Brian_A

WOW!! Some of you guys have a lot of flies! I have somewhere between 200- 250 tied so far. I gotta long way to go to even be in the running.

I am flat out new to tying. Ive only been doing it for a few months. I havent learned what brand of vise or materials is best yet. However, I know that if I spent the money on an expensive vise like you say I would be a bit irritated about a missing part. I dont know the circumstances of your situation or where you got the vise. Someone else in a store may have taken the missing part. If you ordered the vise from Renzetti themselves, or it would be unlikely for someone else to have taken the part than yes you would have the right to be pissed. Granted, yelling at them isnt going to get much done. I just think that you shouldnt have to suck up to them for them to give you a missing part that most likely was there fault to begin with. Im not trying to argue with you or hijack this post, but applauding them for doing something free of charge anyone of us would have expected them to do is a bit over the top. I do however understand that any company will work with you if you just be nice, instead of yelling at them about their mistake.

I bought a Griffin Montana Mongoose a few weeks ago. I like it a lot, no problems at all. Around $200.00

Skunkaroo I checked for Pms but I didnt see any messages. I may just be an idiot, and dont know where to look though. I havent really fooled around with the site at all yet.

sounds good Now thinking about it, (chickabou) kinda spells it right out for me. Should have known that. Ill give it a try

Chickabou is also sold by itself for half the price, is this good material for soft hackles? Im just interested in experimenting with different types of materials and hackles to see what I like the best.

Thanks everyone for all the help! Flyline I appreciate you taking the time to explain it all to me. Steelie, thanks for the download that is great, just what I was looking for.

I am trying to figure out what all these are used for. Ive seen dry patterns call for hen wings. Im not sure what to buy for these types of flies. Also if anyone has the time to list a few different uses for necks, saddles, capes etc.. I see so many different types, just trying to sort it all out. thanks

Once again thanks alot! You guys on here are great, cutting the learning curve in half. I wasnt sure about the hen saddles, and the bugger packs. I didnt know if the feathers would be too stiff for what I was looking for. I got it figured out now. I wanted to tie some salmon and steelhead flies and was looking for bright colored feathers. Some of these materials arent exactly cheap and I didnt want to be wasting money on something I didnt need right now. I know you all already know this and many have said it before but.... Fly tying is very addictive. I bought some materials two years ago and gave it a try couldnt get it. Picked the stuff up again 7 months later and same thing, slammed everything down and packed it up. Then this past summer tried it again and got the hang of it, and now I cant stop. I think my wife is starting to get irriritated with me because all I do is work and tie flies. I even cut my trapping season in half this year because I am more interested in tying. Great hobby! Thanks for all the help Brian

I am looking for soft hackle for bigge flies, streamers etc.. What is the correct name Hen Saddle? I dont have a clue? I dont want to order the wrong type feathers. Thanks for any help. I see them on streamers in all different colors?

I only have a few skins that Im going to keep. I have a bunch of tails though that I will trade someone for some materials that someone might be willing to part with. Ill have to figure out what I need. If you have extra of something let me know I might be able to use it.

Ill be dying everything in the kitchen too. Ill keep you guys posted on the different things that I ruin in the process

Thanks again! You guys have been really helpful. I like that cutter idea. I dont have much of an imagination myself, I would have never thought of something like that. Ill try to get one put together and let you guys know how I do. Appreciate the help!

Thanks I checked out the website. Looks good. Im going to figure out what colors I want and order some.

Thanks! Ill give it a shot and see how I do.

I want to cut the rabbit hide I have into strips. Zonker and crosscut. Im guessing an X-Acto knife cutting from the hide side is the way to do it. Any tips from you guys with a lot of experience. I can just see myself cutting the hide all to shreds and wasting half of it.

Thanks Mark. Where is the best place to order this dye from?

Thanks for the dying tips Flyline Ill give it a shot pretty soon. Ill also check out the book too.

Thanks for the replies. Can anyone reccomend a good book or video on dying/bleaching materials?

I have a brother in law who went pheasant hunting in Kanas this past season. I asked him to save me some pheasant tail clumps and send them to me in NJ. WOW! He sent me 41 tail clumps, rumps patches and a bunch of skins. My question is how should I store these for much later use? I am a trapper and I know how to take care of fur pretty well, but the feathers and all Im a little inexperienced with. Would they be ok in a cardboard box with a bunch of cedar chips in it? I would rather not use moth balls ( I cant stand the smell of them) if I can help it. He must have rounded up everyones pheasant skins and sent them all to me! Gonna be busy tying some patterns using pheasant feathers/tail fibers for a while now! Thanks for any help.

I have never been to a fly fishing show until this year at Somerset. I was dissapointed. Granted I went on Sun afternoon and I didnt take advantage of the theatre shows. I assumed there would be many more vendors selling materials. There definately wasnt a good variety of materials around. Prices were pretty steep too. Will not go again.

Haha! I have one better! I took my wife's truck fishing one Sunday. The next day after she got to work a lady who she works with told her she has a fly stuck to her butt. This lady's husband actually ties flies too so she knew what it was. It was a BWO size 18!

Hello, Im Brian. 24 yrs old Ive only been fly fishing for a few years, but I absolutely love it! I hunt, fish and trap! Fly fishing is definately my favorite hands down. I just recently began tying flies, mainly because I dont have the money to keep replacing the flies I lose 30 ft up in tree! Anyway I have some materials and tools, but pretty much just the basics. I lack creativity so I will definately be asking a ton of questions especially regarding different uses for certain materials. I look forward to learning all I can about tying flies! I will get right to my first question! Does anyone have some relatively simple plans for a tying bench? Like I said before I lack the creativity to come up with my own! I would be sitting in front of a few pieces of wood for a week wondering how to make a bench!