Byron

I'll probably be gone before Jay Smit!!! I have #80 of his with several updates. Great vise. I also had a LAW. I prefer a vise with true rotary. One that can be adjusted to maintain the shank in a level axis.......regardless of the size of the hook. It was a thing of beauty though. One of the best "fit and finish" products ever.

I love my Jvice! Jay is working on a small device to assist in tying extended body flies for me. Just a simple add-on to maintain tension to the rear at about 30 degrees so it will hold your tailing material hands free. He really is responsive and builds great tools. Besides his vise, I can't use any other hair stacker for most of my flies than with his tapered end brass stacker.

When I use two hackles on a fly, first, I "wiggle" the second hackle through the first to help find its way to a bare location, and if I have chosen two hackles with equal length barbules, The completed fly sure looks to have equal length hackle tips. I find that there is room for two hackle stems to fit behind and in front of the wings. Just my observations.

When I wrap two hackles, I "wiggle" the second hackle while wrapping to avoid the issue. If I use two hackles of the same size, they usually come out the same length.......based on visual inspection....have not measured closely.

I had one of those. It was called the Thompson Pro I believe it was the same one, anyway

I had one of those. It was called the Thompson Pro

Sure do like the Caddis Emerger PT!! Send a dozen my way.

The closed nice carrying case

This is what I use. Bought at Trouthunter fly shop in Island Park, Idaho

I have tried differing hackling methods on some somewhat standard flies as it seems to me that insect legs are not all in one place when the insect is on the water. In this case, you definitely need to use a shorter barbules feather for the rear hackle:

Appreciate that phb, Yes, it is difficult to select two feathers with the same sized barbules...but he made a point of purposely selecting a longer barbules one and a shorter one. Leads me to believe they would be significantly different length barbules. If all two hackled flies have barbules of differing length, whether on purpose or not, and they float very well, that may buttress his theory? Right? By the way, his explanation begins at about minute 3:30 in the video.u

Thanks Flytier, You understand my question. On its face, what Fran says seems to make sense. The odd thing is that I can't seem to find anyone aware of the proposition or having adopted it. And, it is not about fish attraction (the two different sizes), but about increased "floatability).

Certainly agree that such an "over-hackled" fly may well float well. But, my interest was in Fran's discussion about the use of two different sized hackles and the fact that he said it was done in order that if the longer barbuled hackle broke through the meniscus, the shorter ones would continue to support. We all use two different colored hackles on patterns like the Adams and others. But it is done primarily to blend the two colors, and some suggest to give the suggestion of movement. I am wondering if anyone else is aware of Fran's technique and reasoning. Can you point to other tiers who explain the use/purpose of purposely using two different sized hackles?? I am always curious about different concepts and theories in tying that I hear from highly regarded "pioneers" in the endeavor.

Mvedndon Here is the video where he explains his theory in detail as he is preparing the hackle feathers. https://youtu.be/B89K0SgTdhE

Moved on, If you watch the video he explains, in detail, the different length of barbules and explains his theory of why he does it. There are two videos of him tying it. I will post the link of the video in which he explains this in detail.w https://youtu.be/B89K0SgTdhE It is explained at the point in which he selects his two hackle feathers and ties them in behind the wings.

I said that because all the books showing "as the trout sees the insect/fly", the first portion of the fly/insect they see are the wing tips. Thus, if the fly is floating downstream wing-first, the wing tips would be more prominent and seen better........seems to me.

I was re-watching a video on YouTube of Fran Betters tying his Ausable Wulff. He very heavily hackles the fly. A brown and grizzly feather and puts lots of wraps of both on the fly. I happened to pick up on something he said while hackling the fly that I had overlooked before. He said he uses two different sized hackles so that if the longer barbules feather breaks through the surface, the shorter hackle sized barbules will maintain the fly on the surface. Anyone else do this? Think it would work as he explained? Thanks!

I'm a bit reluctant to post this, but here goes: It has been my experience of observation, over many, many years of fly fishing that, IN GENERAL, before taking flight, duns tend to float downstream "facing downstream". Granted, many times currents and micro currents change their drift, but that is why I say "In General". If I my observations are correct, that is why I tend to fish either downstream to fish, or, at the least, sort of across and down in order that the fly will, in its float, be oriented to floating wings first headed downstream. Agree or disagree?

Cool! I was fortunate enough to have met him a couple times at club functions, and was able to watch him tie in person. I have a framed collection of 4 flies tied by each,,,,,,Gary LaFontaine, Mike Lawson, and Jack Dennis The odd thing about Gary's patterns is that they aren't 4 of his most famous Too bad we don't have a lot more guys like him these days.....original research

An old video featuring primarily Gary Lafontaine (created of the Emerging Sparkle Pupa, Deep Sparkle, etc.). In the video, he demonstrates the touch dubbing method which he used on many of his famous patterns. https://youtu.be/aaedyz2qv7k

Reviewing Gary LaFontaine's great video on some of his most famous caddis flies and thought I would use UV pearl dubbing fibers to add a bit more sparkle to his sparkle pupa pattern.

Hi, I like my Stonfo. It all depends though. I also like my old Dorian. I also like my Jvice bobbin holder. Sort of depends on my mood, I think. I have to add that I have ordered the Petijean bobbin holder as I think he really addresses the tier's concerns. I like the easy way you can thread it; the easy tensioning arm; and the ability to use different sized thread bobbins.

"Kimo" translates to "James" over here. Again, I like Petijean tools.........I know some folks look for substitutes. His tools work perfectly. In addition, I believe we should support those innovators like Marc who design and develop great tying tools. If not for folks like him and his risk taking, we wouldn't have the great tying innovations we have today.

James, I also noticed that you stacked the CDC with the "long ends" in the clip. I believe Marc (and therefore I) transfer between clips in order to have the longer ends of the CDC material on the outside of the clip before using the stacker to compress the fibers? I'm not saying it is important to do as Marc does, just noticed the difference.....I believe.

Did I also notice Kimo (James) using the Pettijean long scissors in that video??? That's one of the few tools of his that I don't yet have. Still using a "plain" pair.