GunnerDonn

Ethan, One thing you can do to improve your wooly booger is to cut it's tail off or omit it when you tie it. The wooly worm I feel is a much better all around fly and if I had to select a survival fly, it would be the wooly worm. The very best night fly for brown trout that I found over many years to trial and error with many different flies is a plain olive green wooly worm palmered with brown chicken hackle on a #6 2X wet fly hook. When you tie your thread on the shank of your fly, leave about 6 inches or so of the tying thread hang out the back of the hook rather than cutting it off so that you can back wrap your hackle once you have palmered it on. This may sound hard to you, but have dad show you and you will pick it up instantly and this will give you a more durable fly which you will need once a brown trout or two mistakes them for a midnight snack. I'm glad you are tying and fishing at a young age and it is a hobby that will stay with you all of your life. Share it witih your friends and others, it is like reading the Bible, it is something you should share with everyone. I enjoyed your post and I hope you post a lot more and welcome to the forum.

I enjoy catching a 20"+ trout on a size 20 hook or smaller and you can do it easily on many of the tail waters in the west such as the San Juan in northern New Mexico. I also enjoy catching any trout on 9x tippet and size #28 fly.

What a hobby we have and share. I'm a long time tier and sitting at the bench can be very humbling at times yet very rewarding. One of the beauties for me is that fly tying has been like a very personal friend and lover to me over the years and a refuge where I can find solace and peace. Five minutes in front of my vise/vice and the worries of the day and world are a distant memory. There is always something to learn or try at the bench and it has a way of making amateurs of us all at times. Stay with it and your God given talents will be rewarded many times over.

I used beard hair to tie a fly for shipmates coming off a Med cruise in the early 60's. We were allowed to raise a beard for the 9 month cruise but had to shave them off prior to returing to CONUS. When they shaved them off I would tie a fly for them out of their beard hair as a remembrance piece for them. Wierd huh? When I was a youngster and learning to tie, I'd practice on anything I could get, including a little dog hair from my Irish Setter.

Heading back from Florida about that time and don't know if I can make it down for the show or not. Would love to but can't say one way or the other. I'll tie some 28's and 32's if I come. Thanks

I'm looking for a pair of Thompson (red handled) ice tempered scissors. Mine are about worn out and I can't get a pair from Thompson since they've gone out of business. If you know wherer I can get a pair or if you have a used pair you would like to let go then I'll pay what ever you want for them or will make a good swap. Used is fine as long as they are still in decent shape. Thanks. Gunner Donn

Orvis made a rotary vice for a very short time and then took them off the market. They are a nice looking vice but the jaws will not properly hold a hook. If you find one, save your money and buy almost any other rotary vice. I believe the Renzetti Traveler is the best all around rotary for the buck.

I keep all essential materials in a desk and adjoining bureau. All surplus and spare materials I store in 18 gallon totes in the garage. I've been collecting materials for years and find it handy to be able to give materials and tools away to beginners, especially kids and scouts. The Good Lord has given you a gift and you should all share it with kids at every opportunity.

I began using my fingers as a vice and can still tie very small flies this way, even on the stream. Never have cared for the clamp models but that is all we had many years ago and I've grown to appreciate the pedistal models more.

Hey Mate, you can go to one of your neighbors that has chooks and get a couple of necks from him and they should fill your bill. You can palmer your hackle from either end and use a wire or thread overwrap on them for durablility. I lived down under with my Kiwi wife for a few years and you have some great fishing down there. Jump over to New Zealand when you get a few bob and try some really great fishing.

When you have tied for over 50 years like some of us old codgers, you have many poo flies though not through imitation. Wonder if he uses a realistic spray on them like the bass fishers use on their rubber worms.

It's been a long winter, but hey, the steelies are runnin.

Unless you need the weight then just leave an ample pigtail when tying your thread to the hook shank and leave it in your material keeper until you need it. I find this crutial on dry flies where I don't want weight or extra bulk. I do like a good underpinning on my flies to keep them sturdy and a quality hackle properly secured does not need a backwrap most of the time.

dontheo, no thank you I have plenty of those hooks; was just looking for the Mustad #32's. Nice looking flies plumbob, do you fish them also? There are some great patterns you can tie and fish on #28's and yours looks excellent. Nice fishing boat there also, I was in the canoe club for 24.