rstout

My Grandfather received a fly tying kit for his 50th birthday. His hands were massive from logging his entire life and he said there was no way in hell he could tie something so small. I was interested so he gave the kit to me. The kit wasn't much but I tied some sorry looking mosquitoes and wooley worms and headed to the trout pond. Caught a lot of fish. Leroy Hyatt wrote a weekly article in the local paper featuring information about a fly, materials needed to tie it and a picture of the fly. I couldn't wait to get the Thursday paper. I would cut out the article and try and produce the same fly. I was 14 at the time and have been tying for 36 years. Over those 36 years, I became friends with Leroy and returned the newspaper clippings to him. As I grew older, anytime I went fly fishing with my Grandfather, he always said he was low on flies, so I would give him a bunch. When my grandfather passed he had hundreds and hundreds of flies that I tied. Best gift ever.

When I start tying a new pattern, I always tie 3 to 6 in the largest size acceptable and then move 1 size smaller and do the same thing until I have tied 3 to 6 of each size in the size range for that fly. It makes tying smaller versions much easier.

Do they need to be straight eye? I have a box of Mustad 79580 size 1 that are 2 inches long but are not straight eye.

I print the tags with my computer, cut them out, poke a hole through them, then run 8lb test through the eye of the hook and the hole in the tag and then melt the ends and fuse them together to make a loop. The tag never comes loose unless I cut the line.

I use extremely large Badger or Grizzly hackles wrapped parachute style over 6lb tippet and then folded over hackle stacker style, separated into wings and then fold the wing case over the wings to finish off the head. Good coloring and they float well flush with the surface.

I use stripped grizzly hackle stems for my mosquito bodies. For tails, I use Coq-de-Leon.

Damn! That sucks.

I had a rod built 30 yrs ago by a guy in my hometown while I was in the Air Force stationed in Texas. All of our conversations were via phone. I wanted a plain rod (blank was dark grey) with black thread. I got a grey rod with grey thread and heavy gold trim. I wasn't happy with the colors of the rod but the builder was about 80 when he built it and a real nice guy so I didn't say anything. After a few million casts and more fish than I can count, the rod needed some work. I took it to a friend who builds bamboo rods to have it rewrapped. Black thread only. I go to pick up the rod and the thread is black but the coating over the thread has a sprinkling of fine blue metallic flecks in it. He said it looked like a funeral rod with just black thread so he added subtle color. The rod looks great but I like my stuff understated. That is a sweet looking rod, Steve.

I have ordered from them. I purchased one of their Christmas packs. It was worth every penny. I would not order the fibbits. They are not tapered on the end. The hair and fibers work well and the cost is minimal.

Just my 2 cents worth. Do not remove hooks or beads from original packaging to place into another container. Storage is nice but after you get so many different sizes and styles, it can get a little over whelming to say the least. Keeping track of sizes, styles, manufacturers, etc... Tough to do.

I use a small plate (saucer). I place the beads in the saucer and with a pair of hackle pliers on the hook, I rotate the hook until it aligns with the hole in the bead.

Great fly swung for big browns in the fall out west.

Mark, I have a bunch of Mustad Hooks I am trying to clear out at $4.00 per hundred.

I use Mustad hooks all of the time. I have been tying flies for 34 years and Mustad hooks were about the only hooks you could get on a regular basis when I first started tying. A box of 100 hooks cost $1.29 at my local sporting goods store way back then. As with everything in life, something new comes along. Tiemco, Daiichi, Dai-Riki, Targus, Gamakatsu, etc... These companies make some real "sexy" hooks. Barbless, chemically sharpened, different profiles, etc... The 200R is one of my favorite hooks and it is made by Tiemco. I tie hundreds of flies per month and give most of them away to people who are going to use, abuse and lose them. Does the hook matter? In most cases, no. If the hook meets your needs, does the brand really matter?

Count me in. How about a Rusty Rat.