993guy

I just set this up last month. My old bench area was a roll top desk. This is a closet that I converted and I love the storage and tabletop surface (Melamine shelf from Home Depot, $17) because when it gets old and gross, I can just turn it over or go buy another one. New Peak Vice, C&F fly boxes and Modern Midges book were Christmas presents. :yahoo:

Rivers: #1, For scenic beauty and # of fish, The A Section of the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam, Utah. #2, For the sheer number and size of fish, The San Juan River below Navajo Dam, New Mexico. Streams: #1, For scenic beauty and size of the most colorful trout in the world, The Frying Pan above Basalt, Colorado #2, A private spring creek near Jackson Hole, Wyoming...sorry that's all I can tell you.

I have 24 boxes of flies and 10 of those boxes are filled with Midges. They don't take up much room so there is approx. 500-700 flies in each box. Some of the larger boxes of midges have 1,000-1,100 in each box. The other boxes have around 200-300 flies in each box. Total is around 11,000. Of those 11,000 there are about 100 dry flies or floating patterns. All of them are for Trout.

Which Mongoose did you get? :dunno:

Go to a shop that will let you sit down and try out the vices they sell. If they won't do that... go elsewhere! I found that my needs and my hand actions worked best with the Peak vice. It's all about your hand movements and ease of use when tying.

I just purchased a Peak Rotary vice made in Loveland, CO. So far I love it. I purchased the Midge jaws too and they are fantastic!

I too am a new member to this Forum, but a long time fly fisherman and tier (46 years). I have read the book, Modern Midges, and I think it is a great resource for those who fly fish. From what I understand, there are midge patterns and articles from 8 Countries and over 20 US States represented in the book and over 175 tiers and authors (including Phil Rowley's and Brian Chan's patterns and lake and stream patterns form Britain and eastern Europe). A great resource for the most prevalent bug on the face of the earth! Remember that midges are not just small flies, they are a separate species. If you think there is a "caddis midge or a beatis midge or a mysis midge"... you need to get this book and read it. If you don't fish or tie midges, you should! I don't go fishing without a box or two of midge patterns in my vest, because at any one time there are 50 to 150 species of midges in all bodies of water all over the world. That's a lot of colors and sizes of bugs. In my research and reading about aquatic insects, it is estimated that at least 50% the insect life in any given lake or stream is composed of midges. In our fishing streams and lakes, Midges hatch every day, all year long from Arctic waters to hot springs. When I fish lakes or streams with two flies, 90% of the time I use a midge as my primary or secondary fly. Pupal patterns are the most effective as fish key on this emergent life stage. Get the book and read it, select some patterns and tie them up. I too noticed that there are several patterns that are repeated to show different colors. I personally like to see those color variations and those variations allow me to be selective as to which one(s) to tie. IMHO this book is NOT "bs" as someone indicated, open your mind and your net will get wet!

Got it! Okay, brace yourselves!!!! I'm going to try and add a photo... hope it works. One of my favorite spots... any guesses?

Hello everyone! I've been lurking for several days and decided to register. I have been Fly Fishing for 46 years and spend my free time fishing, tying flies, playing golf, driving my Porsche 911/993 and traveling to rivers and lakes all over the US and Canada. One Question: What does "Bait Fisherman" mean? :dunno:

+1 by Cole! Take a class at your local fly shop, use their vices and find out what you like. Purchase materials as you go along in the class and purchase Charlie Craven's new book on Basic Fly Tying. Charlie is one of the BEST! You can't go wrong with his book. He invented the Jujubee Midge and is a superb tier. His fly shop in Denver is fantastic! Tying your own flies is one of the best things you can do to really understand fly fishing, bugs and to become a better fisherman. It's all about the insects and the on-stream presentation of those interpretations you have tied on your bench. FUN stuff! I don't know what your fly fishing experiences are, but start tying simple flies and you will make fast gains in your abilities with the tools and materials. Buggers, nymphs and midges are where I started and then moved to the more complicated patterns like stone flies and dry flies. Make your goal to tie several sizes of the same pattern each time you sit down at the vice, say 6 of each size and 2-3 colors and your fly boxes will soon fill up. Best of luck to you! 993