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Thread: What hook for tying airheads

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Petaluma
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    Default What hook for tying airheads

    I'd like to tie up some airheads in custom colors. After looking at a few I purchased from Umpqua, I'm guessing given the oversize eye that they are tied on a stinger hook such as Gamakatsu's #210. Anyone know for sure?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sacramento
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    7,786

    Default Airheads??

    Assuming that you mean Charlies or Bisharat's Airhead, I seem to recall that they were tied on a nickel plated spinnerbait hook (round bend, longer shank and circular, straight eye). Size depends on what you want but the smallest appears to be 1/0.

    Carl Blackledge produces a similar fly but I'm not sure whether he uses the same hook or not. Maybe he'll post about his pattern.
    "America is a country which produces citizens who will cross the ocean to fight for democracy but won't cross the street to vote."

    Author unknown

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
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    Orangevale
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    915

    Default

    They can be tied as tube flies too.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
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    Default

    I contacted Charlie Bisharat:

    "The gap of the hook is critical. You can use any hook as long as it is large and offers room to tuck the bottom of the materials neatly under the shank."
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    Default

    Over the years I have seen lots of flies that had an impeded hook gap because the hook gap was too small or the material was in the way of the gap.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Santa Rosa, Calif
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    1,015

    Default Air head hook

    Bill,

    I have tied thousands upon thousands of air heads in every color and almost every size. Sense Charlie didn't say what hook it was I am not going to say specifically either, Now after that being said the information you posted is true and correct just about any hook you want to use will work, here is a picture of my plain Jane air head I tie for Baja roosters, and let me tell you "IT WORKS" this hook is the SP 600 in a smaller size, I do tie larger and smaller air heads then this, I hope this helps somebody, however what hook isn't the answer to the puzzle of the fly.

    Carl Blackledge
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    Last edited by Carl Blackledge; 11-24-2022 at 06:22 PM.

  7. #7
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    Jan 2005
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    Default

    That Tiemco / TMC "SP 600" is a bad ass hook.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Santa Rosa, Calif
    Posts
    1,015

    Default

    Bill

    The SP600 hook is A "bad ass" it's also very expensive I think $3.00 each retail, that's one of the reasons I charge $10.00 each for these flies, The last time I ever seen a factory air head fly it was around $15.00 in a fly shop, my flies are tied for Baja roosters.

    carlblackiedge@aol.com

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