Gurgler tweaking

[pnc]

From the first time seeing a gurgler, been playing around with materials & so forth. Fly was very similar to one I tied so blending of both seemed natural. Since then have seen fly tied with different approaches to shape of foam. Tying some last night got to thinking might make for interesting thread. Reasons for mods or tweaking of original.
Last night used chartreuse foam , pearl chenille , yellow craft fur tail. Old shrimp pattern colors. Was playing around with position of red plastic bead eyes. I like shaping foam much like original with space or cup in rear. Only one difference really in fly is the hole. Not hole created in spacing foam. Hole punched through foam. Made round punch from brass tubing. Punch through foam in area of upper bend in foam when folded forward. Also taper foam where tying in at rear. Fold cut 45's in corners. After rear is tied in and chenille & thread moved forward. Before tying down bottom foam to front of shank. I pull sqeeze try to get foam wrapped around as much as possible. This creates a narrower bottem. And a top folded over now potruding from the sides. Reason for this is to help channel water into fly and toward hole in top rear of foam.
Original as I know it had space between foam to create water disturbance while passing the open space in fly. With hole in top & narrow bottom. Fly will make little plops, squirts, or bubbles. Depending on retrieve. Works better for me.
Shape & size of face I keep on small side & round. This keeps water thrown close & in semi circle shape. More resembling small scattering bait.
Also put single strand mono weed guards on half of flies tied. My idea of a light guard 30 lb Mason. By light guard I mean one for light debris in water. I also do slight mod to end of mono projecting down. Taper the last quarter inch to point. Flexes easier or under less pressure than mono cut.square. Get better hook ups than without doing so.
My improved version...... gurbler....lol.
How about you ? Whats everybody doing that works for them ? I know there's enough tiers out there. Which means tinkerers. So whats up in the gurgler world ?

........ pc
Ooops...I use freshwater hooks for light wire. Quieter landings.

 

[Rip Tide]

If you look at Jack's web-site, he's got dozens of gurgler variations.!

Originally, the gurgler itself was a variation of a fly he called a "Hoverbug" and the hoverbug was based on the foam beetle trout fly... except sized for tarpon

Where I fish, stripers will "pop" on shrimp in the surface in current at night.
... and those shrimp are little.... like barely bigger than a trout nymph
I tie tiny gurglers for that "hatch"... it's wicked fun.
You can't see this surface action, but the sound is distinctive. Cast to the strongest part of the rip and you're in the right spot.

---------- Post added at 10:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:27 AM ----------

This video just now showed up in my email
Coincidence ? I think not.

https://youtu.be/tgKroaqPopY

 

[bigjim5589]

I generally keep them simple, but do like the under body to be Estaz or similar material, and tie some with a splayed hackle tail instead of bucktail.

I'll tie some on plastic worm hooks for bass & some on saltwater type hooks for use in saltwater.

Other than that, any other versions I might tie are just color variations of the foam & hooks sizes, and even those I limit to a few.

 

[hambone111]

deep down i want to fish streamers strictly all year but once things get into the heat of the summer even i bend to the will of topwater. the gurgler pattern is the only topwater fly i carry. in my area they have to have legs. i keep the body color basic to either brown, white, black. Tail material is either bucktail or marabou and a little flash. Foam color varies. i find its all about that pop and wait. i like the gurgler because its the most consistent action top water fly, guaranteed to plug and cause a commotion every time. i like them on Dairikii standard saltwater hooks size 4 or 6

 

[philly]

I used the Gartside gurgler for many years. A couple of years ago I tweaked a popper pattern that Harry Steeves had shown me and turned it into gurgler pattern. It's been very effective in fresh water, haven't had a chance to try it in salt water yet.