[Salmo Nella]

I saw a pattern in the Feb Fly Fisherman called the Hollow Fleye.
I am skeptical of it's castability. Does anyone have any experience with this fly or something similar?

[BigCliff]

I have tied and cast them. They cast pretty well, although I will admit I was not able to throw my longest cast with them. Their hollow construction causes them to compress while flying through the air, making them have a front profile pretty similar to a deciever.

The main thing I noticed about its castability was its shuttlecock like behavior. It flew just fine when up to speed, but wanted to slow down rapidly as it neared turnover. This tells me I would want to do one of three things: use a leader with a long butt to kick it over harder, use a short leader so the energy from the line doesn't dissipate as much, or add some weight to the fly so it will have more inertia on its own.

I should also add that I was casting the thing with two abnormal variables thrown in. I was throwing it into a 15-20mph wind, and on my nine weight. the flies were tied on a 2/0 hook and about 6" long.

[Salmo Nella]

Great information. thanks
I think I will put a little weight on them to help the end flight and also to get them to sink a bit.
That "shuttle cock" action is pretty descriptive of what I was afraid of. It seems like there are a number of tying variables that would influence this including the angle the hair was left at and the stiffness of the hair.

You didn't say, so I have to ask... did you catch anything on them?

[BigCliff]

I didn't, but didn't really expect to. I was getting some big rod/big wind practice for a trip coming up to our coast over Easter Weekend. My first Hollow Flye turned out badly so I cut the hook off at the bend used it for practice. Cast a hooked one too, and it cast about the same.

I just wanted some practice casting big flies on my big rod. I usually don't fish flies nearly that big on our coast, but there's nothing real tough about casting a bead-chain Clouser or a Charlie.