David Legg

LOL... I know how you feel. Funny thing though... someone once stole a flybox full of my early experiments with fly tying. I'm not sure what they thought of what they got, but I can tell you this... they caught fish.

Mine are ready tonight. Could you PM me your address? Thanks! David <><

Mine are done... could you PM me the address?

Those will fish fine. You are being a little too agressive with the dubbing... you need to thin out just a little, and make sure it goes on evenly. That is really nice work for your first flies though. The hackle has a curved form. If you want the hackle to point back, you need to make sure the hackle is facing the right way, and maintain the orientation. If you hold it with two fingers and just keep winding it, it will twist and you will have uncontrollable results. If you face the convex side forward, the barbs will be forward pointing when it is wrapped on. Get the right orientation, then pass the hackle from hand to hand as you wrap forward, maintaining that orientation. Or use hackle pliars, and wrap using the hackle pliars' design to maintain orientation of the hackle. An ordinary spring pliars will have a loop at the "hinge" and you can put a finger through that and then wrap with one finger, and the hackle will stay oriented correctly. Everyone makes tails too long in the beginning. Some people never stop! It's okay for this type of fly, but you will learn to visualize better and place the tailing materials properly before tying in with a little practice. For now, just intentionally go a little shorter than you think is necessary, and it will probably be better. Welcome to the forum. Glad you are here.

That is some gorgeous work!

Did you get the spring scissors with the loop attached?

That's a nice looking fly. I don't see a lot of people using split thread technique. It's a great way to manage materials like that and get that long fibered dub without building bulk. Do you allign in one direction when you do it?

Yep, though it takes practice. But if you saw that in person, you know you weren't looking at special effects. But... not every operation benefits from that. I don't see how it could help you spin deer hair faster, for example. Having said that, I own a Nor vise, and I'm glad I bought it. I like it a lot. David <><

Thanks! It was fun putting the idea together.

I've been sick all week, but finally had the energy to sit at the vise today and design the fly I'll use for the swap. It's a NanoCrayfish, using some Whiting spey Chick-a-bou saddle feathers, some pine squirrel, and some shrimp ultra eyes. It has a little bit of Hareline dark rainbow scud dub for the mouth, some crystal chenille, and copper brown swiss straw ribbed with copper wire and tiny dumbell eyes below the jig bend (I increased the bend in a bent nymph hook) tied with brown thread. It likes to sit claws and eyes up like a defensive crayfish.

Thanks... Sorry to hear about your situation. That stinks. I don't think insurance companies should be allowed to do that. I don't think the govornment should be allowed to do that either, and if the govornment becomes our insurance company, it could come to that, and I am afraid that's where we are heading. I'd like to see govornment reform the problems without taking over. I hope your situation works out. David <><

Happy Birthday! Hope you have an awesome day! :cheers: David <><

Thanks! I'm sure glad it didn't turn out to be anything serious.

I have used the Metz microbarb saddles, and like the product. I haven't used the Keough, so can't compare.

Nice work. Keep crafting wee flies like that, and you'll be accused of bein' one o' the little people!