TNFlyTier

Well, I just got a couple spcially ordered colors in from him yesterday. I'm sitting here looking at them, but still can't tell for sure. I think it's too coarse for skunk. Could be bear. Anyway, I've got some good looking lures. I asked for blue and white to immitate minnows and brown and orange for crayfish. Now I've just got to find the time to try them out.

Yes I believe I was, but in my defense, I've been bass fishing with baitcast gear lately... and have been catching fish up to nearly 5 pounds. They yank as hard as I do.

I think part of my problem is my "regular" fishing techniques. Based on what I've been looking up this morning, I think I'm setting the hook way too hard. I was able to see the trout suck in the fly, or at least I saw the gill movement and I did hook one, but I know with some types of fish, once they get the lure in their mouth, they drop it quickly. I was afraid to wait too long in fear of them feeling the hook.

This isn't exactly tying related, but there are a couple of trout streams that are stocked in my county (the only reason we even have any trout really), so I'm wanting to try to catch some. I"ve fished for years, but almost no fly fishing. Aside from getting tangles in all the brush around and not having a very good casting technique, I need some advice on catching the trout. The scenario yesterday was, it's a small stream. I spook fish as soon as I get to the edge of the water(they can see me), but any farther back and I'm in the woods. I'm casting a dry fly and having some fish bite, but can never set the hook. After a few casts, my dry fly becomes a wet fly and I'm still getting a few hits, but only once got a hookset, but lost it almost immediately. My question is when do you set the hook? If it's on top, do you set it as soon as the fly is hit, and if it's not on top, I usually lose where my fly is. I have a general idea with my fly line, and I can see the trout, but either I set the hook too soon (don't think it's my problem) or too late since I'm having to wait to see the fish swim up and then swim away quickly. Only a couple of times did I see my fly line move before setting the hook. Oh and I do have a fly fishing video, but considering their educational aspect to catching fish was saying "there he is" and then setting the hook, it was basically useless.

It's Bucktail. It hit me when you said bucktail jigs. I've used bucktail jigs for white bass and sauger in years passed. And now that I think of it, it's too crinkly and stiff for horse hair. Thanks guys

I purchased a dozen, but me not being a fly tier for long, I'm still not sure. I can tell you it's very coarse hair. It's not squirrel. Pretty sure it's not calf tail (at least not the calf tail that I've seen so far). It's the color and consistency of horse mane and tail. Some of the tailes on the lure are feathers, and some he makes out of the same hair (depending on what color tail it is) and the body of course is chenille.

I used to fish with something called Mike's Hairy Minnow. He's no longer around but another man makes them. I've ordered some and used them, but I want to tie some of my own. I've tied dozens of marabou jigs and a few flies, but I'm kinda new. What is the material he's using for the wings of this lure. Looks like horse mane to me, but I don't know. (Link below) https://www.storesonline.com/site/1539927/page/706964