# Adding weight to flies



## boomer21 (Dec 28, 2015)

I purchased way too many flies for my recent Canada trip. I don't tie, and in my exuberance to have every possible fly on hand, I made a few errors. I really needed more flies with weight as I ended using a couple of flies all the time.

I purchased several "big" fly patterns and was wondering if there is way to add lead dumbbells to a finished pattern like the one below. It swims great, and I used it with a sink tip some, but would really like it to dive deep to get in the water column quickly. Any suggestions for a fly tying novice?


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## MarkA70 (May 3, 2011)

Perhaps a sink tip line would work better. While it can be done, you may not get the same action from the fly.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

My suggestion isn't elegant, but the fish absolutely do not care...just add split shot in what ever size you need. 

I see a lot of folks who add the split shot up the line some, like 12 to 18 inches, but to me that adds an unnecessary complication to the cast and as I said it makes no difference to the fish.

That's a nice looking fly, by the way, and would catch silvers, which will be running good in another month or so. I'd be happy to take them off your hands since you have so many and I'm heading out for silvers in a few weeks:walkingsm


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## Worm Drowner (Sep 9, 2010)

Meadowlark is right. I've used split shot and never had an issue. Just open your casting loop up a bit to keep from tying a macrame knot!


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## boomer21 (Dec 28, 2015)

ML, my thought on that fly is exactly the same as yours. It is a great pattern for pike and large mouth bass, and most likely salmon and peacock bass, among others.

I like the action alot, and it casts surprisingly well given the volume of material.

I'll play around with the split shot idea, I was making this way too complicated! I appreciate the help!


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## CTR0022 (Aug 26, 2006)

forget split shot, they crimp your leader/tippet and fly off. 

use some tungsten cone heads, beads or even small bullet weights. Slide them on your leader before you tie the fly on and you will never have to worry about them flying off or crimping/weakening your tipper/leader.


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## Permit Rat (May 13, 2014)

I would expose the body of the fly and add a few wraps of lead wire, however much you feel you need. The advantage is that it should keep the fly "swimming," in the horizontal manner for which it was originally intended. For the fly pictured, it should not even be visible. But adding split shot/cones/etc. to the head area, will make the fly do just that; nose dive toward the bottom.

PS.....judging by the fly pictured....if that's genuine dyed bucktail you have there, it might take quite a bit of lead. I don't know...it depends on how deep you want the fly to go. Personally, I feel that particular fly to be a tad overdressed.


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## hyperman (Dec 9, 2011)

I like skull heads for this purpose. 
Quick search shows the below, cabelas carries them for sure. 
http://www.saltwatersportsman.com/techniques/fly-recipies/fish-skull-fly-heads

Though designed to be 'tied in', you can also slide them on line before attaching fly. 
I have done the same with small worm weights. 
Both work for me.


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## 8weight (Mar 24, 2016)

boomer21 said:


> I purchased way too many flies for my recent Canada trip. I don't tie, and in my exuberance to have every possible fly on hand, I made a few errors. I really needed more flies with weight as I ended using a couple of flies all the time.
> 
> I purchased several "big" fly patterns and was wondering if there is way to add lead dumbbells to a finished pattern like the one below. It swims great, and I used it with a sink tip some, but would really like it to dive deep to get in the water column quickly. Any suggestions for a fly tying novice?


It'd be best to tie new flies with properly weighted dumbbell eyes and lead wrapped around the hook. Not that a different solution wouldn't work.


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## 8weight (Mar 24, 2016)

Permit Rat said:


> Personally, I feel that particular fly to be a tad overdressed.


I agree with PR. Personally, I'd aim to tie much more sparsely.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

8weight said:


> I agree with PR. Personally, I'd aim to tie much more sparsely.


All depends on the target species...for the silvers and kings, it does not need to be more sparsely, and I suspect for muskie and pike the same would be true...better to have too much material, which can be easily removed if need be, than not enough, IMO.

p.s. thanks to Boomer, I found its called a flash fish and I've got a couple ordered. I think it would also work very well as is on some pelagics.


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## Permit Rat (May 13, 2014)

Meadowlark said:


> All depends on the target species...for the silvers and kings, it does not need to be more sparsely, and I suspect for muskie and pike the same would be true...better to have too much material, which can be easily removed if need be, than not enough, IMO.


 LOL.....yeah, I have the Gulf coast on my brain but I thought of that, after I posted. It was too late for me to edit.
Not to mention that all the species Meadowlark mentioned, will make a "full" fly sparse in short order.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Permit Rat said:


> LOL......
> Not to mention that all the species Meadowlark mentioned, will make a "full" fly sparse in short order.


LOL, so true, very short order with a muskie


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## 8weight (Mar 24, 2016)

Permit Rat said:


> LOL.....yeah, I have the Gulf coast on my brain but I thought of that, after I posted. It was too late for me to edit.
> Not to mention that all the species Meadowlark mentioned, will make a "full" fly sparse in short order.


I too missed the Canada part of the OP.


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## boomer21 (Dec 28, 2015)

Pike and walleye (especially) were equally tough on flies. Glad the flies had the amount of material they did, by the end of day 6, about half were not usable. The guides were happy to have the hooks to re-use and a couple of new patterns to work with.

Prior to the trip, I tested the flies in the pool and on bass on many occasions. I liked the action then and even more so post trip. After 25 years of fly fishing, I still don't have much motivation to tie.

However, finding the perfect fly is a challenge, especially when you realize exactly what works best and you're 150 miles south of Hudson Bay.

PR, after playing around with some wire I picked up this morning, that might be the work around I'm looking for. Thx for the insight.

ML, I hope those flies work for you up north. I also think they'd be great in a different colors for a few fish in Baja!


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## Fishsurfer (Dec 14, 2014)

x2 on the lead wire, I would try to get it up on the shank as close to the center as possible. Use a little super glue to keep it from sliding off. You can also work it a little slower because it stays suspended a little longer. I hate split shot, it seems like you end up casting the shot and not the line with the fly. Maybe I just don't know how to do it right but it sure makes a crappy loop. That is a monster fly so you could get by with a thick gauge wire. Those must be some real beast. I am not sure where you are going in Canada but I have found that most places that have fly fishing will have a place to buy flies that actually will work in that area. Check grocery stores and sometimes convenience stores or gas station. There will always be some fly shop where all the guides will hang out if it is a somewhat popular destination. What works for me is to talk to a young guide, tell him you are going to strike out on your own and ask him what patterns are working then buy everything he says won't work. LOL


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

8weight said:


> I too missed the Canada part of the OP.


Not to beat it to death, but there are many, many fish out there where "more sparse" is not the ticket....it all depends on the target....and by the way split shot used on this brute, LOL.


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