[BADFISH RISING]

some prom dress attitude
this has an underskirt of pseudo hackle. a material given to me that I found very interesting.
these shanks are for the game changer fly. I suggest nobody buy them they are cheap cheap cheap!!
the hook was a KVD dropshot or wacky hook by mustad accupoint they were all dull in the package & had to be sharpened. once the plating was knocked off the tip they are extremely sharp.
its hard to get good swing materials hook shanks where I live even though all the guides say they are swingers.

 

[michifin]

nice fly, I tie a similar version with a hot spot in the back

 

[fish0n4evr]

very neat.

 

[Honyuk96]

some prom dress attitude
this has an underskirt of pseudo hackle. a material given to me that I found very interesting.
these shanks are for the game changer fly. I suggest nobody buy them they are cheap cheap cheap!!
the hook was a KVD dropshot or wacky hook by mustad accupoint they were all dull in the package & had to be sharpened. once the plating was knocked off the tip they are extremely sharp.
its hard to get good swing materials hook shanks where I live even though all the guides say they are swingers.
View attachment 104769

I'm a fellow Michigander. What kind of swing materials are you looking for that are so hard to find ?

 

[Deep Swing]

Nice, soon you will have me tying these when I already have a bag full I hardly ever fish.
DS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BADFISH RISING]

honyuk96
there is only one fly shop in my area.
they are under new management
they deal in chuck n duck, trout materials & hooks all on a low grade quality but high prices.
asking them to stock better things when I was a trophy streamer guy didn't pan out on a single item so I don't bother with asking about swing things.
I don't like to mail order things because you don't get to see the materials you are actually buying.
as for the wish list you mentioned a few things would make me really happy
Waddington shanks, high quality marabou, extra lg dyed mallard flank & guinea hen, gamakatsu #2 octopus in a nickel finish or any gama in a #2, lg straight eye streamer hooks of a 2xs or better.
i just need to order online from several places to get everything but then shipping will make it so its not worth it.

i feel like im ranting i kinda wish you didn't ask or i didn't answer

 

[Honyuk96]

If it makes you feel any better, I'm in Grand Rapids and it's basically the same story here. I run from fly shop to fly shop to fly shop. Then there's Cabelas, Gander etc. As for feathered goods AO feathers and Feathers MC are both very reputable and known for high quality materials, those would be my suggestions there. As for the hooks and shanks I guess you'd have to search around a bit to see where you might be able to get everything from the same place. Good luck it can be frustrating.

 

[shotgunner]

If you ever drop south on 131 hit the Rockford exit. Great Lakes Fly Fishing is just a long cast north west of the exit ramp. They got the goods.
Sponsors here and put on the long standing annual "Speyfest" in September. Bob knows swung fly materials.. and stocks huge assortment. Tap the hot link for examples

 

[BADFISH RISING]

If you are going to order on line, talk to Poppy at the Red Shed Fly Shop in Idaho. He will send you the material you need to do a great job. Ask him a question and you will get a straight answer. He has almost everything you could want or knows where to get it.

If you don't want a straight answer, don't ask the question.

I will check it out

 

[BADFISH RISING]

If you ever drop south on 131 hit the Rockford exit. Great Lakes Fly Fishing is just a long cast north west of the exit ramp. They got the goods.
Sponsors here and put on the long standing annual "Speyfest" in September. Bob knows swung fly materials.. and stocks huge assortment. Tap the hot link for examples

i think i was there once its by the rogue right?
fished the rogue once in kinda high water
hooked a pile of screaming steel
tore my waders to hell on boulders trying to follow them down river
had a blast never been back

 

[Jekyll]

That looks very similar to a Coho candy lake trolling fly. I have wondered how lake trolling patterns would fare on a river swing. Lots of flash!

 

[Flycaster1977]

Nice flashy fly. Ive always liked the prom dress, but never fished one.


Ben

 

[pmurf54]

If you can find the Fish Hunter spey blood quill marabou, it is quite good. Long thin stems, long fibers, excellent colors that don't fade or bleed. For shanks, I've been using spinner wire, round eye with a doubled over part, available in different diameters, they're about 3.5 or 4 inches long, so you can cut them to whatever length that you want with a pair of side cutters, available from anywhere with a tackle making section, online or brick and mortar

 

[LostinSpey]

some prom dress attitude
this has an underskirt of pseudo hackle. a material given to me that I found very interesting.
these shanks are for the game changer fly. I suggest nobody buy them they are cheap cheap cheap!!
the hook was a KVD dropshot or wacky hook by mustad accupoint they were all dull in the package & had to be sharpened. once the plating was knocked off the tip they are extremely sharp.
its hard to get good swing materials hook shanks where I live even though all the guides say they are swingers.
View attachment 104769

Badfish - This link talks about shanks you might be interested in.

http://www.speypages.com/speyclave/showthread.php?t=160417

 

[shotgunner]

i think i was there once its by the rogue right?

It's pretty close to it for sure. I know they moved the shop once but it was prior to 2005, the year of my first visit. It's right on (NW corner) the intersection of 131 and whatever the east / west road is. If traveling South it's such a painless easy stop.

Another site sponsor to check is Heritage Angling Products. Founded by a lifetime MI resident fly angler and overactive flytyer.. for same reasons you cite. Lack op top shelf materials. Take a peek at his 'Fly Photos' page.

http://www.heritageanglingproducts.com/

Great Lakes stocks a lot of his stuff, and if you'd rather go north, check out the non Orvis shop in TC. Many other shops, Including the Red Shed, stock it as well.

 

[Speybstrd]

Traverse City

Being that you list the Manistee as your river/place, make your way to TC & go to the Northern Angler. Great shop with the best material selection around. All the guys swing flies. I will be doing a Tube fly class there on Saturday 1/24 if you interested. PM me for details.

 

[BADFISH RISING]

speybstd
yea I know brian
I don't personally drive so I don't go to TC much.

im sorry but I hate everything about tubes.
I have 2 kinds of tubes & vices
the 1 is kinda cool the tubes have heads that screw on.
there always seems to be a little damage where my line goes into the tube.
I get this on bobbers too but that's another story.
I don't think tubes have any action they seem to drift through the water like a dead log.

I have a long time till my steelhead season gets swinging so I will work it out.
im probably gonna order 1/2 my stuff from the fly shop 1/2 from feathercraft & wind up paying shipping twice