Sand Eels

[J Barbosa]

Sand eels have made their way inshore again the past few years and have once again become a staple bait source so lets see some of your imitations.

[J Barbosa]

This is my first attempt at a sand eel fly and first time using synthetic materials. It took a little time to get use to the synthetics and I had to undo and restart the fly a few times but overall I am happy with the outcome.

When wet the fly takes a very sleek and thin profile.

This hook is a 2/0 Mustad 34007.

Material is Steve Farrar's flash blend in off white and olive and then I finished the body off with CCG and then a thin top coat.

[robmedina]

looks good John.. I make mine with super hair.

[finchaser]

Metal white and olive or white and chartreuse bucktailed hook or PoJe same hook or deadly penis same hook also on Hopkins or root beer over white SS stubby needle . As you can see I am not a teaser fan if I am forced to use one late fall on micro bass one of my olive over white clousers which will also mimic winter spearing.

[robmedina]

one of my olive over white clousers which will also mimic winter spearing.

Yup and easier to tie.

[J Barbosa]

Finchaser,

Its duly noted that you do not like teasers but can I ask why? Is it the bluefish?

I am not a big fan of these ava sand eels that became popular during the epic fall of 2011. Its hard to judge how well an idea works when the fish are just swallowing anything that gets in their way.

I rather have my plain tube with bent hook ava and a teaser in the front. Its a confidence thing for me the only thing I dislike is the hooks that come on the ava's. Has anyone found a bent hook with similar action that is stronger?

[madcaster]

Just made this one ...tried to make it like a sand eel .....has a silver belly 5" long 1 3/4oz ish

[finchaser]

Finchaser,

Its duly noted that you do not like teasers but can I ask why? Is it the bluefish?

I am not a big fan of these ava sand eels that became popular during the epic fall of 2011. Its hard to judge how well an idea works when the fish are just swallowing anything that gets in their way.

I rather have my plain tube with bent hook ava and a teaser in the front. Its a confidence thing for me the only thing I dislike is the hooks that come on the ava's. Has anyone found a bent hook with similar action that is stronger?

Been fishing them for 40 to 50 years like that. I also use chartreuse and white with no tube as tubes cause reduced distance and fill with sand only use them on boats. Except for AVA all good block tins don't use tubes as it causes them to spin instead of swim. Back in the day before plastics all we had and fished were wood plugs and tin squids.

To me 2011 wasn't no where near the new term epic which came into existence with the snag and drop crew calls fishing. Epic to me is when there are blitz's that last all day( dawn to dusk) like the video's on Betty and Nicks that we fished and the historic thanksgiving blitz that lasted 3 days with 15 to 30 pound fish.

When I fished jetties I lost too many quality fish due to the teaser hanging up. In inlets and canals and rivers it's next to impossible to stop double headers of good fish in a ripping current. They are also notorious for catching shad and other trash fish. Plus I also fish allot of bucktails and jig heads with rubber bouncing bottom where they are useless.

On rare occasions when a teaser is all they will hit I use one but never a tube. Also the better AVA's come with mustad hooks(31022D) that don't bend, not the imitation Chinese sh_t hooks, Another reason I don't fish tubes I use forged stainless which eliminates your problem.

One other thing AVA jigs originated in the 70's by a company in long island and were shipped with a single BARE 3407 O'shannasy hook. They were first fished on the Miss take II out of the Highlands by Captain Whitey Morenz Sr.. Tubes were not added till about a year later to impart action to them for the guy's who brought spinning reels on boats because they couldn't cast conventional reels and squid or Yo yo a jig.

They didn't hit the beach for years and have been popular since, has nothing to do with 2011 it's just plain old school. I still have approximately 30 original AVA's stamped AVA. Tube teasers and red gills are fished from the beach in storms behind a trolling weight.

[surfstix1963]

I use Mustad 34091D 8/0 for replacements on my diamond jigs no tubes or teasers.I only jig in the rips at Montauk with them.I don't use diamond jigs in the surf hardly ever I will use a needlefish or Hopkins.

[J Barbosa]

Matt,

The needle looks great.

thank you Finchaserand Surfstix

[finchaser]

any time pal

[J Barbosa]

Tied on an ultra sharp Gamikatsu 3X strong hook using SF flash blend.



Going to try adding one as a trailer on an Ava jig and also will use as a teaser.

[fishgutz]

Looking good killer sandeel profile.

[VSdreams]

jb thats some sweet work there!

[Blazin420]

Not only do they look good but they WORK...Nice stuff John!! Hope i can post mine up once i get started tying!!