Toneloc

Sparkleminnow,

Go to wally world and get you some "Polymark" "Dimensional Fabric Paint" in the craft/sewing section. Tons of colors and its only .77 a bottle.

The paint kinda puffs up. Looks really good on foam.

Someone with a little artistic ability (not me LOL) could probably make some real neat imitations.

Tony

Outstanding! Awesome fly and tutorial. I'm thinking some reds might eat one of those up.

Tony

Heres a step by step I did a couple weeks ago.....

http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=7357&hl=

Tony

Well Joe...I took your tips and made a second try tonight.

Still not near what they look like in the shop, but I'm getting a little bit better.

Heres a couple other flies I'm gonna try out next weekend in the bay for some specs and reds....

Tony

Joe,

Thanks for the help! I'll give your suggestions a try tonight and let you know how it works out.

Tony

Smallie Interesting... I'm looking for a little bit longer piece than the thickness of a sandle, but I might be able to glue some back to back.

I think balsa just might be the ticket....I know I've seen some pretty decent chunks of that before.

Thanks for the sugestions.

Tony

Chem Prof,

Neat fly. Looks to be a fairly quick tie...just the kind I like.

Nice website too. Has some good info. I'm interested in your fly casting club... according to mapquest lake charles is only about 2 hrs from Houston.

What time is are your meetings? Any additional info on your club? I'm new to the salt and can take all the help I can get. Thanks ahead.

Tony

Well Striblue....I actually took a pretty close look at those spoons at the local fly shop during lunch. They are quite light weight....I didn't realize that when I saw them the other day. You said they are made of mylar....looks like then they are covered pretty thick with expoxy. I could see it taking some experimentation to get the mylar shaped right to give them the proper action. I'll have to buy a few to try out / try and imitate.

Thanks for setting me straight.

Tony

Anyone know where I can get that hard Stryafoam for poppers. I want a fairly large chunk that I can shape on my own rather than those prefabbed heads. Any one know where to get it?

Thanks in advance...

Tony

I understand what your getting at Striblue. Let us know when your book is available. Sounds like an interesting read. It would probably help set me straight on some of these issues.

To be honest I just like catching fish. I'll use bait or fly. Although I admitt I definitley get a bigger kick out of catching fish using flies. I've "evolved" to fly fishing for most fresh water species just cause I enjoy tying flies so much. But, being new to the salt I'll probably start with spinning gear. I just saw those spoons and said to myself.... spoons on a fly rod? They can't be serious? Chalk up my comments to my ignorance to the world of saltwater fly fishing.

Speaking of purity...I've been known to chuck n' duck for salmon. Now thats something that is probably much more contreversial than fishing these little spoons on a fly rod. People really get there feathers ruffled discussing chuck n' duck.

Anyhow how do you make theses spoons? or are they just a bought item?

I'll have to post a few pictures of some of the other flies I've tied up tongiht. My plan is to take both spinning and fly gear with me on my first few trips. If I happen to catch a few on spinning gear I'll try some flies.

Tony

Thanks Ghow...I will defintley post some pics if I get into them.

Striblue...Thanks on the tip...I'll have to check his shop out. I've been having trouble getting the deer hair to cover around the eyes. The picture might not show it, but that head is pretty sparse. The ones I saw in the fly shop seems to have a nice tightly packed head. I suppose maybe I need to just add more hair, but I think its got more to do with my technique.

I saw those spoons, and I've read they are good, but I guess my feeling on those is why cast em with a fly rod? I both spin and fly fish and if I was going to get some of those what advantage what I have tossin it from a fly rod? I'm defintiley not a purist. In fact yesterday I was fishing cracked crab from the shore catchin some big ugly's. But I just don't think I see the point in tossing a spoon from a fly rod. Perhaps I need some elightenment.

Tony

As I mentioned in another post I just moved down to Houston, Texas and I definitley want to try some saltwater flyfishing for red and specs.....or whatever will bite.

Stopped by a local fly shop and I was told that the bonefish slider is a killer fly for reds. Tried tying a few up...but I'm having a little trouble getting them to come out the way I remember them in the shop.

Any suggestions...

Here a pic of two that I tied up.

Thanks for any input.

Tony

I was new to this game almost 2 years ago. I mostly learned of this series.....

Link: http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/beginners/

Its a great series that teaches you the basics. From there you'll pick up a lot off this site and others.

I would also recommend you pick out a flyies you currently use and have sucess with and try to tye them. Investing in materials/hooks that you need to tie one pattern at a time. Eventually over time those materials will start overlapping and when you see a pattern you want to tie you won't have to go out and buy all the materials.....or hooks.....cause your already have some of them from previous patterns you've tied.

I would also advise against a kit. They usually have cheap materials, tools, etc.

Good luck...if your anythign like myself you'll find it very addictive and pretty soon you'll have more materials and hooks than you know what to do with.

Tony

How bout a wiggle bugger?

This is also tied with a Marabou body like Pujics. Thought I was the one who thought up that idea...just goes to show everytime you think you've came up with unique fly...someone somewhere has probably already thought of it.

Tony

I am also a newbie at tying dries....

The first I learned to tie was an Elk Hair Caddis. A fairly easy tie that is very effective.

I have just started learning how to tie some parachute style BWO's. A little bit intimitdating...but you just have to give it a try. Not as hard as you might think. Here is a link on a fairly simple BWO pattern.

http://globalflyfisher.com/tiebetter/bwos/

I've tied a bunch of these....My number one tip on these is to make sure you use a midge hackle pliers to grasp the biot...makes tying them a ton easier. Overall this is a very simple pattern although I can't vouge for its effectiveness.

Also, try tying 16's first and then work up to smaller sizes...even if you don't have need for the larger sizes its good practice. Everything gets a little bit more difficult the smaller the fly. So your mistakes really start to add up the smaller the fly gets.

Tony

There was a discussion about this fly on a another board I frequent....here is the link...

Hope this helps...

http://www.fishusa.com/Discussion2/viewthr...fly%3F&id=94692

Tony

Adams you make a good point....the pattern rides hooking point up...but maybe thats what adds to the effectiveness ...the fish might see it a wounded or disoriented prey...who knows...for the fish I use it for I'm not so sure that they are taking it because they are mistaking for a hex. I think it could be a curosity thing....or just the movement that this pattern creates. And I'd think it would get hung up more if you tied the eyes on the other side....which would cause the hook to point down. I could also see it affecting the hook sets if the hook point was oriented down. I suppose you could tie it on the other side of the hook....too much hassle for me...LOL...if aint broke don't fix it.

Tony

Thanks Daryn..just sent you a PM.

Tony

Thanks Guys..

Tommy,

I use this fly for great lakes steelhead. How effective? It has worked very well, but then again Steelhead will take almost any well presented fly in the right conditions. Will it work any better than a wooly bugger in similiar colors or another one piece hex pattern? Not sure.

As far as hook ups....It seems like when fish take this fly they don't hesistate. I've got some of my deepest hook ups using flys with this pattern. They inhale it.

How to fish it? I can be bottom bounced.....dead drifted.....or even swung...

Tony

Thought I'd post a step by step of one of my favorite flies.

Tail Hook: Size 8 generic nymph hook

Front Hook: Tiemco 105 size 8

Tail/Wingl Material: Ginger Marabou

Body Material: Tan/Dark Grey Ostrich Herl

Back Material: Pheasant Tail dark side showing

Ribbing: Copper Wire

Eyes: Black Bead Chain

Joint: 12# Mono

Tony

I'm heading to Houston for 4 months starting Feb 1st. I want to do some wading for specs and reds. I have very little saltwater experience so I want to hire a guide first thing when I get down there. Anyone know what kind of saltwater opportunities exsist in Matagora Bay or any other areas close to Houston during Feb- May? Any guide recommendaitons?

Thanks for any info.

Tony

I know theres been a few threads on different types of vises and which ones are best and why...ect, but I can't remember if there was any opinions on this particular vise. Any out there have one?

I'm looking for a rotarty vise in the $100 range (the average price for this one is about 100 bucks). Any other similiar vises in that price range that represent a better value?

Thanks a bunch for any opinions.

Tony

I'm always losing bobin threaders. When I give in an realize that the latest one isn't going to be found I'll be buying my fourth in just over a year...LOL.

Tony

Pujic,

How much does that liquid lace run yah? Looks like some pretty neat stuff.

Tony

I like angora better. Has the fuzzy breathable quality. Supposedley it gets stuck in the fishes teeth too. Its usually 1.99 or cheaper for the smaller packages. I have to think there is enough material to tie several dozen (maybe 5??) flies per package. For me thats cheap enough. Although maybe I get so many flies out of a package cause I like to tie them sparse. If you go with angora make sure you seperate the yarn (untwist into 3 smaller diameter pieces) before tying size 12 and smaller.

Tony