Weight or not to weight?

[scruffy_fish]

I am working on a new looong eel pattern and wanted some feed back from other tyers about weighting the hook to keep long hackle flies from tangling. Does adding weight to the hook really help for long flies, or perhaps a keel?
This new pattern will be well over a foot in lenght and very slim.
Your suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks :)

[bluefishercat]

I'd try a mono weed guard. I don't think weight will make any improvement and may actually make it more prone to fouling.
Pete

[mdrew9]

Weight is needed to offset the wind resistance created by lage surface area flies. With thin flies like flatwings, weight is not as important. As Sedotti says, the fly should be weight balanced.
Mike

[calebsb]

I tied a footlong eel fly last year on a 3/0 hook and it seemed to cast just fine, as much as a footlong fly can be expected to. I think the weight of the hook was enough to keep it going headfirst. To avoid fouling (much) I stiffened the first six inches with a flexible head cement. Only managed to get it wet for one night last fall, but no complaints on the cast, all things considered. I don't know if stiffening it hurt the action or not, since no one was catching that night anyway.