Wanted to share a super effective pattern for Juvi Tarpon, this pattern is normally tied in a 1/0 2/0 size for the big girls.
I tie a small version using the SL12S #2 of the famous Roach. Very effective try it some time, it’s also simple to tie, but you must know how to minimize splay on the elk hairs.
The one on the bottom with four flies has been savaged by a half dozen 10-15 lbrs.
We really over-complicate patterns nowadays
I’ve been meaning to tie some of these up myself. Our Juvis won’t be in place till the water temps drop considerably, but I plan to get some practice on em when they do.
Great flies. They look great.
And kudos to you for doing the pics on an interesting background.
I gotta tie some of these up as well! Ever put a little lead wire under all that to get them to sink faster or will that mess with their tracking?
Oh, and just for the sake of discussion, the guide I fished with used a very similar pattern on several flies we threw and he insisted on a mono loop to prevent fouling. Any thoughts on that?
No need for extra weight, it sinks fast, all size versions.
The larger ones could use some mono to avoid fouling, but if you use high quality feathers, they don’t foul. All of my roaches have no mono foul guards.
Guards are mostly useful for rabbit strips, in general.
You are spot on. I fished a “secret spot” on an island that was stacked with small tarpon. Storms over the years have pushed the fish into the lake there and they have survived and reproduced. The water is very dark, leading to the eyes on the fish being larger than normal tarpon I’ve seen.
The trick to hook these fish was to use small flies like you tied Dave @Loogie . I am talking laser point sharp. Small tarpon are great at jumping and they don’t have the weight to hookset themselves like the larger fish. So these laser pointed, small hooks were key.
Nice looking fly. What is the secret to keeping the elk hair slanted back? I would probably use some looser wraps after tying them in tight, but maybe you have a better way. Always trying to learn.
Elk splays but it works well so I use it. Exactly as you described, hold it tight tighten where you will cut, snip the ends while holding the bundle, then gently Move your wraps up to create the taper towards back of the fly, some loose wraps around the back end and transition to the tight area.
The Cockroach has been a staple since John Emery came up with it - all those years ago. I’ve seen many variations over the years - here’s mine… Set up like this, it was meant to be snelled - and instead of elk hair - deer hair…
No need for a mono loop to keep tail feathers from fouling - instead start your tying with a very sparse amount of deer hair - slightly forward of the hook’s bend and carefully roll the hairs around the hook shank entirely - then tie in your tail feathers three on a side and the pattern will never have a fouling problem… Hope this helps.
That’s exactly how I tie em up☝️. I use to tie a thread bump then tie my hackle in behind. The bump would force them to be more prominently splayed outwards. Later on in my early tying I thought to use a short deer hair tail to do two things. One, use the hair tie in point as my thread bump. Secondly, the hair helped eliminate fouling. The exception to not use the deer hair tail is when tying small fleyes like what Loogs referring to, those are just a thread bump. I know this technique works on Blues who eat just about anything, Weaks and Stripers when feeding on sand eels, spearing etc..
I haven’t thrown a Roach down here yet.
For small flies, you might be able to use squirrel tail. Gray squirrel tail. It doesn’t flare and it’s not especially floaty. I may try a few this weekend.
Sweet I have a bunch of squirrel tails I had no idea what to do with 
I’ve substituted several types of hair/fur with squirrel or coyote tail. I’ve also used a lot of Arctic Fox fur or tail. Use what you have.
Sometimes using more undulating materials can be beneficial.
I like fox has a good thickness to it in a soft supple way for lack of a better descriptor….
Squirrel, gray or red (fox) squirrel hair doesn’t flare under compression the way deertail or hair does so you’ll have to work at it a bit to get it to do what you want. Here’s a pic or two of what I’m referring to…
red squirrel collars ( I call this the Furnace squirrel tarpon fly)… It was iinspired years ago by Stu Apte’s = Apte Too… note the double wire weedguard for the top bug…. requested by a customer fishing in a lot of floating weed in Florida Bay
essentially the same pattern - but using gray squirrel…
Norm Duncan was the originator of the cockroach fly and was a friend of John Emory.
Welcome!
