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The flat I've been fishing lately is getting choked with weeds, but the redfish don't seem to mind. Because of all the whispy weeds, a weed guard is important. I tried retro-fitting a few regular Clousers with a mono weed guard, and I was wondering if any of you guys have had success or problems with a guard like this? It looks like it will work, but I won't know for sure until I get on the water. Just curious if any of y'all have used something similar?

Make sure it lands between the barb and the hook point. I used to use a bass hook with a weed guard like that, and it wouldn't work if it looped over the barb.
The few flies I have tied with a guard have been the inverted V type that ended below (or above, in this case, lol) the hook point. Not quite as effective, but it didn't foul the hook.


Kirk B.

Lol, the guy I learned it from said to make sure to catch the barb with the mono loop or it wouldn't stay in place. I've got some jigs with a wire loop and I know from experience the wire needs to stay in front of the barb. I'm hoping that by storing them in the current bend I will be able to scoot the loop ahead of the barb while fishing and maybe it will stay in place.

I never found any weed guards to help. The weeds just get stuck on the leader and work their way down to the eye of the hook.

The fish know where to hide, right.

Use Bend Backs and lie a loop knot that has the tag end facing down.


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The Bendback idea is a winner! I tied this one last night and today a 25" red nailed it. Hookup was good and it's totally weedless. Thanks!

This fatty was so impressed he smashed it!

I've been working on the weedless idea, and now there are several options in the fly box.


I took another look at how the commercial flies use the mono weedguard and copied that. Works well.


Found some VMC 7319 wide gap hooks that feature a very long neck so tying is easy. These are weedless and still light enough to cast with the 4 weight.


I have several different looks built on the VMC hooks.

Those look really good and seems as if the fish like them. Still in awe of biggun' redfish on a 4wt.

bones72 wrote:Those look really good and seems as if the fish like them. Still in awe of biggun' redfish on a 4wt.

Thanks, tying takes practice but I'm getting there. I just bought a cute 6 foot TFO 2 weight and have already caught a redfish on it. THAT made me smile larger than usual and it handled the fish surprisingly well. Compared to the nine foot rods (even the 4 weight), it feels incredibly light and zippy. I won't be targeting 40 inch fish with it, but slot sized fish should be a lot of fun when the wind lays down. It will become one of the options I pack into the flats on still mornings.

What are you throwing on a 2wt, little clousers? I am really impressed as I can barely mange a #10 bead head wooly booger on my light rods, with the exception being my 'boo and glass rods. I will agree the shorter rods do feel zippy as compared to longer rods. I have a Hardy glass rod that is 7ft that is slow though and used to throw some larger streamers with it for spawning browns on the South Platte when they ran out of 11 Mile Reservoir up in Colorado and it handled the wind surprisingly well.

On another note where do you get the VMC 7319 wide gap hooks. I bet a double bendback fly could be done on that hook and might be just the ticket for some white bass.

So far just small clousers, but it will cast them 45 feet when the wind lays.

I got the VMC 7319s from Roy's. They don't stock them, but if you ask they'll order them for you.