Pike-Hunter

Thanks for the replies guys, I think it is a vice I would really enjoy using and it sounds like it is a quality product. I tie a whole range of flies from delicate size 20 trout flies to size 8 smallie nymphs up to 4/0 pike flies and from what I've seen the main advantage of the nor-vice is its ability to spin the thread on the hook quickly. Does that spinning technique apply the thread lightly enough to not break the small hooks but tight enough to bind together those big bulky flies? The NV is something I've contemplated buying for a long time but I think it will make a nice present to myself when I graduate college. :yahoo:

Does anybody use a Nor-Vise or have comments about them? I'm just curious how people feel about them and how well they work. I've seen the guy that makes them at a few fly tying shows and he has a pretty cool presentation but they are still a little spendy for me.

That's a good looking fly. If you are looking to make them dive deeper try using a convex curve on the front like you have and then a concave curve towards the back. (I could post a pic if you want but I don't have one right now). Also try using a short zonker strip in the tail to "anchor" the fly a little better and force the fly to go down when you strip it in. However I'm sure you'll have no problem getting fish to take them as is. --Chad

I couldn't pick one so I just added 3. The first two are from the BWCAW. I'm the one with the fish in the first one and I was actually treading water when I caught that smallie The second one I wasn't fly fishing but I caught two fish on one cast on a rapala. You know their hungry when they do that. The third one is from last weekend which was the first time I've ever fished ND. --Chad

I got mine as well. They were an impressive set of flies. Thanks for hosting Scott.

After seeing this post I realized that I made the same stupid mistake-sorry guys. My flies are the olive/black/yellow poppers.

I just finished up my fleet of poppers this morning. Can I get an addy?? Thanks, --CHad

After looking at the list of swappers I wanted to double check how many flies we need to tie- should we tie 13 so that we don't get one of our own back? Thanks, --Chad

I got my flies the other day-great tying everyone!

Great Flies everyone! Can we get a material list for your fly breambuster? It looks like an effective pattern that I would like to add a fleet of to my panfish seeking arsenal. Thanks, --Chad

I can tie them in a multitude of colors so if you guys that are also making poppers have decided on a color you should post it then I can choose a different one. --Chad

I used to buy strictly Mustad for their cheap price but I'm slowly learning that you get what you pay for. After having one batch of flies rust before I ever used them I decided to start buying a little higher quality hooks. I also noticed that Mustad's tend to be made out of a much softer metal than other hooks and they would bend easily from fish and crush if the vise was too tight. --CHad

I had a similar problem once when our family dog found several bucktails I had salted in our garage right after deer season. He thought he was pretty sneaky but I got the last laugh when he was plugged up for the next three days and did some funny walks across the lawn dragging his butt. Just recently he dicided to eat a golf ball and couldn't get it out so it cost my parents $1300 for surgery. He was lucky my dad loved him a lot because you can buy a lot of fly tying materials for $1300 to replace the ones he ate. :devil:

I'm in- I will do a foam popper that is sanded to shape on a dremel. They work phenomenal right now in MN for monster bluegills up in the shallows. Thanks, --Chad

They look great-I can't wait to see them in person and get them wet.

My flies are in the mail if they haven't gotten there yet. Material List: Hook: Size 10 streamer hook for easy removal (the fly is mainly tied on the front half of the hook shank but the extra length makes removal from fish lips easier) Thread: Rusty Dun 6/0 Weight: 6 wraps of .025 lead wire Tail: Olive marabou Flashback: Pearl Tinsel Rib: Copper wire Abdomen: Olive Dubbing Eyes: Olive Mono Legs: Olive Mini Centipede Legs Thorax: Olive Dubbing Hopefully they catch everyone a lot of fish! Thanks, Chad

I am kind of supprised that more people didn't start on the wooly bugger. That was the fly I tied first and it did a good job of teaching me the basics of fly tying. I am still not sure if that first wooly bugger was a good thing or bad thing. :dunno: It got me addicted to one of my favorite things to do but now I spend way too much money on materials. --CHad

E.P. Baitfish McMurderer Zonker Pike Zonker (a variation of the original) Harry Fodder Any large Popper Flashtail Whistler Double Bunny Dahlberg Diver Bunny Fly I have found that many of my Pike flies don't even have names since thay are my own design or they are variations of some of the popular Pike flies. The two things I really like to have on a Pike fly are rabbit zonker strips and synthetic flash material because they both are very durable and have a good action in the water. --Chad

I found some Pseudo Marabou in the bargain cave at Cabelas for like $.50 apiece so I bought a pile and I haven't had much luck with it. I can see how it would make a great veil on egg patterns but I am having a hard time finding more uses for it. I am sure other people have thought of creative things to do with it so I figured I would ask before I toss it in that bottom drawer where everything else that rarely sees daylight ends up. Thanks for your input, --Chad

I have got a question for the rest of you in the swap. I decided on the approximate damsel as my pattern but my question is about color. I tie the pattern in two different colors: Light olive (realistic) and hot pink (flashy). The olive version does a good job representing the natural look and action of a damselfly nymph but the pink version is much brighter and has a little bit of flashabou to really catch the fish's attention. I personally have never found bluegill to be particularly picky about what they eat and I have had slightly better success on the pink version but I understand that many people would rather fish a pattern that more closely imitates the real deal. So my question is: Olive or Pink?? :dunno: It doesn't make any difference to me which one I have to tie a bunch up of since I will be tying a lot of both this spring anyway to load my own box. Thanks for your input, --Chad

I have never fished for lake trout or speckles but for walleye I would try big black wooly buggers or black rabbit strip leaches. The walleye have no problem gulping down a tasty leach that happens to swim by. The only problem I have found is getting your fly deep enough so I would recommend sinking or sink-tip line. Best of Luck, --Chad

Nice Work I know the panfish in my neck of the woods would have no problem hammering either variation I think your moment of divine inspiration :hyst: when this fly idea popped into your head is how many effective patterns are born. You are just sitting their at your bench thinking I like the way this fly floats and I like how realistic this one is and pretty soon whammo...the new pattern is born! I think I will have to tie up a few of your Antipillars to try here on the local sunnies this weekend, If i can slip outa work early Good Work, --Chad

Looks like this swap finally got on it's feet -Im in I could probably help you out with a baitfish pattern-I don't know what it will be for sure yet but I will pick some type of EP baitfish fly. How big should the pattern be? Big enough for largemouth or northern or smaller for trout or smallies? Thanks, --Chad

All this talk about catching bass is driving me nuts :wallbash: Up here in minnesota we can't even fish for bass for another five weeks or so. :crying:

I bought a DVD from Kathy Scott called Simple Furled Leaders as well and I would highly recomend it. It to me a half hour to set up the board and now I can make any strength furled leader I want in only a few minutes just by changing the thread you make them with. The furled leaders really turn flies over a lot better than my old single strand hand tied leaders did. What does everyone else use for thread to make furled leaders for big flies. I tried using some 30lb spiderwire I had sitting around and it seems to work pretty good but I was curious if there was something better to use.