Custom Pike/Saltwater Fly tying

Bend Back Eel size 1. great little baitfish imitation

2012-01-31T23:08:00.000Z

Although this pattern is primarily for saltwater fishing I think it would make an excellent Pike fly.The hook rides point up so will help prevent snags when fishing close to the bottom. I tied this on a size 1 stainless hook but larger sizes would be great for the Pike.

Size 1 stainless mustad hook (bent in vice)
Pink barred rubber legs
rainbow flash
peacock hearl
Diamond Hard UV resin

Tight lines.....Rich

Bug Bond v Diamond Hard test results

2012-01-27T15:01:00.002Z

There have been a few inaccurate reports recently on the subject of UV resins, especially Deer Creek Diamond Hard and Bug Bond. These where made by people who didnt even have a bottle of each to compare so how they can comment on it is beyond me............Shame on you!

I do have both resins to hand so decided to write my own review on the pro's and con's of each. First let me apologise for the state of the Bug Bond bottle. It tipped over in my drawer and leaked slightly smudging the label so apologies to Mr Edwards of BB if he reads this review.

The torch I used to cure the BB is the 1watt UV torch that Deer Creek sell as I dont have a pro BB torch. As far as I am aware the DC torch is equally or more powerful than the BB torch and the wavelengths are the same so this should not affect results.

All resins where cured using the manufacturers stated times and a bit of common sense....:o)

Test 1 involved applying both resins to a brown envelope and curing for the stated times. I then dropped marabou onto each square of resin from a height of approx 6". After a couple of seconds I tapped the envelope on my worktop to shake off any loose fibres.

As you can see BB is clearly not tack free as quite a lot of marabou stuck to the resin. DH passed this test well with only a single strand clinging to it.

I found this test odd as BB used to be totally tack free so all I can assume is the resin has changed since its first introduction.
Diamond hard is the clear winner here.

Test 2 involved applying a strip of resin approx 25mm long and approx 1.5mm deep to a piece of wood and curing. This served 2 purposes,the first was to test adhesion properties and the second was to test curing ability on an average thickness of resin. They where both cured for 10s using the 1watt UV torch.

Both resins had excellent adhesion properties to the wood but as can be seen from the picture BB left a slight residue underneath the cured surface. Although this did not affect the adhesion properties to the wood I am certain it would affect its ability to stick to a hook shank or other smooth surface. This could be helped by longer curing times for the BB but I am trying to keep things as even as possible.
Diamond hard is the winner here but only by a small margin.

Test 3 involved removing the strips of cured resin from the wood and testing its flexibility by bending it between my fingers. As you can see both resins performed well here although the DH would have broke if I had bent it anymore. BB on the other hand is more flexible and feels rubbery compared to DH.

Bug Bond is the winner in this test.

Test 4 is probably a little extreme and doesnt really apply to the world of fly tying/fishing but I am putting it in to show I am trying to be as impartial as possible.

I took the 2 strips of cured resin, put them on a strip of wood and hit them with a hammer! I used roughly the same amount of force used to drive a nail into wood. This is a lot more force than you would encounter whilst casting or playing a fish so I will leave it up to you to decide if it is relevent or not.

BB is the clear winner here as its flexibility absorbed the hammer blow where the harder properties of DH caused it to shatter but I still question the relevence of the test.........

For test 5 I simply applied the resin to a bare hook shank to test its clarity and adhesion properties.

Its hard to see from the pics but DH is definately slightly clearer when cured. I am not talking a massive amount here but still it is clearer than BB. Adhesion properties where pretty much equal as I applied a bit of common sense and cured the BB for a few seconds longer which seemed to do the trick. I broke the resin off the hooks and BB still had a slight residue under the cured surface. This did not seem to affect adhesion to the hook so its probably not worth worrying about.

Diamond Hard is the winner here but again only by a small margin.

For test 6 I tied 2 identical flies (as close as I could get them) and coated the finished head in the resin to test for ease of use and the resin's ability to transfer UV light through it. The thread I used was a danvilles flymaster plus neon green which glows brightly under a UV light source.

I found BB to be a little tricky to apply in places as it did not seem to flow requiring constant input from the bottle tip to get it fairly smooth. DH is totally different, it is still a viscous resin so can be applied thick but it flows nicely requiring only a gentle turn of the vice to give it a smooth finish.

Obviously both BB and DH has its uses here. I can see BB being used for an application that requires the resin to stay put and not run where DH would be used for creating a smooth coating over a surface or head etc..

The results for the UV light test are as different as chalk and cheese. BB does not allow the UV reactive thread to glow, clearly stopping any benefit from having a UV thread. DH on the otker hand glows nicely letting the UV properties of the thread really light up which is great when fishing as the thread creates a little "hot spot" on the fly.

I think its safe to say its a draw on ease of use as each one has its uses...

DH is the clear winner on the UV light test as its the only resin to let the UV properties of the material under it flouresse

CONCLUSION.

Taking everything into account including cost, curing time, etc.. I personally think DH is the winner here. BB is around £50.00 for its pro kit (20ml) DH is around £30.00 for its pro laser kit (15ml).

Both resins perform well and each has its own strenghts and weaknesses but for me DH is the only one that is totally tack free and for me that is important. Someone wishing to brush the resin through fur or feathers might find BB easier to use as its more flexible but for general fly tying needs I think DH is the better of the 2.

If anyone has any questions or wants me to run a different test please leave a comment.

Tight lines.......Rich

Bubble Float fly fishing for Pike on waters that ban fly fishing....

2012-01-25T12:10:00.000Z

In quite a few of my local Pike waters fly fishing fishing is either banned or just impractical. This is because some of the waters are in country parks where the public could be walking past or maybe a canal tow patch where there simply isnt enough room to swing a fly. I suppose I could use the bow and arrow method (or whatever its called) to flick the fly into position but its far too unpredictable for my liking.

Nowhere in the rule books did it say an actual fly cant be used just the fly rod and line! I dont spin for Pike anymore so a while ago I decided give the Danish method (please correct me if I am wrong) of bubble float fly fishing a go.
This method is not a new one by any means but it is often overlooked or simply discarded as it is not "true fly fishing". I always thought the art of fly fishing was to decieve a fish into taking your fly not how that fly is presented to the fish............If I am honest I could not care less how the fly gets to the fish as long as its a safe method that does not harm the fish or fisherman/public and of course is within the rules.

My local stretch of the Erewash has areas that are far too narrow or have too much foliage behind to make a good cast and the fact that it is a public tow path prevents me from standing above or below the swim to cast as I could seriously hurt someone. The bubble float method is the perfect soloution for these areas and it caught me several Pike during the late summer/early Autumn period last year. The Pike where not large at all, the biggest went approx 5lb but that is more to do with the water than the method. I did get quite a few strikes at the bubble float from time to time so it maybe worth trying something different with the float this year.

Give it a go this year if you have a spinning rod lying around, it really is good fun...:o)

If anyone wants a detailed description of the rig I use just give me a shout

All the best.......Rich

Pike Flyz

2012-01-16T16:55:00.000Z

A couple of simple Pike flies in size 4/0 and 2/0.

The larger fly has hollow tied bucktail at the head to give it a larger profile.

The smaller pattern is a great attractor and can be tied in whatever colour combination works for you. This particular colour combo has worked for me on my local waters although I would probably substitute the peacock herl for something for durable.

selection of slatwater and pike flies.

2012-01-09T17:52:00.000Z

Heres a few flies I tied for both Pike and Saltwater fishing.

The Pike flies are my favourite "hybrid" pattern I developed and are very successful although not as hard wearing as a synthetic fly. I still like using natural materials for Pike as you cant beat the movement you get from them, plus they are nicer to tie...:o)

Also a few salties for a friend of mine who lives in the south of England. He chucks these at just about everything that swims the coastal waters where he lives.

Tight lines.....Rich

glass minnow/surf candies

2012-01-02T19:36:00.000Z

Here are a couple of glass minnow/surf candy type flies. I applied a couple of nice thick layers to each fly and the laser cured it no problem in 5 seconds flat!! Now I know they aern't the most perfect looking flies but the idea was to show how thickly this can be applied and how clear it cures...

The fly below has 8mm eyes attached with the resin and I also filled in the void between the eyes with 1 application!

More flyz using the new laser resin pro kit.

2012-01-02T14:30:00.000Z

Although I have been testing the new laser kit from Deer Creek for a while I am still blown away every time I use it!
It is so quick and easy to use and gives you the best finish you can get from a UV cured resin. Imagine running your finger over a freshly polished smooth surface and you get a rough idea how this feels.....:o)

The consistency is just right, thick enough to build up a nice head/body yet it still flows nicely when you want a delicate head on a small trout fly.

Here are a few more pics of flies I have tied using the pro kit from Deer Creek.

NEW Laser cured resin. World first for fly tying!!!

2012-01-01T18:15:00.005Z

I am proud to have been a key developer for Deer Creeks new range of Laser cured Resin and now I can finally reveal how good this resin is.

The main advantages of the laser cured resin is cure time and the depth of resin the laser can penetrate. This means you can really pile this resin on which is great when making flies like surf candies etc. and still have the piece of mind it will cure quickly and tack free!!

Unlike other top resins (which shall remain nameless) this new product dries hard and totally tack free in a matter of 2 or 3 seconds (depending on depth of resin).

The laser itself has been designed with a specific wavelength for curing resins of this type and is very economical to run as it takes standard aaa batteries.

The kits will retail at £29.99 making them the best value for money pro kit around.

For more details visit deer creeks website or contact me directly as these kits will sell out very quickly.

The head on this fly had one thick application of laser cured diamond hard resin and still cured in 3 seconds!!

Tubeology flies

2011-12-31T23:16:00.000Z

Here are 2 tube flies I tied using the tubeology system. In my opinion this is the best system available for tying Pike and Saltwater flies.

Happy new year to all!!!

FLYZ......

2011-12-30T21:45:00.000Z

Tied a simple little fly today on a size 3/0 wide gape circle hook.

Materials used are.
Tail. Krinkle flash
Body. Mirage tinsel (large)
Wing. Blended blue and green bucktail and 8 saddle feathers
Under body. Kustom fibre
Throat. Arctic fox

Head. Deer Creek UV resin with Kustom_flyz eyes.

simple perch pattern tutorial

2011-12-28T16:47:00.015Z

A nice simple tutorial showing you how to create a very successful pattern for Pike. This can easily be adapted to Saltwater and other species..

1: Tie your thread approx half way between the hook eye and point.

2: Tie in a length of white/cream Kustom fibre on top of the hook. You can make this as long as you want.

3: Take another length of fibre the same length as the first and tie this in the middle on the under side of the hook.

4: Fold the fibre over and divide equally either side the hook and secure with a couple of wraps.

5: Tie in a length of bright green fibre on top slightly longer than the white.

6: Tie in a length of light green blend on top of the bright green.

7: Take a bunch of peacock angel hair and tie in making sure the hair evenly spread on top and slightly down each side.

8: Tie in a lenngth of dark green blend custom fibre allowing it to spread slightly doen each side.

9: Flip the hook over and tie in a length of red blend kustom fibre approx half the length of the fly.

10: Take a tooth brush or comb and brush all the fibres together to blend and remove any loose hair. Using either UV resin or epoxy, build up a small neat head.

11: Attach eyes and mark stripes with Pro marker or Sharpie pen.

12: Trim to desired shape.

Scoobie fly...:o)

2011-12-16T17:20:00.002Z

Whilst clearing my 8 yr old daughters bedroom I came across a packet of coloured plastic laces. I seem to remember them being called scoobie's (or something like that) and where used for making bracelets. There are some very interesting colours in the pack and they looked ideal for fly bodies!

The one I used for the fly is clear with a colourd rope running down the middle and when tied on looks very similar to beads.

Tight lines.....Rich

Squid skin. Like sili skin

2011-12-13T18:17:00.002Z

If anyone would like some Squid skin please drop me an email at m4dc4t@gmail.com. I will be doing a mixed sample pack of various colours selected from those pictured for £3.99 plus postage.

New Sparkle fibre colours. Like SF flash blend.

2011-12-13T11:22:00.004Z

I used Steve Farrar flash blend for nearly all my baitfish patterns but was dissapointed with the quality being so inconsistent, especially the amount of flash and the way it is blended. Personally I find the price to be far too expensive as well.....

Recently I decided to develop my own range of flash blend and after many months of testing materials I finally found what I was looking for. I have been testing this new range of Sparkle fiber for around 6 months and I am very happy with the results. I blend the fibers myself so I can control the amount of flash and so far everyone who has tried it loves it!!

Here are a few new colours I will be selling on ebay.

Tight lines......Rich

December competition news.

2011-12-12T14:52:00.004Z

I will be running a free competition this month to win a selection of materials worth over £50.00!
Simply email me and I will add your name into the draw.
Dont forget to follow my blog as I will be adding details of the prizes over the next few days.

Good luck!

super simple Pike fly

2011-12-11T22:33:00.002Z

Easy to tie and fishes very well. I caught quite a few Pike, Perch and even a chub using this fly!

I tie it in sizes 2, 1 and 1/0 using either baitfish body or E-Z body in various colours, the most successful being pearl, silver and chartreuse. The one pictured is tied with peacock E-Z body.

Can be fished in a variety of ways by adding foam to the hook before putting on the tubing making it into a surface fly or even a quick sink fly by adding either dumnnell eyes or some solder wrapped around the shank.

Tight lines......Rich

bead fly for Pike or Saltwater.

2011-12-11T12:58:00.002Z

These beads make a great body on any fly. They are light weight and have a fantastic reflective pearly finish. Tied on a size 1 stainless hook with ostritch hearl and bucktail.

Tight lines.........Rich

Hybrid flies.

2011-12-08T20:36:00.003Z

A friend of mine rang me the other day asking for a couple of my "hybrid" flies. These are his favourite patterns and nearly all his fish have been caught using these in various colours and sizes.

These patterns have a nice slim profile when wetted and the natural materials they are tied with give excellent movement when retrieved.

Tight lines....>Rich

Diamond Hard UV resin shrimp.

2011-12-04T23:30:00.002Z

A quick shrimp pattern tied with EP fibre and Diamond Hard resin. The resin is excellent as you can put a nice thick layer on and the torch will still penetrate and cure it perfectly. This simply is the best resin you can buy!

Tight lines........Rich

New fireflash material

2011-12-03T12:06:00.004Z

I have been using this material for a few weeks now and am really impressed with it. The flash in the material is slightly coarser than angel hair and has a slight crinkle to it giving a nice "fish scale" appearence.

Tight lines..........Rich

New Dumbbell eyes.

2011-12-01T21:15:00.002Z

I have just bought in some great dumbbell eyes. They are approx 7mm in diameter and are perfect for Pike and saltwater flies. They also have realistic 3D eyes ready attached making them THE best looking dumbbells out there.....:o)

Tight lines.......Rich

squid skin and kustom fibre flies

2011-12-01T00:04:00.003Z

Here are a couple of flies I tied recently. I really like how the squid skin one turned out, the colours are nice and understated.

The kustom fibre was tied in EP style and coloured with pro markers. Kustom fibre is slightly stiffer than EP fibre and lends itself really well to this pattern.

Tight lines........Rich

Nice simple Pike fly tutorial.

2011-11-29T13:22:00.012Z

This is a fly I have been using for a while now and is one of my "go to" flys when I first visit a water. I call it the firework bunny as it uses rabbit strip and Deer Creek firework braid. It can be dressed in many different colours and sizes and has a fantastic action when retrieved.

The hook is a new pattern I am testing, it is similar in style to the Varivas 2600V and is certainly strong and sharp! I am positive this hook will be a huge success with the Pike fly tyers so keep posted for more news on price and availability.

I want to talk a little about the UV resin I am using. This is Deer Creek's UV resin kit and unlike a lot of other resins this dries absolutely tack free in about 5 seconds! I used Bug Bond for a while but found the quality of the resin was not as good as the Diamond hard. For example, the adhesion properties of BB are not as good as DH, BB does not cure as quick as DH and if you drop some marabou or CDC onto cured BB it will stick to it where nothing sticks to cured DH!

I will do a side by side compariosn of the 2 resins as soon as I can

Materials used are as follows.

Thread. Danvilles flymaster plus
Hook. Size 2/0
Olive rabbit strip.
White marabou
White bucktail
Deer Creek firework braid
Deer Creek diamond hard UV resin kit (awesome)
Eyes. 6mm pearl mirage eyes

The new hook I am trying. Similar pattern to Varivas 2600V .

First tie in a length of rabbit strip at the back of the hook.

Run a bead of UV resin under the bunny strip where it meets the hook and cure it. This helps to kick out the strip and prevent tangles.

Advance your thread about 3mm and tie in some marabou all the way round the hook

Advance your thread again and tie in a bunch of bucktail spreading it evenly all around the hook. Carry on to the eye of the hook with the thread then wrap back to the bucktail tie in point. This ensures a nice even head.

Tie in a few strands of crystal flash and the firework braid. Palmer the braid to the fook eye and whip finish.

Add some eyes and build up a head using the UV resin.

Tight lines......Rich

Squid Skin. Pike pattern

2011-11-28T18:44:00.004Z

The material I have sourced is now called squid skin as it is very soft and some colours are transparent just like a squid....:o)

This is one of my favourite squid skins as it actually looks like a pikes skin! Perfect for making small pike patterns and other baitfish.

Squid skin is 1mm thick which makes it thicker than sili skin and much easier to use. I have found squid skin stretches nicely so you can use a smaller amount and stretch it around the body tubing skeleton.
More pics to follow soon!

Its been a long time!

2011-11-27T19:43:00.008Z

After a much needed time out with my family I decided to close my website as I could not devote the time needed and still have enough time left for work/family commitments.

I now have the time to concentrate on my ebay sales and this blog. I have had many people contact me asking to start posting again, and for this I am very grateful.

My first topic will be Sili Skin and its uses, alternatives, and cost!

Ever since Metz launched its range of Sili Skin I have been a huge fan. It lends itself especially well to Saltwater and Pike patterns and when used correctly can make some very realistic looking baitfish patterns. My main issue with the material is its cost! It is bloody expensive and can be difficult to use causing mistakes and wasteage.

After seeing a few baitfish patterns using this material I decided to have a go at creating a fairly easy to tie yet realistic looking perch pattern using my own version of Sili Skin (more about this later). My main problem was creating the "bulk" of the body as the skin material is basically flat. I did not want to use foam as this would create a boyount fly so after much messing about and trying different things I finally came up with using the range of body tubing I have recently sourced as a skeleton for the skin.

This tubing is similar to E-Z body as it retains its round shape when tied in and creates a perfect frame for the skin. The actual skin itself is basically the same base material as Sili Skin but I have had my own custom finishes to allow a variety of fish patterns to be tied. The skin will be available shortly so anyone who is interested please drop me a line to kustom.flyz@googlemail.com

I will try and do a step by step for the fly I designed but for now a few pics will have to do. Some of you may have seen these already as Nik from Deer Creek posted them on his facebook page.

The new eyes are here.......

2011-03-15T19:14:00.005Z

The eyes are finally finished and I am happy to say have turned out really good.

The detail of the original art work has not been lost on the smaller eyes which is always a concern of mine.

16 new colours/styles/sizes will be on http://www.kustom-flyz.com/ very soon!

Tight Lines.....

EZ/EP Hybrid Perch

2011-03-11T22:00:00.003Z

I was messing around at the vice last night and decided to make a fly using both EZ body and EP fibers to represent a small baitfish.

I think it turned out rather well and I cant wait to fish with it.

Materials are as follows.

Tail: EZ Body large and peacock angel hair.

Body: EP fibre tied top and bottom and each side the hook shank (3 lots)

Head: 3/8" flexi cord in silver/pearl

Hook: Size 1 34007 pattern

My 9 year old son Oliver's new fly!!

2011-03-10T18:46:00.004Z

My son Oliver is still fly tying and making his dad very proud with his creations and determination.

He is improving with every fly he ties and is starting to design his own flies and colour schemes.

Here is his latest creation. (I have messed around with the background in photoshop)

Classic Deceiver for the Pike....

2011-03-09T11:21:00.006Z

I decided to tie a few of the old classic patterns as I have a load of Bucktail I very rarely use...

First up is the famous and hugely successful Lefty's Deceiver.

The Lefty's Deceiver was not originally intended for Pike as it was designed as a saltwater fly, but it has caught so many different species of fish in salt and fresh water I thought I would tie a few up and give them a go for the small Pike and Perch on my local stretch of the Erewash.

All tied on 34007 patterns in size 1.

Try and keep the head as neat as possible. Its very easy to get them too bulky which in my opinion looks awful...

Tight Lines.....

Roach Eye and new fibre colours.

2011-03-05T14:22:00.004Z

This is another one of my new patterns and has been designed to replicate a roach eye.

I enhanced the Iris so it will stand out more when the sizes are reduced and also softened the edges to give the eye a more realistic appearance. I am not a big fan of harsh lines around the pupil and iris of the current Gator style, I think they look more like an "alien" eye rather than something created by mother nature.

Also I have some new Kustom Fibre colours in a range of Neon's. perfect for attractor patterns!

Tight Lines....Rich

NEW Style realistic eyes!!

2011-03-04T19:18:00.004Z

I have been designing a new range of realistic eyes that will simply blow away anything currently on the market.

I will be sending out samples to field testers and pro tyers as soon as possible and they will be available for sale by the end of the month.

I am a firm believer that here in the UK where our waters are highly pressured the more realistic your fly looks the better chance of a bite!

Tight Lines.....Rich

Small jointed perch fly

2011-03-03T21:25:00.004Z

This smaller version of the jointed fry fly is perfect for smaller perch and Pike and I am sure it would catch a large variety of saltwater species as well!

The hook shank is left exposed to aid unhooking as it gives the pliers or your fingers good purchase.

Really good fun to tie and a break from the normal Pike/Saltwater patterns...

Jointed Pike Flies

2011-03-02T14:19:00.002Z

I have been experimenting with jointed flies as I wanted to re-create the action you get from a wobbled dead bait.

This movement represents a wounded fish which Pike find irresistable and finally I think I have perfected the fly for the job!

These 3 are tied on size 1/0, 3/0 and 4/0 hooks but I cant see why they could not be made smaller for Perch....

Tight Lines....

Perchy Tandem Flies

2011-02-26T16:35:00.004Z

Here are 2 Perchy versions of the popular tandem fly pattern.

Absolutely killer for Pike and large perch and can be tied in sizes ranging from 6 through to 4/0 depending on what size materials you have available.

The first one is tied using a size 4/0 eagle claw and EP fibres. The second is also tied using a 4/0 eagle claw and EZ body with an EP tail.

I brushed UV resin through the front of the fibres on the first patterns to help hold shape whilst in the water and prevent from tangling.

Tight Lines.....

New materials and flies!

2011-02-22T13:15:00.002Z

Its been a while since I last posted on my Blog. Mainly because of work, christmas and family commitments so apologies to all my followers.....

I have been researching new materials and refreshing old ones to come up with a selection of flies for this years Pike trips. Stay tuned for pics and tutorials on my website http://www.kustom-flyz.com/

I have had some good success fishing the fly on a light spinning rod tight in the margins and have taken fish to 4lb (when the water hasnt been frozen!). Not the biggest Pike I have caught but a nice to be out fishing...

This is the fly I caught the Pike with.

Bill Murphy's famous EZ body tubing

2010-12-06T23:38:00.003Z

I am happy to announce that Kustom Flyz are stocking Bill Murphys range of EZ body tubing.

This product has a massive following accross the globe for saltwater fishing and I hope to incorporate it into many of our saltwater and freshwater predator patterns over the next few months.

Look out on the website as I will be selling sample packs containing a wide variety of colours and sizes allowing you to try many variations of this product without the huge price tag!

Kustom Squid!

2010-12-02T00:07:00.004Z

Hi folks!

Squid fly tied with rabbit zonker, crystal flash, and bucktail. The eyes are glued onto a mono loop before being tied onto the fly.

Inspired by a fly Nik from Deer Creek sent me

Renzo Callebert does it again!!

2010-11-15T16:04:00.004Z

Caught on a fly tied with Kustom Fibre!

Renzo Callebert is one of Belgiums finest Pike fly anglers and a valued customer of Kustom Flyz!

He sends us photo's of his catches on a regular basis and I think this one is not only a great looking Pike but also a great picture!

Well done Renzo!

Website News

2010-11-11T09:42:00.003Z

I havent posted in a while as all my time has been spent sourcing materials and getting the website running smoothly!

Free postage worldwide for a limited period only!!

New Kustom fibre colours, coming soon!

I am pleased to announce that I have secured the only available UK source of 9" long angel hair! This means no more importing from the USA or paying silly prices for a small pack that will only tie a few flies!

Also, I have done a deal with Bill Murphy of EZ Body fame, and will be stocking his products very soon!

Finally, look out on the website for the new Kustom Fibe Flash Blend. A fantastic material created by blending our own angel hair with kustom fibre. Equally as good as similar products but cheaper!!!

Website has gone Live!!!!!

2010-09-05T12:57:00.003+01:00

Hiya folks

Finally www.kustom-flyz.com has gone live! I havent got all the stuff on there yet as I am waiting on delivery's and my camera has finally gone bust so I am stuck for taking pictures.
I have a new camera on order which should be here tomorrow so hopefully next week should see the site pretty much finished.
I went to Chatsworth country fair on friday with my family and had a great time! The only dissapointment for me was the lack of fishing stalls. Since the demise of the Chatsworth angling fair they really need to get their act together and get something sorted.... So instead of me buying some fly tying bargians I bought a helicopter and a huge oil burner for my open fire! (maybe I should have saved my money for the british fly fair in October)

Finally I have just recieved some very fine flash material in faitly long lengths. Its finer than standard flash but coarser than Angel Hair. Look out on the website later in the week as I will be selling this at a great price!!

Flies and country fair's....

2010-09-02T15:53:00.006+01:00

I am off to the famous Chatsworth country fair tomorrow where I hope to pick up some fly tying bargains and spend the day chatting to friends and enjoying the days events. I may even enter our Parson Jack Russell 'Lucy' in the Terrier show if she behaves herself!!

I hope to take plenty of pictures of the days events and do a report some time over the weekend.

You can find information on the show at. www.chatsworthcountryfair.co.uk

(dont let the pic fool you she may still be a puppy but shes a bloody menace)

In the meantime here are a few pics of Pike and Saltwater flies I recently tied.

Pink/White Hybrid Pike Fly

2010-08-31T21:16:00.004+01:00

Hiya everyone

I have returned from my holidays refreshed and relaxed and thought I would break myself in gently with a couple of Hybrid fly's.

This one is a pink and white variation and uses the following materials.

Mustad 34007 1/0
Throat: Pink arctic fox
Tail: Pink and white bucktail
Body: Mirage Tinsel
underwing: Pink Bucktail
Wing: Claret and Pink grizzle saddle hackles

Holidays and Mylar Minnow's......

2010-08-11T11:06:00.002+01:00

Hiya Folks!

This might be my last post for a few days as we are going on holiday......YIPPEE!!! Hopefully me and the kids will get some fishing done while Lisa is shopping and I have also packed my fly tying travel kit so I wont be bored if the weather turns nasty.

I purchased a new mobile phone that runs on the google android software so fingers crossed I will still be blogging from my holidays. (I just love technology)

The piccy today is of a Mylar minnow I tied for a friend recently, he is using it for saltwater fishing but I reckon it will make a great Perch or Chub pattern. I might give one a go when I return.

sandeel pattern.......

2010-08-06T21:15:00.002+01:00

This is a very simple sandeel pattern and is perfect for all kinds of saltwater fishing. I have even caught a few Pike on these!!

Materials: mylar tubing,kustom fibre, Kustom fritz,realistic eyes.

Thread: UTC 140 hot orange

Hook: size 1 aberdeen

Fly Art.....

2010-08-04T17:38:00.003+01:00

This particular picture is actually one of my favourites. The background has been desaturated before applying a Pastel on Canvas effect to achieve a simple but effective design.

Fly: Big eye ultra shrimp (own pattern)

Materials: Cream hackle stems and hackles. Copper wire,UV crystal flash,White chenille,pearl mylar.

Hook: Partridge of Redditch 2/0 stainless steel.

Thread: mono

Eyes 4mm orange Kustom eyes.

The art work has been done on Photoshop CS4.

Fly Art......

2010-08-03T22:00:00.003+01:00

These 2 tube flies are tied using the Tubeology kit on 1" aluminium tubes and aluminium cone heads. Materials include, arctic marble fox,metz magnum saddles and bucktail.

The artwork has been done using Photoshop CS4.

Razor Scissors gone blunt!!!

2010-08-03T14:54:00.003+01:00

Above: Titanium bonded scissors

Above: Blunt Razor scissors...:o(

Several weeks ago my rather expensive Razor scissors went blunt! Now these scissors aern't cheap, £25.00 a pair for branded name scissors and to be honest they hadn't done that much work. They had mainly been used for trimming synthetics on Pike and Saltwater baitfish patterns as the 5" blades where perfect for this kind of work.

I decided to try and source a cheaper pair of scissors for this kind of work and I am glad to say I have found them!! They are around £4.99-£9.99 a pair depending on size, have titanium bonded blades and come in a range of sizes making them perfect for a wide variety of jobs.

I have been using mine now for several weeks and they are still as sharp as the day I purchased them. They have cut everything from bucktail to flash material and synthetic fibres and the length of blade makes them excellent for trimming baitfish patterns and Puglisi type flies. The blades and points aern't fine enough for detailed work on small flies but that's not what I wanted them for, they are however perfect as a cheap alternative to the Razor scissors for trimming long materials.

They may not look as nice as the Razor scissors but at less than half the price I am not complaining.....

If anyone is interested in a pair please get in touch.

Kustom Fibre Saltwater Baitfish

2010-08-02T20:33:00.003+01:00

A simple but very effective saltwater pattern that covers a wide range of fishing applications. Tied using Kustom fibre and the realistic range of eyes.

Hook: Eagle Claw 2/0 circle

Material: Kustom Fibre (parma violet,baitfish belly,burple blend)

Eyes: 8mm chameleon realistic eyes

Thread: UTC 140 white

Green holographic tinsel wrapped complete length of shank.

Handmade Custom Hair Stackers.

2010-07-28T11:18:00.005+01:00

A while ago I posted about my struggles with the current range of commercial hair stackers and there inability to handle long bucktail. Since then I have been hard at work refining my own design and finally I am happy with the results.

I had to make 3 different jigs to mount the wood on to get the deired results but it was definately worth the effort.

Darrell over at http://www.flydressers-guild-herts-branch.co.uk/ commissioned this one and I am really happy with the results.

Holy Land Olive Wood was his material of choice but I have lots of different woods from plain ash to the more exotic snake wood!

If you are interested in having your very own custom hair stacker made please get in touch.

2010-07-26T20:33:00.003+01:00

I have been experimenting with a type of angel hair I call Kustom sparkle fibre. It has the same properties as angel hair but has a far better colour range.

I have been adding it in the middle of the fly as a sort of flashy lateral line and it seems to work really well.

The only downside is the fibre length, its only 3.5" so you cant really dress an entire Pike fly with it.

A bucket load of New things!!

2010-07-22T20:52:00.008+01:00

It's been quite a while since my last post on here so I am going to make this a good one...:o)

I have been researching new products, designing new eyes, tying flies and building a new website so my time hasnt totally been wasted.

First up are the new range of ultra realistic eyes. These have been designed as an attractor pattern with a micro glitter backing that reflects alot of light. I am still a firm believer in offering top quality products at realistic prices so please feel free to contact me if you are interested.

Next up is a fantastic range of Synthetic fibre I call 'Kustom Fibre'. This really is as good if not better than the top brands out there and comes in a huge colour range including some awesome blended shades.

I am offering this in a very generous 16" hank at £1.79 and if you buy 10 colours you will recieve 2 free!!

Finally I have been tying plenty of Pike and Saltwater flies for customers and also for my website which will be opening in a couple of days.....:o)

Tight lines everyone!

New crystal eyez baitfish

2010-04-28T16:09:00.002+01:00

Hiya all...

I have been playing around with the new crystal eyez, using them in place of the standard or jurassic eyes and I personally think they look great!!

I personally think they are the way forward when using 3D eyes on your flies especially when trying to achieve a more realistic look to the pattern you are tying.

The most realistic adhesive fish eyes in the world!!!

2010-04-07T00:36:00.004+01:00

Hiya everyone

For the last few months I have been working on a new range of fly/lure eyes that are based on actual fish eyes. lets be honest,99.9% of all the so called 'realistic' lure eyes actually look nothing like real fishes eyes so I decided to have a go at designing some myself. I think they turned out rather well...:o)

These will be available within the next couple of weeks in 8mm and 10mm in gold and 8mm in chameleon and red. If anyone is interested please email me at m4dc4t@gmail.com and I will put you down on the mailing list.

Cheers....Rich

New colour 'Hybrid' flies...

2010-03-29T14:29:00.002+01:00

Hiya all.....

Here are a couple of Hybrid flies I have tied. The first one is basically all Chartreuse,the second being a mixture of claret,olive and hot orange with some UV flash thrown in as well!

All are tied on Mustad 34007 stainless hooks,not because they need to be stainless I just like that particular pattern of hook and I happen to have them in stainless!

Zonker Minnow

2010-03-28T17:44:00.002+01:00

Hiya All.....

I have been messing around with Rabbit Zonker strips lately and decided to have a go at enlarging a roach fry pattern designed for trout! This particular one has been tied on a 3/0 fulling mill 32461. They are so easy to tie and very effective in the water. I may add a loop of stiff flourocarbon to the back of the next one to help with tangling.

Even more eyes!!! New colours....

2010-03-23T17:42:00.005Z

These arrived the other day,more eyes in various colours and sizes. I now have 35 different colour/size combinations!

I know thats probably way too many different kinds of eyes but I like to mess around with colour and size. I doubt the colour of the eye makes that much difference to the fly but it keeps me happy and that's what counts...:o)

I especially like the fine glitter silver/purple/black,they look stunning in day light!!

Slikk Squid!

2010-03-16T15:41:00.004Z

Hiya all....

While browsing one of the popular American fly tying forums I came accross a Squid pattern that looked pretty cool so I thought I would give it a go.

This one of course has my own little modifications in materials and colour and I have named it the 'Slikk Squid'.

I reckon this would be perfect for all manner of UK saltwater species,anyone fancy giving this a go give me a shout and I will send you one to try out.

sand eels and easy baitfish patterns.

2010-03-12T19:23:00.003Z

Hiya all......

I got asked a few weeks ago to make a sand eel pattern that had to incorporate my teardrop eyes for Bass fishing off the South coast. I came up with the idea of using the eyes as the head of the fly allowing me to create a neat looking pattern without the use of epoxy or UV resin.

While I had the orange synthetics on my tying desk I thought why not make a Pike fly with the same materials as I like the colours! I put some UV flash through the middle of the Pike fly and it shows up really well, I reckon this one will be an awesome pattern!!!

New ties:

2010-02-25T18:35:00.003Z

Hi all.

Apologies for not updating the blog these last few days,various other things have taken up my time.

Whilst tidying my kids bedroom I came across some material that looked like a nylon braid,it was attached to a pen that had broke so I thought I will have a go at making something from it and here are the results.

There is 30lb mono running inside the tubing as well as some orange crystal flash. I think the fly turned out rather well and I cant wait to try it on the pike.

Fleyez and Eyez.......

2010-02-14T17:01:00.004Z

I came across these iridescent eyes a while ago and immediately thought that they where the most realistic stick on fish eye I had ever seen!! They shimmer in the light and have the same translucent quality of a real fish eye. Perfect for adding to a realistic baitfish pattern!

Email m4dc4t@gmail.com if you are interested in the eyes.

Handmade Hair Stackers!!!

2010-02-13T16:19:00.008Z

A couple of weeks ago I was struggling stacking some very long Bucktail in my Dr Slick hair stacker, every time I banged the stacker to line up the points the hair would come out and go everywhere!

I told a friend at my local tackle shop of the problem and he said that most hair stackers are simply not tall enough to cope with long bucktail and I had to do it the old fashioned way and line them up by hand.

I mentioned this problem to my Father and he came up with the idea of making our own stackers! After a few attempts we finally got it right and here are the results... I think they look far nicer than any commercially available stackers and being handmade they can be customised to your own needs.

Email m4dc4t@gmail.com if you are intersted in having your own custom hair stacker made

Awesome saltwater, pike eyes!!

2010-02-11T12:26:00.005Z

Hi all......

I have just aquired some really nice holographic eyes. These have either a micro glitter effect or tiny little holographic squares. (I have scanned the eyes at high res so you can see the detail).

In natural light they have an almost rainbow effect to them and I am sure will prove to be a great target point for any predatory fish.

Anybody wanting a few freebies just email me and I will give you details for sending me a stamped addressed envelope. Email is at top right of page..

Metz Magnum Saddles....

2010-02-07T16:32:00.003Z

I have a fairly good selection of standard Metz and Whiting saddles in various colours and have been using them primarily for tying in whole across the back of pike/saltwater flies. My only problem with these hackles is they are very fine and can break easily, although on a plus side they do have fantastic movement in water!

A few months ago I came across the Metz range of 'Magnum' saddles and I immediately knew these where what I had been looking for.....

They have fantastic movement in water,good length and more importantly seem stronger than the standard saddle feathers. They come in a great range of colours,perfect for the more brightly coloured Pike/Saltwater flies I tie!

Simply a beautiful colour.....

2010-02-02T15:10:00.005Z

A friend of mine owns a tackle business in the north of England and he dyes various materials in the most exquisite colours I have ever seen! He is not afraid to experiment and will mix several different dyes to achieve the colour he wants. I have had several Metz saddles off him and each one is stunning but my favourite has to be this one (hot orange badger). The colours have to be seen in daylight to be really appreciated,the whole saddle almost glows!!

I have tied a variant of my Hybrid pattern on a strong but fine wire hook and dressed it fairly sparse using the saddle hackles for the back. I have also left in alot of the 'fluff' at the head of the fly as this gives it added movement.

Natural materials, are they past it?

2010-01-30T17:43:00.004Z

I have been pondering lately if there is still a need for natural materials in Saltwater/Pike flies..

There is such a vast range of synthetic materials out there to choose from,making dressing a complete fly in synthetics not only easy but effective and affordable!

I personally love natural materials and the action they have in the water,but a fly dressed mainly with naturals is usually alot heavier to cast requiring a stiffer action rod. A fly dressed in synthetics will shed the water on the back cast allowing you to get away with a lighter rod and have more fun with the fish!

If you tie a few flies then cost also becomes an issue. A decent quality saddle will cost you the best part of £20.00 and thats just one material and one colour! Add some bucktail,deer hair,icelandic sheep,and a few others and before you know it £50.00 has gone! You will get a fair few flies out of one saddle but what if you want 2 or 3 colours??

Now not all synthetics are cheap, but the ones mainly used are very affordable allowing you to have a vast range of colours in your kit at little cost.

But.......In my opinion there is just no substitute for a Pike/Saltwater fly dressed in naturals.They just look so damn good both in and out the water and are a pleasure to tie. I just love them!!!!

New colour synthetic hackle!

2010-01-28T00:47:00.005Z

I am very fortunate to have a contact who sends me materials to try whenever he gets them and this new material he sent me has got me very excited!!!

This material is basically a synthetic type hackle that comes in some lovely colours including the UV black I have been sent.

Now,the synthetic hackle isnt new but I have always found the colours very limited. This material will be coming in a huge variety including the special UV types that I like so much!!

This material makes my life so much easier as its now possible to wind a uniform large head/collar onto a fly without having to faff around with dubbing loops!

From saltwater to freshwater. The 'Big Eye Ultra Shrimp'

2010-01-26T17:06:00.008Z

I have tied this version of the Ultra Shrimp for quite a while now and its versitilaty makes this fly a must have for many species of fish both here in the UK and abroad, in saltwater and fresh! A true 'Jack of all trades'.

The main difference between the original ultra shrimp tied by Bob Popovics and mine is the lack of an Epoxy carapace and mono eyes... The reason for this is simple, I have thousands of small eyes so need an excuse to use them and I prefer a mylar carapace as it allows me to play around with colours and styles best suited to my fishing. (plus the wife doesnt moan about the epoxy smell!).

The Mylar is ribbed with either clear mono or fine copper wire to segment the body slightly and help lock in the hackles.

Maybe not a true 'shrimp' pattern but an effective one all the same...

3-D fly, lure eyes, are they too expensive?

2010-01-25T09:43:00.009Z

I tie alot of flies and found the cost of the 3-D eyes was just too much! After all, you can go into a craft store and buy 100 googly eyes for 0.99p! so why are holographic lure eyes so expensive? I mean £2.55 for 20! Thats outrageous.

After much research I found a reliable supplier (harder than you think) and several emails later we agreed on a minimum order quantity of 5,000 per colour and size. Now, I use alot of different size eyes and the huge variety of colours available where too much to resist so I made my first order for 55,000 eyes!! This cost a small fortune and my wife was not very happy....

On the posative side I really dont need that many eyes so I kept 5,000 for myself and decided to sell the rest on ebay and to friends and family at good prices that anyone can afford. (£1.99 for 50,depending on size and colour).

What I found was that not only does size increase the cost but shape and colour also. Most fly tying/lure making retailers sell the basic silver or red 2 colour eyes which are the cheapest to make and import. If you start adding 3 colours into the eyes or using a pearlescent or glitter background the costs start to increase but still nowhere near enough to warrant the retail prices.

Do we really need all these fancy coloured eyes?

I personally think the eyes are a vital part of the fly,they give the fish a target point and also add realism. If you are trying to immitate a baitfish then adding the eyes is as important as the overall shape and balance. Dont forget if you have confidence in the fly you have tied you will fish it better!

So,back to my original question,are they too expensive?

I am fortunate to be friends with a few people who work in fishing tackle retail so I know how much they pay from their supplier, and believe me the fishing tackle store is not making much money! The bulk of the cost is charged by the suppliers,they are the ones making the money but they are also the ones who have to import,package and distribute them.

I personally think the suppliers are being too greedy, I realise they have to make money but there is plenty of room to either cut the cost or add more product for the same price especially as most of them are only offering basic 2 colour eyes.

My advice is this, If you only want the basic 2 colour eyes or maybe you only want a few then support your local tackle shops. If you want a greater variety or want a larger quantity then shop around,there are some good deals to be had...:o)

The Hybrid

2010-01-22T21:30:00.003Z

I have never been afraid to try new things and having a canal full of Pike on my doorstep has allowed me to try weird and wonderful creations pretty much whenever I want.

I remember seeing a Salmon pattern a while ago (cant remember the name) and thinking I would love to incorporate some of the design and materials into a Pike fly. I decided to go with a short shank circle hook rather than a traditional long shank pattern as this suited the kind of fly I had in mind., although I have tied this pattern on Ad Swier and Fulling Mill long shank pike hooks with equal success..

This fly has a beautiful action and compresses nicely into a baitfish profile when in the water.

I used a multitude of materials in this fly both natural and synthetic which I shall list.

UTC 140 chartreuse thread

Eagle Claw 5/0 circle hook

Translucent red 15mm blob fritz

mirage tinsel (wide) for the body

Polar flash (available from Deer Creek)

Pink and White Bucktail

Holographic red tinsel

yellow grizzle Metz magnum saddle feathers

Metz grade 2 light blue dun hackles

I will eventually put up a tying guide if anyone is interested.

Fly tyers of the future!!

2010-01-22T12:21:00.004Z

(above picture fly tied by 8 year old son)

My 8 year old son and 7 year old daughter both love to sit with me whilst I am tying and one day not so long ago they asked if they could have a go!!

Sharp scissors,hook points, and children are the perfect recipe for disaster so I unwillingly sat them both down with a spare vice each and tried my hardest to teach them how to tie a basic generic saltwater/pike fly.
As it turned out they had far more talent than I originally credited them and it was me who constantly got his finger jabbed whilst trying to show them a whip finish!!
I am a firm believer that if you spend time with your children reading,playing even fly tying it will give them such an advantage later in life. Far too many children nowdays spend all their time in front of the TV or games consoles.

Already my 2 youngest children can tie flies and make the most exquisite dolls house miniatures. Maybe this wont help them get that perfect job but it will help increase and develop their creative imagination which can only be a good thing......

Are fly tying tools worth their money?

2010-01-21T18:31:00.000Z

I have long been a believer in the saying 'you get what you pay for'. My parents always purchased the best they could afford and that attitude has rubbed off on me.

I have always been a big fan Dr Slick scissors as they are good quality and sharp (although very pricey!). so I decided to try and find where scissors like these are manufactured and why they are so damn expensive!

Needles to say I found the company that supplies many fly tying companies (who shall remain nameless) with their tools. I sent off for samples so I could check both quality and price and was shocked at what I found. I am not going to start listing prices here but lets just say the fly tying companies should be ashamed of themselves..

Above are some pics of the tools that arrived. I know its hard to see from a picture but these scissors and tools are as good quality as the top names!

Check out DeerCreek.co.uk as they will be carrying a selection of these tools at the right price!

Custom Pike and Saltwater Flies

2010-01-21T16:08:00.001Z

Hi all...
Welcome to my Blog, this page is dedicated to Pike and Saltwater fly tying and fishing. I am a relative newbie compared to some but the time,effort and creative flair I put into my fly tying has helped people catch fish all over the world both in fresh and saltwater..
I am always learning and hopefully this blog will introduce me to new people (and I to them) allowing us to create new and exciting patterns for us to use!