Smelt Flies for Rotoiti
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Freshwater Fishing
Forum Name: Fly Tying
Forum Description: Swap tips and techniques for Fresh and Saltwater fly patterns
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=132175
Printed Date: 29 Jan 2026 at 1:42pm
Topic: Smelt Flies for Rotoiti
Posted By: Rainbow
Subject: Smelt Flies for Rotoiti
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2019 at 2:02pm
     A new set of smelt flies for the new season Did really well last year on those fibre patterns in white, olive and grey with flash body. 
|
Replies:
Posted By: Mudfish marquand
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2019 at 8:12pm
|
Some great looking flies there Rainbow. Cheers ------------- On the fly or not interested. |
Posted By: Redfinger
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2019 at 8:21pm
| I take my hat off to guys like Rainbow who catch such good fish on their own tied flies - I have caught fish on rainbows flies too so they work well |
Posted By: Mudfish marquand
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2019 at 8:33pm
|
Yeah, Herb is a legend. Cheers ------------- On the fly or not interested. |
Posted By: Rainbow
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 9:01pm
Close-up of my olive fibre smelt flies. Third  is under UV light. Cheers Herb |
Posted By: Mudfish marquand
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 9:34pm
|
Very nice Herb. Cheers ------------- On the fly or not interested. |
Posted By: Jaapie
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 9:56am
|
It's hard to pick out by the photo, but is the head epoxied or is that a thin layer of silicone? Also, does the epoxy/silicone extend all the way down the wing towards the hook point or is it left untreated. My thinking it would have a thin coating to prevent wrapping of the wing???? Is it fished in a jigging motion as opposed to a slow, steady swimming draw like the real whitebait? Nice ties - just interested in the finer details Rainbow. Thanks for sharing.  ------------- "Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught,will we realize that we cannot eat money" - 19th Century Indian Creed |
Posted By: Rainbow
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 6:04pm
|
Hi All I use synthetic Living Fibre Hanks for the wing. Thread is chartreuse Ultra Thead FL yellow. 3mm 3D eyes and thick flowing UV glue for the head . Pearl Mylar for the body. When the wing is tied in I lay a thin bead of UV glue on top of the body and lightly touch the wing down so that only some of the fibres make contact with the glue. Then I firm it with the UV torch so that the lower fibres of the wing are locked in. This stops the wing from flopping away from the body. Re eyes. When I started I had a real job getting the eyes off the base and onto the head with my fingers. Now I put a touch of UV glue on the head and tip the needle point in that to get a tiny smear on the needle. Then I loosen the eye off the base, which then sticks to the needle, I can easily transfer it to the head where it sticks. Once that is done I can move it into the right position with the needle and do that same with the other eye. A quick sap with the uv torch and they are fixed in position. After that I coat the whole head in glue and harden it with the torch. It is actually quicker to do than to prescribe. Fish it anyway slow or erratic; both get strikes Hope that helps BTW the smelt at Rotoiti are big enough to have an olive back hence the colour I also tie white and grey ones Cheers Herb |
Posted By: Jaapie
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 6:21pm
Got it -  Thanks. ------------- "Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught,will we realize that we cannot eat money" - 19th Century Indian Creed |