..... my wife is going to get mad again... I bet..!!! 

After she found her rubber glove missing... now.. her stick on nail gone...

Soon... will be seeing guys... walking into cosmetics outlet and purchasing these 'nails'.... those sales girls are going to start wondering... what the hack men buying these nail for...?

Just tell them..... it a 'trend'... you use our feather for hair fashion, we are going to use your nail for fly tying.... :p

Materials:

Stick on artificial nail from your wife dressing drawer...
Daiichi or similar Saltwater hook
Craft fur
Polar flash
3D stick on eye
Marker
Clear UV cure epoxy - make sure it's non tacky

This is the 1st prototype that I tie...

the second one with more nails...

So this is the step by step tying instruction.... keep it out and do not let your wife know about it....
I don't wanna keep getting snizzzz whole day... ( cursed by them )

Different size of nails...  not the one on my last finger please..!!!

Fold the nail and trim to get the desire shape you want, stick on the 3D eye

Another view on the folded nail

Prepare the hook

Tie in the craft fur

Tie in some polar flash

Tie in the craft fur again

Apply some control gel super glue and stick it on

Pour in the epoxy.... I mean fill the base... some air will trap in the craft fur... this is good, that will balance the weight distribution

Dry it with UV light

Color the head and the craft fur with marker

Apply a thin coat of epoxy on the nail-head and now fill in more on the base

Dry it with UV light

Now the Nail.head Candy is ready

View from below...

Very Important note when you tie this pattern...

Look below

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Don't tell your wife I'm responsible for her missing 'NAILS'

Cheers... have fun tying

Foamular of Hi Vis Hopper X

High Visibility Hopper X

Nick Ooi call me and ask me if I could tie him 2 dozen of Hopper pattern size 6 and 8.... with a request of make if easier to see when fishing.

Last year, Nick have landed lots of Lenoks using my hopper pattern. This year... I'm going to tie him some hopper with high visibility tag 

I hope he will hook a Taimen with the Hopper X.... :)

Some of the Hopper X ready to go

Nick Ooi and his Lenoks with the Hopper X

Is that a Taimen...?   Well done Nick

The Materials:

Foam

Pheasant tail fiber knob legs

Tape wing

Flashabou

Burn orange Elk hair

Hook and That's it.... 

Oh... Markers and Loon hard head for the eye ( Optional )

This tying instruction is going to be long and detail.... just to make sure everyone see clearly all the steps and technique needed...

Step by step tying instructions:

Prepare the hook and put in the foam about 6-7mm width

Tie down the foam

Tie an extra section behind the hook... this is important, as I have this to create the 'butt' of the hopper.. :)

Tie down the abdomen section as per the picture, notice that I tie it down tight and the end, this will stop the foam from roll around the hook

Now spin your line back but make sure the line goes into the gap of the abdomen section

Now fold the extra section and tie down the upper foam according to the sections, if you worry the foam will roll, you can choose to drop a small amount of super glue before you tie in the upper foam

Make a hole at the foam

Fold the foam over thru the hole and tie down

Make another hole at the foam

Fold the foam over thru the hook eye again, tie the foam to create the mouth part and also to secure the foam

Turn the vise and tie down the foam to create the head 

 I will normally trim the mouth part to imitate the hopper head profile

This is how I like it to be

Now lay the line to the next section

Tie down the foam and trim it

If you as fussy like me, color the hopper body with marker... if you are not, I believe the fish would blame you

Tie in some flashabou

Tie in some Elk hair, you may also use dear hair if you wish

Tie in the knob Pheasant tail legs

Tie down the legs

Split the fiber and use them as the other 2 pair of legs too

Tie down the legs

Tie in the tape wing ( my tape wing is colored magic tape )

Nick.... I tie in the bright yellow foam as the tag for you.... 

Don't tell me you still can't see them..!!!

Whip finish and trim the legs

View from below.... that's what the fish see

View from side

A different angle view.... Nick..! can you see them..? If you still can't see them, get another pair of glasses.... !!!    :p

If you extra fussy... you can put in the antenna and color the hopper

Cheers.... I hope everyone happy and hook some fish with this hopper....

Snakehead ( Bujuk ) on Hi Vis  Hopper landed by Dewa Wes in East Malaysia

Tight lines and good luck