Crochetted jigs and flies

[fish_4_all]

Thought I would share this with all of you as it has turned out to be a very versatile method to make jigs and flies and catches a lot of different species.

With the smaller ones I have caught:
Rainbow trout, cutthroat, steelhead, green ling, kelp green ling, surf perch, shiner perch, rock perch, and other salt water fish.
The larger ones have caught steelhead, salmon, sea bass, green ling, kelp greenling, ling cod (only juviniles so far) Cabezon and large surf perch but only twice. (hook too big and was just a fluke)

I also sent some to someone on the east coast and they caught some nice fish on them including sea trout, stripers and drum. Another one in Eastern Washington has caught walleye on them, the smaller to medium sized ones in leech colors.

The method is basic once you get used to it. Can be a pain learning it but it works and you can create some really cool patterns.

The instruction for Fly Crocheting

The link shows how to tie them. I use Larva Lace for the smaller ones and I use craft lace that you buy from any craft store for the larger ones.

To give them shape and weight, I use lead weight trolling line and wrap it aorund the shank ater I have tied in the lace material. Then I use a pair of pliers to flatten it out so it will hold the shape better. If I want to be able to add scent or some more color I add chenille before the lead but after the lace is tied in.

I plan to switch to non lead when I can find it, if they make trolling line that is not lead based.

If you don't want them weighted they still turn out nice. I will normally tie in an axtra piece or two of lace on the sides of the hook to give it some solid shape before crochetting them. A extra piece of craft lace or two works great for the larger jigs to give them some really good body and to make them flat like a leech or to make them flutter as they fall on the drop.

I have never added tails to them but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

As you can imagine, it can be done with chenille or crystal flash of any kind or pretty much anything else that will flex enough to form the laced pattern for some really nice looking combinations.

 

[Troutski]

Wonderful...

Wonderful...

Those things look great....are they your invention ? I really like the ones that look like nymphs....probable last longer than ones made from traditional materials. Very cool looking presentations.

Chuck

 

[FishFinger]

What a great innovation.

They look totally "buggy". The segmentation is wonderful. It's a wide open opportunity to match nymphs and attractor patterns. You could run the table with those.

Thank you for sharing this.

 

[FishSchooler]

Grubbulus maximus. Very nice... lures? Flies? I like them.

 

[chris61182]

Very cool! And it's not like my wife wouldn't mind parting with some of her yarn.

 

[osmosis]

those things look good. is that material bouyant?

those black and purple ones with a little crystal flash would make a killer beetle.

 

[Fishtopher]

Wow.

Wow.

Huh:think:...just when you thought ya'd seen it all...crazy. Whatta great idea.:clap:

 

[fish_4_all]

The material really isn't boyant but isn't really heavy unless they are weighted. They are kind of my creation taking the crochet technique and using the lace material the way I did.

The first ones are actually pretty small, I think they are tied on a #10 37160 mustad, the curved ones anyway. Most are on other fly hooks in a size 10 or 8.

The small ones can be used for flies for sure. They are light enough that they will probably get to about 3 feet deep in a 10-20 foot drift depending on the line being used and current speed.

The large ones are really too heavy for standard fly fishing although I guess a 2 handed fly rod with heavy line could throw them pretty well.

I have tied them all the way down to a size 14 and up to a 5/0 salmon hook so no size is too small or too big.

On a bobber used as a jig, they sink okay in still water if they are not weighted, even the little ones but in a current they really don't get very deep. I have a lot of weighted ones as I use them for salmon and salt water mostly and have to get deep quick.

As for durability, they are tough! I have used them for hours and not had them come apart except for the occassional tip coming out from the tie off. Even when this happens they still fish really well and hold together for a long time. The crochet/weave is very tight and doesn't unravel just because a tip comes loose.

I have tried to sell them locally but the old timers here are so set in their ways I had very little interest. Even catching fish with them didn't seem to persuade them to try them. Not like I was charging what stores do for lures or jigs.

 

[FishFinger]

Old timers scoffing at your idea... I too have been met with the same disdain when I showed off my sand shrimp pattern. The next year Kaufmanns had one in their catalog.

 

[joesnuffy]

Very cool, where's the link to the video instruction on Utube? hint hint

 

[fish_4_all]

Old timers scoffing at your idea... I too have been met with the same disdain when I showed off my sand shrimp pattern. The next year Kaufmanns had one in their catalog.

Well where is it? I am always looking for a good shrimp pattern. I have tried to figures out how to add legs and a head to my crochetted monsters with no avail. But they catch fish all the same.

Do we do swaps or can we offer things to members here? For sale, trade or other?

 

[osmosis]

There is a buy/sale/trade section.
often things can be worked out by PM.

 

[1aB]

"fish 4 all", my jig mentor in PA has just developed a "velvet tube" jig he claims has solidly outfished any of his previous creations using late season trout as test subjects. Very similar in appearance to your "crochets" with the body not extending beyond the hook bend, but yours look better!

 

[Raincatcher]

Well where is it? I am always looking for a good shrimp pattern. I have tried to figures out how to add legs and a head to my crochetted monsters with no avail. But they catch fish all the same.

Do we do swaps or can we offer things to members here? For sale, trade or other?

Well shoot! If I was intent on selling something I made myself, I'd probably put out the word in as many threads as I could. And I would mention it as well as show pictures as often as I could squeeze it in. A person dosen't have to be obnoxious about it to do a good job presenting it. I am interested in picking up a dozen or so myself.
Barb

 

[FishFinger]

Well where is it? I am always looking for a good shrimp pattern. I have tried to figures out how to add legs and a head to my crochetted monsters with no avail. But they catch fish all the same.

Do we do swaps or can we offer things to members here? For sale, trade or other?

Here is an idea of what they look like

 

[fish_4_all]

I have seen ones similar to that before. Tied a couple that looked a little like them.

I have even made some of my crochetted patterns with a long crystal dubbing underneath. I then pulled it through with a needle and it had some bushiness to it but nothing like those. I wish I could get some real leggyness/bushiness to the bottom side but the lacing is so tight it is gonna be tough. Expecially on the curved patterns.

 

[fish_4_all]

What does everyone think of putting this pattern on a jig with a similar colored head or a bright colored head as an attractor pattern? Maybe do the same thing with a bead head?

 

[plunkme]

those shrimp ones look really nice, i wish there were instructions on how to do that, i would like to try and throw those underneath a bobber, or drift those to see if i could catch some salmon or steelies

 

[GraphiteZen]

Great flies, both types!!

Fish_4_All... Hats off to you man.. All the years gone by with all the variation in technique and here is what seems to be a completely new possibility... Is this your original thought? Have you taken out a design patent? :clap::clap::clap:

 

[fish_4_all]

I haven't gotten a design patent, can't find a way to get one for free so I doubt I ever will. Doesn't matter really as I it takes way too long to tie them to sell on any large scale. 3 an hours is bout my normal ties and that is really moving. Smaller ones maybe 4 per hour but that is about it.

I think a rotating vise will improve my time a little but who knows. Trying to make some on jig heads but haven't really fine tuned them yet. That and I am out of supplies.

To be honest, with what I have been working on my originals looks like really bad.