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Posts: 132
Location: MN | I have recently started building my own flashabou bucktails. I noticed that the flashabou I bought is narrower than the flashabou on Cowgirls. Apparently you can now buy the wider as well. My question is, does it matter what width of flashabou you use? I have built 6-8 with the narrow flashabou and it seems like it gets caught onto hooks easier than my Cowgirls, but not sure if that is the case or if I am just more critical of what I made. |
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Location: Pewaukee, WI | sounds like you're using the very thin tinsel flash (original flashabou) muskyjim. You might want to try Hedron's "Magnum Flashabou" which comes in a 20" package and has stands that are 1/32" in width or go to their salt water flashabou which has 1/16" strands and is far less apt to tangle in the hooks.  |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Agreed. The different sizes of Flashabou have been out for several years. There's a misconception that the thinner Flashabou will flare and "breathe" better, but it's not how it is. The thicker, 1/32 and 1/16 will flare better behind the blades, as well as not give you the same headaches with the tangling and wrapping.
Is it critical? No. Does it look better? Yeah, I think maybe so. But it also costs more too? The Magnum and Saltwater flash cost a good bit more than the standard stuff. So I do pay more from Hedron, but I think it makes a better bucktail and my customers, I think, agree. |
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Posts: 4266
| The fine strands are great for dressing up walleys jigs when you put just a few strands over bucktail, but for a muskie lure, you definitely want the wider stuff like Flashabou Magnum. They are coming out with new colors every day it seems. The shop that I get mine from got 8 new colors just last month. Awesome looking stuff. Glad to see that they are running with the craze too. Better for any of us who tie.
Beav |
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Posts: 132
Location: MN | Thanks for the info. Where can a person buy the wider stuff, either the 1/16 or 1/32?
Thanks again. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Any fly shop has it. Thorne's and Musky Shop carry it as well. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Beaver - 10/17/2009 6:17 PM
They are coming out with new colors every day it seems. The shop that I get mine from got 8 new colors just last month.
Yeah, they've got something like 10 new colors for '10.
They still need to make black pearl in the larger sizes, but not yet. At least not on their price list. |
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Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL | Heat shrink-wrap your hook shanks to help keep the flashabou (in any gauge) from tangling in the hooks. Push it down as far as possible to cover the area where the trebles meet the shank. This is where most of the tangling occurs.
Edited by Fish and Whistle 10/20/2009 12:50 PM
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Posts: 4266
| Call Reinke Brothers in Milwaukee. I was there yesterday and he just got in a batch of 1/32 in all sorts of new colors.
414-383-5591
They had some new Black there. Don't know if it's Black Pearl, but it looks more like black than their last attempt.
I've tied some with a large single Siwash hook to see if it helps reduce tangling.
Edited by Beaver 10/22/2009 2:49 AM
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Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL | This will solve a lot of the tangling issues. Push the shrink tube down far enough so it is flared out around the trebles.
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| Sorry, but I don't get it. The shrink tube looks like it should cover the hook eyelet to be effective. The picture just doesn't appear to me it would change the action of the flashabou that much. I hope someone can clarify the situation to me. Thanks. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | Dave - Fish & Whistle Thanks for sharing Great Idea, off to Meards for some shrink tubes. |
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Posts: 132
Location: MN | Shrink tube is a great idea. I typically put it on the hook eye and split ring to hold in place, looks like I need to cut tube longer.
Thanks. |
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| Fish and Whistle
can you explain how that tube can help in a way or other? |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | You put it on the shank when you hang the hook. Then you slide it up onto the back of the shaft and split ring and then shrink it. You don't shrink it on the hook shank, you shrink it half on the hook, half on the shaft. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | It will keep the Flashabou from getting wedge where the hooks meet at on the bottom of the treble hook, the shrink wrap acts like a skirt to keep the Flashabou from getting wedge and caught on the treble where they meet on the bottom of the treble. The key is to push down on the shrink wrap so it will flare the shrink wrap around the bottom of the 3 hooks as much as posible.
Edited by PIKEMASTER 10/23/2009 11:34 AM
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Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL | PIKEMASTER - 10/23/2009 11:14 AM
It will keep the Flashabou from getting wedge where the hooks meet at on the bottom of the treble hook, the shrink wrap acts like a skirt to keep the Flashabou from getting wedge and caught on the treble where they meet on the bottom of the treble. The key is to push down on the shrink wrap so it will flare the shrink wrap around the bottom of the 3 hooks as much as posible.
Exactly.
Only put the shrink tube over the hook eye and split rings on the back hook to hold the hook in line with the lure and keep from fouling. I let the front hook swing free.
On the front hook (and the back hook too if you want) put the shrink tube on the shank pushed all the way down over where the trebles meet (as shown in the photo) This is the main location that flash get stuck/pinched in the hooks I use a long piece of tubing so that it also flares at the eye to keep the shrink tubing from slipping up the shank and exposing the trouble area.
Edited by Fish and Whistle 10/23/2009 12:37 PM
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Posts: 4266
| I tried something just for the halibut, and it worked great. I took a 1" long piece of a 5" Kalins Grub body and pushed it over the eye and down on the shank of the treble as far as I could. I went to a local pond and tossed it about a dozen times and had no Flashabou stuck in the hook pinch points. I always seem to have chunks of plastic trailers laying around somewhere, well now I have a good use for them. Give it a try.
Beav
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Are you guys using the 1/69" standard flash, or are you using the 1/32" and 1/16"? I only use the larger stuff, and fouling and tangling in the hooks hasn't been an issue. I only use the shrink tube on the rear hook to keep it trained aft and up in the skirts. Beyond that, I've not had reason to keep the hooks free. |
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Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL | That's a good idea Beav and your recycling...not sure if we can say we are going "green"  I've thought about wrapping the "pinch" point with a thick thread and sealing it, but the one and only time I did it took way to long for my drive through cultured needs. Shrink tube and old grubs are the way to go.
Esoxfly: I use all thicknesses in one way or another (and in combination). The only stuff that hasn't tangled at all for me is the mega thick saltwater flash. Forget the 1/64" stuff for tails with flash only (If you watch it real close I'd swear you can see it tie itself in a knot while it is sitting on a table). I only use the thin stuff to add accents to my marabou tails. pm me and I'll send you one if you want to take a closer look. |
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Posts: 1348
Location: Pewaukee, WI | Guys, another option in using the thin original flashabou is in the application of tying it to a coil(s), but using a 7/0 or 8/0 single or double siwash hook on the bait. Not only is it a great bait for fishing in heavy weed growth, but you also avoid the tangled flashabou that occurs when using treble hooks. Something to consider if you are looking for a way to use up the thin stuff you already have. |
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Location: Loves Park, IL | Beav.....I do the same thing....works great! |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Fish and Whistle - 10/28/2009 11:43 PM
Esoxfly: I use all thicknesses in one way or another (and in combination). The only stuff that hasn't tangled at all for me is the mega thick saltwater flash. Forget the 1/64" stuff for tails with flash only (If you watch it real close I'd swear you can see it tie itself in a knot while it is sitting on a table). I only use the thin stuff to add accents to my marabou tails. pm me and I'll send you one if you want to take a closer look.
No need, I agree. But thanks Dave. I only use the 64th for a bit of color here and there in an otherwise marabou or hackle pattern. I only use Magnum or Saltwater for my baits that go out to customers and stores. I guess I've just never had sufficient complaint with tangling to warrant the extra shrink tube over the hook; either myself or a customer.
Edited by esoxfly 10/31/2009 12:37 AM
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