In the next few months, most of my spare time at the vice will be in preparation for that trip to French Guyana. Like i said in previous posts, flies for the aimara need to be noisy! And nothing crates more splash and noise than a good popper!
For this collection i am turning the heads myself...Sure i can buy them already made, but where's the fun in that?
I will have a few foam heads, like the double barrel and Howitzers from Flymen and some home made as well, but i think durability is essential when you chase such an aggressive fish armed with teeth that would put a pike to shame...
So the heads will be made out of wood, not balsa, as i thing its way too soft (even with a couple of epoxy or envirotex coats). So i went for basswood (or known as tilia for others) , a much harder wood than balsa .Yes it's heavier than balsa, but it won't crush like balsa, and that is the key when targeting a fish like the wolf fish!
● Basswood comes in a rectangular shape in different sizes, it's up to you to cut it to size.Using a table saw is safe and gives good, clean results.
● Drill each block to prevent splitting when you will insert a nail in the next step.
●To make the sanding an easier task, roughly cut of the corners and shape your heads a little.
● Insert a nail and make sure it's a mm thicker than your hole to assure a good grip. But also be sure than the nail fits in you Dremel tool.
●Secure the nail in the Dremel.
●Spin and slowly apply your sand paper to the wood, start at the narrow side and work you way to the front of the head. Use a coarse sand paper at first and finish with a finer one.
Heads done, just need to apply the finishing touches ( Part 2 )
In part 2 we will do the finishing touches, more shaping and painting.
The heavy bunny! Just because it doesn't matter where you go in the world or what kind of fish you're after, a simple bunny will always gives you results.
This model is supercharged! Remember this is to target AIMARA and not to be confused with the ARAPAIMA.
Aimara above not to be mistaken for the Arapaima below
The AIMARA is a top predator , fearless, and would eat anything that moves ( I read stories of aimaras ripping of legs of a dead monkey...)
The flies need to make an impression, especially when they enter the water, a big splash is a dinner bell for the wolf fish. I plan on using the heavy bunny on 10 and 12 weight rods. I will , closer to my departure have an article in details of what gear i will be packing.
A big silicone skirt and a rattle for movement and noise. Only after a week fishing i will know how durable they are. The rattles are easily changeable...
For the zonkers, i have always been a fan of DIY strips. Cutting your own strips from a full pelt will give you nicer and bigger strips. The "magnum" zonkers you find in shops simply doesn't cut it for me. I like using 10 to 12mm wide strips, they move more water and last longer.I have been using them for years for my pike flies. Not the easiest to cast, but it's not intended to be used all day long... This is not a "search bait"...
For the weedguard you can go heavy, double 80lbs fluoro will keep your fly from snagging anywhere, bump it on rocks, bounce it on logs, perfect for inciting a take under heavy cover!
The bite of these fish is strong, they will clamp your fly hard! 80lbs weedguard will give no problem under the pressure of the jaws, making for safe and certain hook ups.
More flies are in the making so keep an eye on the blog and my social media for upcoming models.
