fishyfranky

Stick em up! This thread has been hijacked!

Well, I just started tying last January and the biggest improvement is my material inventory A distant but important second is learning to whip finished by hand.

I'll answer this question by saying I have a personal style of making everything a bit longer: Tails, bodies, hackle, wings, etc.

Whilst steelheading I carry 8 boxes My wife, bless her, recently got me a Filson guide vest. It has many, many pockets and even ones for a cell phone and camera.

I'm a fan of Fish Eye for the Fly Guy! If its not meant to catch fish, then its an earing for Sheena Easton! ps, what about streamers?

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by fishyfranky: Stoned Fly

hmmm, perhaps you have some trapped air in the mylar tubing?

I'd second the P&O and try a GRHE! Been tying for less than a year and I'm already into the acronyms

Looks great! I picked up some of that herl to make some micro buggers. I'm gonna try #16's next year on tailwater browns

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by fishyfranky: Y U Little Bugger

I tried it out for the first time today, it sinks okay and shimmys! I guess the eyes set up a turbulent flow and the marabou reacts. With the big palmered hackle it pushes a lot of water. Now all I need in my area is a good rain to bring in some steelhead, just got some shakers today (1-2lb young steelhead). I also lost it on my fly drying patch , got to get me one of those wallet things.

I got the eyes (beads) from a bead store (a whole sub-culture exists for bead jewelery). They are clear but have a nice soap bubble sheen to them. Craft stores might have them too.

I almost went bonkers when I found out that the scud backing I payed $2 for a yard is used to make elastic edges for underwear and is dirt cheap from sewing stores. It's just the principle of how much I'm being overcharged!

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by fishyfranky: Ballsy Bugger

Reading fly tying internet forums while tying! Sometimes I take 15-30 minutes for a wooly bugger!

I can't honestly recall a GL chinny clear water in a river if hooked in or near the mouth. I've never had a brown, resident or lakerun clear water. Smallmouth, largemouth bass, yes! Pike, no. Steelhead? Do ya hafta ask? I had a spring kelt jump straight up to eye level while I was standing on the bank.

I'll add my recommendation for the craft stores! I get the multicolor packs and a few of my favorite single color packs. There's a time and place for all the colors, even blue balls!

You need some mechanical skill to tie consistently but I think there is much more to fly tying than being a Xerox machine. You need an understanding of techniques and materials to get a desired effect. You also need to understand fish to know what they like and you need to understand fly fishing to know the issues regarding this method of presentation. Lastly I think a good dose of creativity and curiosity is necessary. Here's a scenario of a master tyer: The master comes across a fisherman having some luck one day and is shown the fly. He knows (or with a few questions asked) all the materials used and how to tie the fly. He has a good idea of why the fly works and how to fish it. Later that evening, he ties his own version which has the essential items, no more, no less. Some material substitutions are made and proportions are changed, perhaps to work deeper in the water column. The next morning he is on the river and the fly is working well. Feeling satisfaction, he none the less wonders and ponders on how to make the fly even better, or how it could be modified for a different species, or how any interesting ideas can be used on another fly pattern. Anywas, lunch break is over

Try this: Its for cracked skin on cow nipples but its now used by people as well. Shania Twain uses it.