LE VIEUX MOUCHEUR 

The standard streamer

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FLY-FISHING FOR PIKE  by Paul Le Gall, translated by Claude BELLOIR

 Tying  a “Moustache”, the standard streamer of a modular system

Fishing with a streamer can be done almost everywhere and all the time. It can be practised  in all seasons, deep down as well as in the surface film, in shallows and weed beds. With a suitable weed guard, it is still possible, even in very snaggy areas.

Personally, I very rarely fish on the surface, only when it isn't possible to sink the leader and the lure. That happens when, in the middle of a large patch of lily pads, only tiny pockets of water are to be found, or again when the long weeds of underwater savannah grow from the bottom and spread over the surface to cover large areas.  

Most of the time I use the “Moustache”, the streamer shown in the photo. It is devised according to the above observations. Although I devised it, it was inspired, as far as its large size and the use of mylar fibres are concerned, by the “357 Magnum” created by Thierry Cloux. His was a lure whose efficiency but also limits, regular use had allowed me to appreciate.

What makes the “Moustache” special can be summed up in the following:

- One double and one single hook mounted in tandem and systematically protected by a weed guard which can be changed into a treble hook.

- At the tail of each hook, a link swivel which can be used as the head of a modular system.

- A flaring underbody giving volume.

- A pinch of stiff asymmetrical hair (giving the streamer its name) increasing the wake of the lure in a significant way.

- Long and fine flat mylar strands.  

Let's now examine how every element of the rig justifies its role.

How to make the weed guard is shown in box A photos # 1, 2 and 3. There's nothing revolutionary in my creation, as it was inspired by some already existing systems on the market which I'd had the opportunity to try. To my mind, in spite of their qualities, some of their shortcomings ruled them out altogether.

For some years now, I have used the streamer shown in the photo as it has proven its great reliability. It surfs on the patches of water lilies just as easily as it weaves about in weeded out water, it inches and climbs its way safely among pondweed and even sunk trees, provided it isn't worked heavy-handedly or with brutal jerks.    .

The rounded shape of the steel wire, its branches set far apart from each other and the tail bridge crowning the barb, and set back both vertically and lengthways, make an immovable guard thanks to the flexibility of the material. How it is fastened keeps it loose in the bend of the hook allowing its throat to remain open at the strike. It doesn't even partially block the eye and leaves it entirely free to allow an easy passage of the link attaching the leader, which is one of the conditions to give the lure good mobility. This is not the case in some rigs either on the market or recommended in some fishing magazines.

The way it is tied makes it act as a spring whose strength is enough to resist the impact of the landing of the fly on the water, and moderate shocks such as side shocks against snags. Which isn't the case when it is set in front of the barb as it is often done. On the other hand, this protection frees the hook point at once when there's a brutal shock or when a fish strikes and this spring is clamped in the pike's jaws.

As far as missed takes are concerned, if there's a difference with or without the weed guard, I've never been able to notice any. In any case, should there be a proven one, I'd gladly accept the risk as the use of the guard increases the pleasure and the results of fishing in the pike's favourite lies that, without it, would be unfishable.

With the large hooks used here, the piano wire of 0.30mm is the optimum diameter. The spring is too weak and the protection doesn't hold with a smaller diameter. With a bigger one, it is too strong and the protection holds too well! It should also be noted that with smaller hooks or with shorter-shanked ones, the weed guard remains efficient. However in such cases, the piano wire, even fine, is still too stiff and isn't suitable. It must be replaced by more supple wire trace (6 strand/12kg).

The front hook is a heavy double iron (Ref. Partridge P Salmon 3/0. Weight:1.7g). The tail hook is a much lighter single (Type: Kamazan B 940  2/0. Weight: 0.5g).

The first one points downward and serves as a keel and horizontal stabilizer. It also tips over, head first, thus making the mylar fibres of the wing fan out and wave very enticingly. 

At the bend of this first hook is attached a large loop of wire trace of the same b.s. as that of the leader. Its length is chosen according to the length required for the standard streamer. In this respect, it seems preferable not to exceed 10 cm between the two hooks. The usual dimensions are 5/5/5/5 ( front hook/joint/tail hook/tail), i.e. 20 cm in all. This causes the waving motion of the fibres to develop during the pause in the sink and draw and maybe avoids a lateral take between the two hooks.  

In this large loop, which acts as the backbone of the rig so to speak, are threaded first a braided tube (e.g. Mylar piping) which may be varnished or lightly glued, then a rubber runner and finally a link swivel. In so doing, one obtains the necessary stiffness to hold the tail part of the rig lightly. 

The single tail hook is attached to the link of the front one. It can be positioned as one wishes, hook point facing downward, upward or sideways, by stiffening the wire trace-swivel-hook joint with a supple runner. It must also be noted that this second hook also bears a link tied at the tail too. This allows the angler to lengthen the lure as he wishes, and from the standard rig, makes for all desirable combinations. This single hook can also be replaced by a small treble, possibly with no weed guard.

The underbody is made of semi-rigid material ( bucktail, Ultra hair, etc...). A pinch of these fibres is tied round the hook shank to form an airy cone to give the body a more bulky appearance and prevent the mylar fibres from sticking to the shank. Its shape and texture allow the underbody to flutter. When the line is pulled in, it makes the mylar shimmer with a small amplitude and high frequency. And during the pause, the trickles of water that run through it move the tiny and weightless strips of the wing that wave slowly with great amplitude. It's worth knowing that a too thick strip tends to impede this movement. 

The role of the three moustaches at the head is to stir up water when the lure is worked. In order to do so, its fairly stiff materials ( strong nylon, Ultra hair, etc...) are assembled so that the dressing (figure-of-eight knots, glued joint, tight chenille turns) keeps this propriety and maintains them at right angles with the hook shank. Thus when the line is drawn in, this dressing produces a strong wake and makes all the materials tied behind it flutter. 

The three moustaches are trimmed slantwise, a little shorter on one side of the shank than on the other, to increase this wake. This slight asymmetry causes the lure to move sidewise more or less fully and jerkily, according to the rhythm and speed of the retrieve. 

As far as the dressing proper is concerned, the mylar used for the wing and belly looks like flat and fine tinsel (0.3mm wide). Its extreme lightness makes it flutter at the slightest twitch. Its weight is only 0.8g/100 metres and a few metres only are needed for one streamer. This material can be found under various brand names such as 'Mobile' by Lureflash. It's worth noting that brands like 'Crystal hair', 'Crystal flash' or 'Rainbow' offer mylar that is wrinkled and as a result works differently. 

I have got used to sticking eyes and using chenille as other materials for the head. The chenille is preferably, but without good grounds for believing it, chosen in a colour with red as the dominant, complementary of that of water vegetation. It is said and written that the eyes represent an essential mark. I am not really convinced as I happen to continue fishing with eyeless lures without any change in the rhythm of the catches. Yet I stick them on when I tie flies or systematically stick some again, back home from fishing, because they give the lures a more pleasing and life-like appearance. However, I only use those that have a hollow half­bubble shape of plastic containing a mobile ball likely to tinkle with each sink and draw. 

Concerning the tail hook, the basic dressing is to tie two rabbit fur strips along the whole shank which they prolong by at least the hook's length to form a very mobile tail that swims enticingly. At the head a cone of bucktail is tied to act as a deflector, thus preventing the strips from getting stuck. I usually tie red ones for the reasons mentioned above, but any other colour such as fluorescent yellow will be suitable. 

Though it may be tricky to cast out, the “Moustache” is extremely efficient and I use it most of the time, only resorting to another streamer when circumstances dictate a change. In the fly box, it doesn't look like much. And tied to the leader and set in the hook keeper of the rod, it looks like a Christmas decoration, but as soon as it swims, it's another matter and its imitation of a food fish is almost too good to be true. All the big pike that had been through worse than that, and swam up into the boat for a cuppa, told me so ! 

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