CoachBob

"A fly shop owner many years ago, told me if I didn't fly fish for trout, I had no business with a fly rod. This is the type of people & attitudes I'm referring to." Yep. Ignorance knows no boundaries. That individual obviously never fished on the Gulf coast. Freshwater trout? None here. I also suspect his shop didn't carry any rods bigger than 5wt.

One improvement on this method would be to put the legs on BEFORE attaching the head to the hook shank. Make sure to have the legs pass THROUGH the hole in the head. When you glue the head to the hook, the legs will be glued as well and never come out.

Try this: http://www.flyshopcloseouts.com/index.php/fly-box/large-waterproof-fly-box-with-2-sides.html

No components to add weight? Does it have lead underwrap?

Just put "vanish transition" in a search engine and you will find plenty of shops that carry high visibility flurocarbon line. Too easy.

I spun hair for years and it makes pretty flies. Once I discovered foam, spinning hair was a thing of the past. My tying is all about catching fish. I can do that as well or better with foam flies than I can with hair. I admire the folks who take the time (5-10 times longer than foam) spinning hair, it's just behind me.

Three times. Tip broke on a rod during the first cast for no apparent reason. (Really ticked me off because it was the only one I brought to the water.) Tip broke again on a replacement rod the manufacturer sent. (Same scenario because I didn't learn my lesson. NEVER BRING ONLY ONE ROD!!) Turns out there was a fault in blanks they got from overseas. Third rod was fine and they sent another (less expensive model) as an apology. The other instance was a broken tip because of an ice ball that formed on the tip top and added weight in the wrong place. (Another lesson learned the hard way.)

For bass try using a Mustad 37187 stinger hook. The hook shape and gap keeps the point away from the foam body.

Any decent CA glue should give you clear results. Spills and oozing out the sides may dry opaque, but never had the problem otherwise despite hundreds of black or black and... foam flies.

All you ever wanted to know about sand fleas (mole crabs): http://fishingdestinguide.com/baitSANDFLEAS.html

Punches are here: http://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-hollow-punch-set-67030.html for $10 or $6 if you catch them on sale.

Ole Florida Fly Shop in Boca Raton (oleflorida.com) sells a pretty good imitation tied in the store. Sand Fleas are pompano's favorite snack.

See: http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern6910.html The important aspects of that article for your inquiry are the ability to carve with a dremel tool and a good source for foam. Artificial "corks" found in many wine bottles require a more aggressive bit than the 8215, something more like the DRE409 cut-off wheel you actually use (VERY CAREFULLY) the flat side of like it was a grinding tool. Actual corks often crumble with grinding.

See: http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern6910.html The important aspects of that article for your inquiry are the ability to carve with a dremel tool and a good source for foam. Artificial "corks" found in many wine bottles require a more aggressive bit than the 8215, something more like the DRE409 cut-off wheel you actually use (VERY CAREFULLY) the flat side of like it was a grinding tool. Actual corks often crumble with grinding.

No criticism about that nice bench...but...I have to have my tying desk by a window. Claustrophobia strikes if I don't. I use natural light when tying in daylight, and enjoy watching nature while I try and replicate some of it.

Books are good but Internet is cheaper If you want a book my recommendation is The Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying by Ted Leeson and Jim Schollmeyer. If you want Internet, try going to flyanglersonline.com then Fly Tying from the menu then Beginner from the next menu. What you have done is a good start. Part of the issue you have is TOO MUCH MATERIAL. For most of what you're doing, use 1/2 as much material.

Check out: http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/bobboese/011209.php and note the 10 "Wive's Tales" at the end.

If your favorite fish are bass (as per your profile) you can't do easier than what is shown here: http://www.flyanglersonline.com/fotw/2011/fotw20110314.php At conclaves I show how 2-3 minutes per fly (once materials are prepared) is common. Color combinations are practically unlimited.

The perfect hook for foam bass poppers. Never had one fail. Great shape for adding weed guards.

Once again I don't understand why everyone bypasses the obvious solution. The mustad 38187 is what you need and jstockard has them from 1/0 to size 10.

I have been saying for years everyone does it bass-ackwards. Look at http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern6910.html Using this method I have done literally thousands of flies, including poppers, sliders, pencil poppers, and have smoothed bodies for ants and hoppers and such.

Okay, here's how it works. Craft foam (EVA)comes in various thicknesses, usually 2mm, 3mm, 6mm and 5/8inch. The thinner the foam the less air in the cells and the less flotation. EVA foam does not readily absorb water. Coating the foam with CA glue, or silicone, or polish may make the fly more durable but hasn't been seen to increase flotation (based on 1000s of flies tied). Smaller foam bodies require smaller/lighter hooks and shorter/lighter legs. A single width of 2mm foam has very little float strength and can be submerged simply from the water on the fly caused by surface tension or downward drag from tippet. As a foam addict I freely admit that tiny dries can float as well with other materials than foam. For anything using a size 12 or larger hook, foam is the best way to go.

Yep, the rounded side determines which way the fly rides. One hint from lessons learned the hard way. When tying on your body materials, make absolutely sure you leave enough room for the skull head PLUS the thread stopper that goes in front of the skull. Second hint, when tying on the body, frequently put the skull on the hook to see how full the body is directly behind the head. If you have a thread lump way in front of the body materials that stops the skull too far in front of the body materials it looks strange.

I find few things inappropriate on this Forum with one exception. Someone will post a fly that is just plain bad and wait for compliments. Because we are soft hearted, there will be "good tie" or "nice fly" responses that are neither true or helpful. Drives me bonkers. There are flies I can tie with my eyes closed and others I couldn't do with a gun to my head. I know when my fly is a POS and when it is what I intended. The problem is, if I try something new, I really can't get an honest opinion here because no one want's to hurt my feelings. Yes, many tiers, usually not so hot ones, have thin skins. These tiers probably wouldn't put something on a critique section, but I think it is a GREAT IDEA.

After hundreds of experimental dragons, I can say with confidence that the best material to use for wings is monofilament loops. Here's why. Materials like krystal flash tend to drag the fly down into the water. About 90% of wing-ish materials do that. Foam wings just look fake. Zip lock bag wings act like propellers or kites when casting and droop when wet. Hackle wings are never quite long or transparent enough. Bucktail is long enough but kite-ish and not transparent. If you insist on bucktail, use only 3-4 hairs. Mono loop wings are really pretty simple. Make a double loop of mono and tie onto the thorax at the middle of the double mono loop. You now have two wings on each side that will stand out, not absorb water, not be affected by the wind, and will hold their shape after catching a fish. Best of all, you can vary the size of the mono with the size of the fly, hence 2 lb mono (or 6x tippet) will make delicate wings, and 10 lb mono will make more prominent wings. Best of all, the profile on the water looks like wings.