A Mice's tail story

A realistic Foam Mice

Another version of foam Mice - BB Mice

A lot people been asking me what is the material of the tail for my foam Mice... my answer is: It's just a strip cut from latex/rubber band

So some ask, how do you cut a latex/rubber...? 

What you need is just tape the latex/rubber with a magic tape....

Materials: 

Latex/rubber band

cutting knive

ruller

magic tape

cutting board

Set 1

Cut the latex/rubber band to half, tape it down to the cutting board with magic tape... make sure it's lay flat and straight... the magic tape will hold the latex/rubber and prevent it from moving around

Set 2

Mark on the magic tape with a pen or marker, the size you want your tail to be.... press the ruler firmly on the tape and cut it with a very sharp cutting knife

Step 3

You have your Mice's tail ready

Now... where do I get those latex/rubber band.... I got it from Daisho, the RM5 shop... 

Go get your self some... :)

Foamular of Cockroach Fly

Foam Cockroach Fly

The Cockroaches - actual species of imitation

This is a pattern that I tie in 2008... the foam Cockroaches pattern.

The Materials:

2mm Thk close cell foam

Size 8 Daichi 2110

Pheasant tail fiber as antenna

Goose biot knob legs

Turkey biots as tails

Peacock herls

Magic tape and Pheasant feather as wings

The step by step tying instruction:

Prepare the hook

Tie in the 2mm foam

Tie in some 2 mm foam to create the profile of abdomen

Tie in the tails and few Peacock herls

Spin the herls to create the under-body of abdomen

Fold the foam over and tie in the sections on the abdomen, trim the extra foam

Tie in 3 pairs of knob Goose biot legs

Now sandwich a pheasant feather with magic tape

Cut the tape wing to the shape

Tie in some peacock herl and spin around the legs to split the legs

Tie in a pair of Pheasant tail fiber as antenna

Tie in another pcs of foam to create the thorax

Tie in the tape wing

Fold over the front portion of the tape wing, tie down

Now bring your thread to near the hook eye, fold the tape wing over and tie down together with the foam, trim the extra tape wing

Fold over the foam, tie down to create the head profile, trim the extra foam and whip finish

Color the tape wing and head profile

The foam Cockroach fly is ready

Cheers and happy tying

Deadly Dazzle Baitfish

Deadly Dazzle Baitfish pattern

This is a simple pattern which only use minimum material... which I tie them for a very important person ( VIP ) who is going to chase Yellow fin Tuna

Material List:

Daiichi Saltwater hook 2546 size 1/0 and 2/0

Deadly Dazzle

Mylar tube

Silver tinsel

3D epoxy eyes

 Clear UV glue and markers

The step by step tying instruction

Prepare the hook and put in a short pcs of Mylar tube

Tie down the Mylar tube

Tie in some Deadly Dazzle fibers

Drop a small drop of head cement to secure the fibers

Tie in a pair of Silver Tinsel at both side

Prepare a dubbing loop and form the brush Deadly Dazzle brush fibers

Spin the brush fibers to create as head profile

Comb it 

Stick on the 3D epoxy eye with Zap a Gap

Coat the head and eyes with clear UV epoxy

Dry the epoxy 

Color the pattern with marker if you wish

The pattern is ready....

Cheers and happy tying

Magic Head Gugler

Magic Head Gugler

19th of September 2012, after the IFFF 2012 Malaysia ( International Fly Fishing Festival ), I have arranged a 4 days 3 Nights fishing trip to our Royal Belum Dam deep in Malaysia rainforest ... 

Along with us, are world famous fly tiers.. Hans Van Klinken from Holland and Marc Petitjean from Switzerland. Also world famous caster Paul Arden and 2 more good friends from Australia, Mr Tim Kimpton and Chris Rowe.

It was a great trip were we have good companies, good food, good jokes and most important... 7 Toman ( Giant Snakehead ) were landed... 

with countless follow, bust line and even bite off wire leaders...

During the trip, few new fly patterns have been created specially for the Giant Snakehead... This Magic Head Gugler pattern might not be something new, but we believe it's a pattern which truly design aim for the Giant Snakehead base on the actual fishing scenarios... putting in the Magic Head Cone to create more plop, adjust the amount of foam to balance the bouncy of the fly when fishing with wire leaders.... adding in some sili legs to hold the fly in the water so it stay right at the strike zone when Toman grab it from below... all base on the limited material available during the trip.

And most important of the design... cast able....!!!!

Everyone put in some ideas to the flies...

Marc giving some suggestion of the tie...

Hans and my self tying to improve the pattern...

The Material list:

Hook : Daiichi 2546 Saltwater hook size 1/0

Hard close cell foam

Grizzly hackle

flashabou

sili legs

Fin Racoon zonker fiber

Magic Head Cone

Palm Chenille

Chenille

This is how much of splash / plop and sound created... I think this idea would also be effective when fishing with Peacock Bass, Bass, GTs, Pike.... or any predatory fish which strike on surface...

The step by step tying instructions:

Prepare a very strong hook... I use saltwater hook size 1/0

Tie in some Fin Racoon Zonker fiber

Trim the end and fold over the fiber, tie down tight

Tie in some flashabou

Tie in a pair of Grizzly hackle, fold over the hackle stem, tie down tie

Tie in 2 - 3 pairs of silly legs or rubber legs

Tie in some Palm Chenille, spin them in for about 3-4 rounds, and trim the extra

Tie in the Magic Head ( You can also do this step in the beginning )

Tie in the hard close cell foam and chenille

Spin the chenille

Now fold over the foam and tie down tight

Tie in a pair of Sili legs or rubber legs

Trim the foam and whip finish

Fold the cone and trim it

Trim again the cone

The Magic Head Gugler is ready

Good luck and have fun with this pattern.... 

Note:

You are advise to adjust on the amount of foam base on how heavy is your hook and wire leader....

Plop... Plop... Plop....