JackScott

When you find a whip finish in your shoelaces!

Lehigh Valley here!! Jack

Cripes!!! That list of eats includes everything "excepting Alice"!! Do you include gourmet chef in your long list of accomplisments too??? :hyst: :hyst: :hyst: I got hungry just reading that!!! Jack

Looks like you've done it again Snicky!! VERY nice tie!! Jack

I'm quite sure that Griffin makes one specifically sized for larger spools,such as the ones rod wrapping threads sometimes come on. The legs are set a bit wider...it is also "double welded"...the area you said yours failed at!

I bought a fly rod from "Tightlines" at the Somerset fly fishing show two years ago...Fine bunch of fellows. And if their "on the road" shop is any indication, they have pretty much anything you need,and probably quite a bit of stuff you never KNEW you needed!! Great shop!!

I can pretty much guarantee your satisfaction!! Jack

Great looking bug mate!! I don't know if I ever mentioned this to you before,but I'll do it again,'cause it bears repeating! I am well aware that Chris Helm has pretty much assumed the role of "deer hair guru to the masses" and rightfully so! However, before I ever heard of Mr.helm, I was able to rent a video by a guy named Jimmy Nix. It is titled,aptly enough, "Tying Bass Flies with Jimmy Nix". Without going into endless detail, it is a full 90 minutes of some of the best fly tying instruction I've ever seen! It is (or at least WAS) available at a place called chartingnature.com (they have an extensive selection of fly tying and fishing DVD's) I learned more about deer hair work in the 90 minutes of that DVD than I had in a lifetime of reading books! Give it a look!! You appear to have more talent for working with deer hair in your little finger than I have in my entire box of tricks! And I was able to put together some pretty decent bugs after watching it ONE time!! Jack S.

A few thoughts on squirrel tail: I agree with all of the above posts. I would add only this: Squirrel tail has two characteristics that set it apart from other winging hairs. 1. It is rather slippery and 2. It is doesn't "compress" very well under thread pressure. Both these traits can make it a little frustrating to tie with,as far as the wing "pulling out" from the thread wraps. I would suggest that to avoid this,that you make the wings sparse or,if your pattern is calling for a heavy wing,apply it in "stages". You can also employ a trick used by Lefty Kreh...put a small dab of cement on the butts of the hair prior to tying them in. Jack

Snicky....Now all you need is a Scientific Anglers Bass Bug Taper and some backing! (this is my way of making a line recommendation!) SA all the way!!! :headbang: :headbang: Happy Birthday,by the way!! When did you start tying??? Just out of the womb?? I have seen some of your work,and would have really guessed that it was the work of someone more experienced (older!) Keep up the excellent work!! Jack

OK,let's switch gears!! DID anyone attend the IFTS?? This year, a friend of mine and I both were unable to attend. In my case,it had more than a little to do with the poor state of the economy. We were wondering how this might have affected attendance. Any thoughts??? JS

DID'NT order a box this year,cause last year's gave me a storage dilemma!! :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

If you have never used a double edged blade,you have no idea how much you've been handicapping yourself!! They are 10X sharper than sinigle edge blades! The little tool mentioned in the above posts is handy,although I've found that I still need a "straight" blade on hand,to make the intial flat cut on the bottom of the bug. The tool is also a little bit dodgy to get a blade mounted in! Jack

OK,right off the bat....I am NOT affiliated with FTD in any way....But...it would seem that the "mad scientist" has gotten his legs under him,and is filling orders as fast,if not faster than most other purveyors of things fly tying!! He has even added a few items to his line,and seems to only do so,when he can offer them at a STEAL!!! Great job,and will be ordering again soon!! Jack Scot

Hard to beat the Dyna King Professional,or Supreme models. A better "big hook" vise Inever used! Jack