I like how creative you are creating your flies! The inspiration floods in whenever you get in the zone with fly tying! I wish I had more time to tie flies. I always look for inspiration to downsize and go for bass and bluegill. Also to use on a two handed rod and swing with them. I pushed myself this year to only fish with 2 handed fly rods to get ready for steelhead fishing this fall! Keep doing what you do! The creativity you have is an inspiration to all fly tyers!
Patent pending? Great idea ... "dropper hook shank." You're my favorite fly tyer on UA-cam. I recently saw an "articulated jig shank" an immediately thought of you.
Always love seeing what you are up to now! I’ve been tying Brammer inspired bucktail streamers for a couple years now and they are hands down my favorite “big fly”. I can’t wait to give these dropper shanks a try now that I know what tools and materials I need!
I had been hoping you'd post another video ! Your videos are always interesting. I have subscribed, but do not get notifications when you post a new video. Have a great father's day. I am sure your little ones are keeping you busy. Northern Minnesota is a great place to grow up.
When you use a single hook do you find it affects hook up rates vs dressing the hook? I love the idea of trebles but fish in some places they are not allowed. thx
Ellis Ward has a tutorial on fluid dynamic theory analysis, for the Zoo Cougar and Dungeon fishing flies. That is worth contemplating. When one looks back at some of those really early streamer designs. Where Kelly started to first move away from the long shank hooks. And towards the saltwater idea, of where the short hook is used in front. I spent a while looking at saltwater flat wing flies. Because I think there were aspects to the flat wing saltwater fly. That I could utilize in freshwater flies too. The flat wing is a very extreme example of that idea. Of where the small hook is used up front, and a lot of the fishing fly is built in the case of the flat wing. Using the saddle feathers and such. And it works real well for small sand eel type of forage imitation.
What Ellis did then with the Zoo Cougar, was he went back to that basic design. And looked at what it does from a fluid dynamics basic analytical perspective (and he explains too how the Dungeon flies turned that upside down, yet also depend on the same basic principles to do with fluid dynamics). It caught me by surprise. As we think about keel design flies, from a point of view of adding weight often. We never think about keel design flies, from a fluid dynamics perspective. And it's pretty obvious, after one thinks on it. We also talk a lot about buoyancy of fishing flies too (that is, when trying to construct larger skeletons to throw profiles etc that suggest larger bait fish forage). Buoyancy and keel weight were the basic two lessons. I had put together in my head, when thinking about streamers.
The thing that Ellis Ward did, is he re-introduced a very important aspect of fly design. That rarely gets remembered in analysis of fly design. It is the use of a fly rod occasionally, at close quarters, to move the fly in the water. What streamer anglers would refer to as a jerk strip. Even though it's only a matter of six inches of movement of the fly in the water. Or even less distance. The speed and acceleration at which that happens. Is something that we forget about (one would need to capture this using slow motion camera photography to fully understand it). And needless to say, that never happened in fly fishing. Because that jerk strip action of the fly rod. May not move the fishing fly a lot of distance in the water. What tends to matter though, is the speed. The acceleration from zero to whatever speed the fly moves at. And the reality that when the object. The fishing fly is moving in the water at that speed. Fluid dynamic properties of the fly itself, do enter into the equation. More so than buoyancy, and more so than keel weight in fact (which are things we can observe using our own eyes, and we can relate to them). Because buoyancy and weight on the hook, or the fly. Is something that has impacts, that we can observe using the naked eye. The problem with the rod manipulation of the fly in the water. That happens too quickly, that our eye just can't keep up.
Why do I bring it up? Well, this dropper shank idea. Is not a million miles removed from the basic hook. The hook that Kelly Galloup selected for use a long time ago. In order to dress the Zoo Cougar fly on. One thinks about the Clouser Minnow fly I guess. If ever there was a fly design, where the hook itself became a part of the fly design. It was the Clouser Minnow. And nowadays, one has the advantage too of being able to visit Bob Clouser himself. To witness him making the Clouser Minnow fly on the tying vice. In order to understand precisely how to make the fly. It's one of those flies that became copied so much, for so long. I lost interest in it. Because I was uncertain as to what the original formula for that fly had been. The Clouser Minnow is a design, which has echo in some of Kelly's flies too. In how they are constructed. The point though, is that like the Clouser Minnow, the Zoo Cougar fly was another design. In which the hook or shank became a part of how the fly operates, and how it is constructed. And it was a single hook configuration, the Zoo Cougar fly.
With the Zoo Cougar fly, by making the hook aspect of the assembly a lot simpler. A straightforward short hook, on which everything is assembled. What it enabled Kelly Galloup to do. Was something sophisticated and finely balanced. As far as selection of the right mallard feathers goes. Where the selection of that component, is a key thing in the Zoo Cougar design. And how that mallard feather contrasts with the other parts of the construction. Which don't have the same finesse to them. The other components of the Zoo Cougar are basic and everyday. And that's on purpose. So that when one puts together a component which is very finely tuned, and streamlined for efficiency. In terms of fluid dynamics. When one puts that alongside materials which are not. That is what delivers the action that the Zoo Cougar fly has. And why it operates well, when the angler does the retrieve of that fly in the water, using the fly rod to make the fly move rapidly over shorter distances. If one looks at the basics of fluid dynamics, as far as the Zoo Cougar is concerned. There is actually something like 'down force' at work. There are a number of things happening with the Zoo Cougar fly design. That our human brains can't pick up, because our eyes can't capture what happens. When the fly moves at a fast speed. But it's stuff that does make a difference, in terms of the fly's effectiveness and success.
The point is that, once one gets the tackle itself. The basic steel components used to assemble the materials and component on top of. When one has figured out, a way to make that straightforward and less complicated. That is when it is possible to do something. Like the Clouser Minnow, or like the Zoo Cougar design. Where there is some kind of sophistication or something. Added on top of what seems like a basic foundation. And unless the foundation or the skeleton structure. Because refined down to that extent. It's hard to put parts together, to make a fly design. That produce something complex. In the way that Zoo Cougar design was that complex. It's something that goes beyond keel weighting and buoyancy. Although, those two aspects of fly design on their own are important. And are still enough to help to produce decent flies to fish with. The designs which have proven very successful may have other things in them too. And because of the jerk strip retrieve of flies, some of that happens at a speed. That we can't observe with human eyesight on it's own.
I’m looking forward to seeing you on the FFI tying group zoom on 4/30. Your tutorials are golden, and live will be even better.
I like how creative you are creating your flies! The inspiration floods in whenever you get in the zone with fly tying! I wish I had more time to tie flies. I always look for inspiration to downsize and go for bass and bluegill. Also to use on a two handed rod and swing with them. I pushed myself this year to only fish with 2 handed fly rods to get ready for steelhead fishing this fall! Keep doing what you do! The creativity you have is an inspiration to all fly tyers!
Thanks 🙏 for sharing Gunnar, you definitely saved me from pretty much doing what you went through with all the experimentation. 😃🎣
Patent pending? Great idea ... "dropper hook shank." You're my favorite fly tyer on UA-cam. I recently saw an "articulated jig shank" an immediately thought of you.
🤔 I wonder how a jig hook paired with a jig shank Would work out ? Think it'd be too much ?
@@Three_Rivers_Adventure jig shank with a jig hook my not work.
Great information Gunnar! Have a great Fathers Day! God bless you and your family. 👍🎣👌
Always love seeing what you are up to now! I’ve been tying Brammer inspired bucktail streamers for a couple years now and they are hands down my favorite “big fly”. I can’t wait to give these dropper shanks a try now that I know what tools and materials I need!
I had been hoping you'd post another video ! Your videos are always interesting. I have subscribed, but do not get notifications when you post a new video. Have a great father's day. I am sure your little ones are keeping you busy. Northern Minnesota is a great place to grow up.
Make sure you hit the notification bell so it'll tell you when he posts a new video.
When you look at your subscribers look to see if the notification bell is dark. If it's not you won't get notifications so click it if it's not dark.
Thanks !
@@Three_Rivers_Adventure
Sweet video! Thanks !
Gunnar, where did you get the wire bending tool? May have missed it in the video.
When you use a single hook do you find it affects hook up rates vs dressing the hook? I love the idea of trebles but fish in some places they are not allowed. thx
Hey Gunner. Do your wheels ever stop turning? Your tying is where science + art = €
Bending the tag end of the wire back and forth a few times will cause it to fatigue and snap off cleanly - no sharp edges
Ellis Ward has a tutorial on fluid dynamic theory analysis, for the Zoo Cougar and Dungeon fishing flies. That is worth contemplating. When one looks back at some of those really early streamer designs. Where Kelly started to first move away from the long shank hooks. And towards the saltwater idea, of where the short hook is used in front. I spent a while looking at saltwater flat wing flies. Because I think there were aspects to the flat wing saltwater fly. That I could utilize in freshwater flies too. The flat wing is a very extreme example of that idea. Of where the small hook is used up front, and a lot of the fishing fly is built in the case of the flat wing. Using the saddle feathers and such. And it works real well for small sand eel type of forage imitation.
What Ellis did then with the Zoo Cougar, was he went back to that basic design. And looked at what it does from a fluid dynamics basic analytical perspective (and he explains too how the Dungeon flies turned that upside down, yet also depend on the same basic principles to do with fluid dynamics). It caught me by surprise. As we think about keel design flies, from a point of view of adding weight often. We never think about keel design flies, from a fluid dynamics perspective. And it's pretty obvious, after one thinks on it. We also talk a lot about buoyancy of fishing flies too (that is, when trying to construct larger skeletons to throw profiles etc that suggest larger bait fish forage). Buoyancy and keel weight were the basic two lessons. I had put together in my head, when thinking about streamers.
The thing that Ellis Ward did, is he re-introduced a very important aspect of fly design. That rarely gets remembered in analysis of fly design. It is the use of a fly rod occasionally, at close quarters, to move the fly in the water. What streamer anglers would refer to as a jerk strip. Even though it's only a matter of six inches of movement of the fly in the water. Or even less distance. The speed and acceleration at which that happens. Is something that we forget about (one would need to capture this using slow motion camera photography to fully understand it). And needless to say, that never happened in fly fishing. Because that jerk strip action of the fly rod. May not move the fishing fly a lot of distance in the water. What tends to matter though, is the speed. The acceleration from zero to whatever speed the fly moves at. And the reality that when the object. The fishing fly is moving in the water at that speed. Fluid dynamic properties of the fly itself, do enter into the equation. More so than buoyancy, and more so than keel weight in fact (which are things we can observe using our own eyes, and we can relate to them). Because buoyancy and weight on the hook, or the fly. Is something that has impacts, that we can observe using the naked eye. The problem with the rod manipulation of the fly in the water. That happens too quickly, that our eye just can't keep up.
Why do I bring it up? Well, this dropper shank idea. Is not a million miles removed from the basic hook. The hook that Kelly Galloup selected for use a long time ago. In order to dress the Zoo Cougar fly on. One thinks about the Clouser Minnow fly I guess. If ever there was a fly design, where the hook itself became a part of the fly design. It was the Clouser Minnow. And nowadays, one has the advantage too of being able to visit Bob Clouser himself. To witness him making the Clouser Minnow fly on the tying vice. In order to understand precisely how to make the fly. It's one of those flies that became copied so much, for so long. I lost interest in it. Because I was uncertain as to what the original formula for that fly had been. The Clouser Minnow is a design, which has echo in some of Kelly's flies too. In how they are constructed. The point though, is that like the Clouser Minnow, the Zoo Cougar fly was another design. In which the hook or shank became a part of how the fly operates, and how it is constructed. And it was a single hook configuration, the Zoo Cougar fly.
With the Zoo Cougar fly, by making the hook aspect of the assembly a lot simpler. A straightforward short hook, on which everything is assembled. What it enabled Kelly Galloup to do. Was something sophisticated and finely balanced. As far as selection of the right mallard feathers goes. Where the selection of that component, is a key thing in the Zoo Cougar design. And how that mallard feather contrasts with the other parts of the construction. Which don't have the same finesse to them. The other components of the Zoo Cougar are basic and everyday. And that's on purpose. So that when one puts together a component which is very finely tuned, and streamlined for efficiency. In terms of fluid dynamics. When one puts that alongside materials which are not. That is what delivers the action that the Zoo Cougar fly has. And why it operates well, when the angler does the retrieve of that fly in the water, using the fly rod to make the fly move rapidly over shorter distances. If one looks at the basics of fluid dynamics, as far as the Zoo Cougar is concerned. There is actually something like 'down force' at work. There are a number of things happening with the Zoo Cougar fly design. That our human brains can't pick up, because our eyes can't capture what happens. When the fly moves at a fast speed. But it's stuff that does make a difference, in terms of the fly's effectiveness and success.
The point is that, once one gets the tackle itself. The basic steel components used to assemble the materials and component on top of. When one has figured out, a way to make that straightforward and less complicated. That is when it is possible to do something. Like the Clouser Minnow, or like the Zoo Cougar design. Where there is some kind of sophistication or something. Added on top of what seems like a basic foundation. And unless the foundation or the skeleton structure. Because refined down to that extent. It's hard to put parts together, to make a fly design. That produce something complex. In the way that Zoo Cougar design was that complex. It's something that goes beyond keel weighting and buoyancy. Although, those two aspects of fly design on their own are important. And are still enough to help to produce decent flies to fish with. The designs which have proven very successful may have other things in them too. And because of the jerk strip retrieve of flies, some of that happens at a speed. That we can't observe with human eyesight on it's own.