the saltydog

Gartside soft hackle streamers use mallard flank and can be tied on non-stainless steel hooks for fresh water

I've tied a ton of flies with CCG and have had no issues whatsoever. It comes in tack-free versions and has no issues with yellowing or fracturing when your backcast sends it into hard surfaces such as rocks. When a pressure line in my car sprung a leak last winter, I used CCG to patch the hole, and it held no problem. When the chock that holds my driver's side window to the track that guides it up and down broke over the summer, I used CCG to fix it. In each case the CCG underwent extreme temperature fluctuations and didn't fail. The stuff is bombproof, and will never lose clarity. Great product, great company, great service. And I don't get anything for saying all that. WTH am I going to do with all my duct tape now?!?! :bugeyes:

you should check out the flymen beads, they make them tiny and adonized in various colors nice fly, I would suggest that you try to work on the body taper a bit.

Steve - I received the rod today and I must say that it has exceeded my expectations. Thanks so much for making it for me and also to support the forum. Its going to be a long winter! All the best, Greg

Damn mail guys aren't working tomorrow! Now I can being the search for a nice reel and the dt2 line

I'm dying here, bring on spring! I can't wait to get it in my hands this week, it looks just awesome. I know I'm helping out the forum, but I think I got the better part of the deal.

I think I will stick with my principles of the food I eat, if I can't pronounce then I don't eat it.... I can't pronounce POLYOLEFIN, so I ain't tying with it.

I didn't believe in the purple trout fly thing.. until I caught a bunch of fish on a purple haze.... this is a great fly, its like a wet version. I shall be tying a bunch of these to use as droppers. As always, your execution is flawless.

I didn't realize that clear cure was a new site sponsor?!?

wahooooooo!

Wil is a better man for running this menagerie that we all enjoy ....

325 for me

I'll occasionally just pull a dog in off the street and shave him down just to get the dubbing. Seriously we have a hair brush for the dogs called the 'furminator' and it does a great job, basically its a dubbing rake for your dog, the side benefit is less hair around the house.

I bought one of these 2 years back and it is fun to use, but I don't use it that much. He really needs to add a clutch and balance it better. I end up have to rethread 7 out of 10 flies I tie with it since I forgot to pop the spool, he has a nifty way of popping the spool but has likely developed that while spending so much time at shows giving demos. You guys remember that I love tools, I have about 20 different bobbins and will still reach for a Materelli when I want to get to work and crank out flies or concentrate on making a pretty fly without have to worry about what's going on with my thread tension. Second is a C&F midge bobbin, then the rite bobbin. When tying north country, I prefer the wasatch sized for pearsalls. Someone earlier on mentioned to keep you bobbin rest 1/2 inch from the hook eye and that is what I do, I tie rotary a lot.

Hello Spammer

I use the EP fibers with a single strand of midge krystal flash

The eye herl would be the best since its usually the strongest, has the least amount of fuzz and has good coloring.

I have over a dozen pairs of scissors, I like these because I can adjust the tension based on the flies I'm tying. If I'm tying simple and high volume flies, I loosen them up so they snip quick, if I'm tying precision dry flies, then I tighten them up a bit and they cut right to the tip. If I had only one pair of scissors, these would be the ones I would use.

I use it for parachutes, instead of tying off the hackle I put a drop of gel super glue on the post and wrap the hackle then let it dry for a few seconds and trim it. Also if its handy, I use it under biots and quill bodies to strengthen them.

Happy Birthday you old bugger

You should have worn that scarf thing through airport security Looks like you got some nice fish

When you are first starting off, catching fish with them is the primary objective and they don't have to be perfect looking to do that. As you progress, many people begin to really enjoy the art form and those are the ones that will provide the comprehensive feedback. You can decide if you are just into tying flies to catch fish or to feed obsessive compulsive behavior :wallbash: that many of us have. Fact is that probably more fish are caught on wooly buggers then all the other fancy mayfly imitations and they are the first fly most people learn how to tie.... so if you are into tying these already, then you are inflicted with the sickness and soon will have a room full of materials. In addition to the proportions and tailing material quality, I would add that you are using too much material in general. It really is counter intuitive, but less is more. You can use less dubbing and hackle (unless you are fishing in raging waters and need the flotation). Also reducing the number of thread wraps and increasing tension will fix the head crowing you are trying to correct. Typically 3 wraps will hold in your material, 2 when you get down small. You should occasionally break your thread when tying, so don't stress out. Pick up a hackle gauge and use it, that is an easy fix to that proportion. These are all typical rookie things that improve after tying a few hundred of those flies, so keep going and join some swaps! :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

I twist it around my working thread, then wrap it with my rotary vise or add a twist for every wrap if using a non-rotary vise.

Plover is a great feather, nice fly and good job hackling, though I might make the body a bit sparser