Lamprey....

[Darian]

OK Guys,.... I've been working on developing a Lamprey pattern for Stripers on the Amertican and the Delta. Finally have two that I can show you. The first is an adult the dark pattern and the second is a brown pattern for the larval stage. The adult stage is approximately 10" in length and the larval stage is approximately 6" in length....

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o31/jockscot/DSCN0083.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o31/jockscot/DSCN0089.jpg

The patterns are not weighted but could easily include some if desired. 8) 8)

[David Lee]

:shock: :shock:

You make me SICK - those look GREAT !!!!!!

Hmmmmmm ..... time to rig a 30 foot LC-13 head for my 10 wt. , in case I get one of those for Xmas :idea:

Maybe those'll fix them snotty POS Stripes :?:

David =D> =D>

[mike N]

Darian,

I haven't seen a lamprey in the American for over 20 years. Seems to me they used to be pretty common. Are they still in there?

MN

[Darian]

Hi Mike,.... I can't recall when the last time I saw one was, either. :? Some of my reading on the subject indicated that Lamprey are in general decline thoughout their range due to loss of habitat due to human activities.... :( :(

However, there still may be some in the river that aren't readily visible. For example, the larval stage is supposed to live in muddy bottoms for a lengthy period until changing into an adult and migrating to the sea (in the case of Pacific Lamprey). River Lamprey aren't supposed to be anadromous. 8) 8)

I'm hoping that there're enough of them to stir some memories or at least curiosity in Stripers.... :D :D :D

[mike N]

Well, Nice looking flies anyway.

10", bragart! :-)

MN

[Tony Buzolich]

Darian,
As a kid I remember swimming in the American opposite Paradise and slightly downstream. We'd dig our hands in the sand under water and sieve out baby lampreys and save them for bait. (Couldn't afford night crawlers as a kid). They worked great and everything ate them from steelhead to stripers.

I remember them as being grey colored and having very tough skin.(they stayed on the hook quite well).

Ever thought about using an EC413 hook so you could drag your fly across the bottom with snagging so much? How about a gray bunny strip with a double hook and a Clouser type head?

Geez, :? you got me thinking about lampreys again. I've always liked them but like some one said, "you don't see them like you used to".

TONY

[Darian]

Hi Tony,.... I've had a hard time getting the colors straight on these. I've used the Lamprey seen in bait shops for the adult but have only photo's of the larval stage. They all seem to be a medium reddish brown; lighter underneath.... :? :?

The guys at the former Bob's Fly Shack in Yuba City had a reddish brown pattern about 10" in length that is similar to my larval stage pattern. They all said that they used it in the Feather River and only a few people really knew how to use it. :? :? :? Nobody could explain what that meant (depth or action. :? )

At any rate, the photo's of Lamprey attached to fish show a silhouette starting with a wide disc around the head and a long, tapared body. I'm hoping my patterns slim down in the water. 8) 8)

Haven't tried different types of heads on these as I was looking for a shape. These came close. Gotta work on getting the weight correct now.... :) :) Hope all of this work isn't por nada.... :? :?

Mike,..... If you have a 10" pattern, flaunt it. :D :D :wink: :wink:

[jbird]

Hey Darian

I think whether that fly is recognized as a lamprey or not, its gonna work. It looks very good to me. great low light colors. I also would consider having them with you if you ever are casting to barracuda.

Be careful on flattening out the head, it might spin in the water. It might be cool to put some kind of diving/wobble bill on it. If you could design it to run true, that thing would swim in a zig zag shoveling the mud.

Jay

[Darian]

Hmmmm,..... a bill on this fly. :? If it ran deep enough, that might work. Gotta get the weight right and then decide what to use for a bill.... That could just work. :) :) I've been tryng to decide how to duplicate the wiggling action of the natural.... 8) 8) 8)

I figure if it doesn't work here, it will in the salt (maybe Baja :D :D :D )

Stay tuned guys, next version might just surprise you.... :roll: :roll: :wink:

[lee s.]

We used to use grey marabou when we wanted to feed the smallmouth in the Russian R. a meal of "baby lampreys".
....lee s.

[Tony Buzolich]

Darian,

I've got just the thing for you to make that fly wiggle. It's called a "Wiggle Disc" and I've got them at my shop.

What they are is a clear plastic disc about the size of a dime. They are slightly concave with a small stem on one side. There is a hole in the center through which you slide your leader before tying on your fly. As you strip or troll your fly the water catches in the cup of the disc and wiggles everything behind it.
TONY

[Darian]

Think I've seen them.... They're circular and can be folded back to form a cup over the head of a fly as an option.... :?: :?: If they're what I think they are, they could be used a is or maybe modified (cut in half) to make lip and tied in on the under side of the fly.... 8) 8) 8)

Given the type of head I'm using (Sea Habit), attaching the modified disc requires some extra steps/techniques..... Hmmmm.... 8) 8) 8)

Since I like the length better, think I'll concentrate on the larval stage of this pattern and tie it in grey as well as brown. :) :)

[Darian]

Ok Guys,.... Here's a grey version tied on a Mustad jig hook with a 30 degree bend:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o31/jockscot/DSCN0097.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o31/jockscot/DSCN0096.jpg

These flies are weighted with medium heavy wire under the head materials. I wouldn't recommend tying this pattern on a 60 degree jig hook as the tubing used for the head won't easily slide over the bend to the shank. 8) 8)

[sculpin]

Hey Darian those flies are really starting to look pretty good . I'll bet you will be plesantly suprised by what you catch with them.

Mark

[dtp916]

Those sure are purdy :D 10" is a massive fly, but hey, stipers will eat em up!

[Darian]

Earlier in this thread, I thought I knew what a Magic Disc is.... Turns out what I thought it was isn't what it is. :? :? :? Gotta go visit Tony and get some.... 8) 8) 8)

[Tony Buzolich]

Darian,

Send me a private e-mail with your address and I'll send you some.

Also, your return e-mail keep getting rejected. Jockscott@ ???

TONY