Ristarwen

Riff, those are great! Glad to see you're back! Yetavon, sad to see you go...you're flies were awesome! I know I've been a bit MIA lately. Work has been hectic, and after being on my feet all day, all I want to do when I get home is eat dinner, crash on the couch, and watch Netflix til bedtime. It's bad. Sooo...this month kinda snuck up on me. I've got some red San Juan Worms that I'll get out today. My goal is to hit the post office by 4 so that they make today shipment, and with any luck they'll get to BB by Saturday. In Summary: I'm alive, and wormies'll be in the mail today.

Guys, I just wanted to apologize. I feel like a total you-know-what for dropping out last minute. I didn't get on my business as early as I should have, and I didn't want to hold everyone else up for my tardiness. I know that I took up a spot that somebody else could have enjoyed, and I feel terrible. If anyone still wants one of my ties, PM me your addy and I'll try my darndest to get one sent out to you this week. I'm really am sorry guys, I have no excuse other than being a total slacker.

BB, I'm doing some sort of little orangey scuddy sowey thing like this. The problem that I'm running into is that I don't have enough size 10 scud hooks...either some will be in size 14, or I'll pick up some more hooks at the fly fishing show in Somerset this weekend. (side note: anybody gonna be there?) I'll get these suckers sent out on Monday morning. Sorry for my absence...work has been just terrible.

I got hackle from Collin's farm when I was at the International Fly Tying Symposium in November. Mr. Collins was there representing his farm, and he recommended his commercial grade capes for beginners. He breeds his own chickens and guarantees all of his products. This means that if you have a problem with twisting or breaking, you can return the feathers to him for a replacement. He was such a cool guy, and he even picked out what he thought would be the best capes for me! Here's a link to his site, but if you get a chance to meet him and speak with him in person you definitely should!

Ooh la la! Those are pink! Very nice ties.

BB, mine are in the mailbox and will get sent out tomorrow. I did up some 3-eyed beetles and sent along some extra plastic bead-chain for everyone.

BB, I'd totally be up for another go 'round. This was fun! And providing a phone number...no problem. There oughta be a quick way for you to reach us if needed. This month I think I'm gonna do a set of holiday-themed woven stonefly nymphs, along with some of Fishy Fullam's 3-eyed Beetles. I was gonna do another set of those Charlie Boy Hoppers in orange too, but it looks like Dreamcaster beat me to it! (that's right, I was gonna be on top of things and get all kinds of sets sent out!) I'm half-done with my beetle and nymph sets, and everything'll get sent out by the 20th.

If there's room for one more, I'd love to hop in on this one.

Just put mine in the mail, BB. I didn't have time to tie any extras in this pattern, but I tossed in a couple of extra gifties for you. I hope they fish well!

Ugh, guys, I'm so sorry! I have 2 more to tie and then I'll get them in the mail tomorrow before I leave for work. I feel like such a slacker... Anyway, I'll get those suckers out ASAP, and I'll get started right away on December so that I can maybe do extras.

I seem to be falling a bit behind here... I started a couple of my flies, but after letting them sit and coming back to them, I'm no longer happy with them... I'm still going to do the same pattern, but these first ones might get the razor. I'm alone all weekend, though, so I should be able to get some tying in. Mine should be getting out on Monday. On a side note, do bluegills eat adult damselflies? Does anything? They look like they would be bitter and un-tasty.

BB, I just got my flies last night! Everyone did a fantastic job! (I had better step it up for November!) I kept showing The Guy..."Look at this one! And this one! Ohhh! This one!" and he was all I'm now itching to go get a cheap-o rod and swing some flies...but if I do that, I'll be dipping into my (shallow) materials fund. Ah, well, I'll stash 'em away for another day.

Hey guys, Looks like I'll be trying a Charlie Boy Hopper, size 10. I've got red legs, so maybe I'll do some up in cinnamon brown? Orange? Green? The foam I have isn't in very "fishy" colors, and I feel like I should at least use some of it up before I go out and buy more...What colors do bluegills like?

Glad you got my flies, BB! I was so worried what with the storm and all... I was gone all weekend, then we lost power Monday night around 10 and got it back last night at 8, so I had no idea what was going on with those suckers. Glad you liked 'em! I'm excited to see what everyone else dolled up for this!

Got my Carrot Nymphs out this morning. Meant to do it Monday, but then life happened. Anyway, they're on their way. BB, I put a few extra stamps in my tin just in case I didn't put enough on the package. Wish I had gotten a picture of all of them before I sent them out - I can't find my camera anywhere.

Wow, guys! These are some amazing flies, all around!

Great SBS! I guess it comes with being a more experienced tier that you don't just chuck a perfectly good hook, huh? I guess they are the most expensive material I buy...that and beads for the heads...

Thanks for the feedback, guys! I went and practiced a couple of finishes, and I think I really was just cranking down on the initial turns too tightly. Once I got a lighter hand, everything slid down nice and easy.

So, I haven't had any issues at all with breaking thread until recently. I taught myself to whip finish by hand (that damn Matarelli is too bulky and I just cannot get the hang of it), and most of the time it works okay. About 20% of the time, though, the loops "catch" on themselves, I guess, and it's difficult to finish the knot. The thread just refuses to slide through and close up the loops. I can usually get it done with some resistance (and cursing), but it seems like in about 10% of the flies that I tie, there's too much resistance and the thread breaks. Is there any way to prevent this? Or is it just one of those things that happens, and I just have to salvage the knot and the fly? Or is it just that I don't quite have full control over my techniques yet, and that it'll get better?

Darn, looks like I'm in the same boat as P.G. Beckett! I gotta get posting - this swap sounds like fun!

Getting started now on my flies, since I'm still pretty slow at the vise. I've decided on a Carrot Nymph variation, and (if there's interest, if I have time, and if I don't get too frustrated with the tie) I'll also tie a dozen Marabou Damsel Nymphs to go along. I was planning on doing size 12s...is that too big/small?

Thanks for having me! I'll do my best! And Ben, those are some nice pheasants!

If there really isn't anyone else that wants to join in, I can take a spot. (if there is someone else, though, that's totally ok) I don't really fish yet, but where I am panfish are much more accessible than trout, and when I do start fishing, that's what I'll be going after. My flies are still kinda ugly (but I'd of course send out my prettiest ones), and if you'll have me I would like to join and see how others tie. How many flies should I do? 11? 12? And when's the due date?

I'll probably go to the fly fishing show in January, and I really am only half an hour's drive from Somerset. I think that this could be a really good time, and if anyone wants to, we could even have an FTF meetup. I dunno, go out to a pub, have a round, talk flies... Let me know what you guys think.

Hey guys, Just picked up the most recent issue of Fly Tyer and there was a blurb about the International Fly Tying Symposium. Somerset is just a few miles from where I live, and I'm wondering if it would be worth it for me to take the weekend off from work, or even just one day. Has anybody been to this thing before? Are any of you guys going? I think it sounds like fun, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to blow off two weekends in a row from work (as the next weekend is Thanksgiving). What do you guys think? Anyone going that I could meet up with? I'm not sure that I could get The Guy to come along...he still doesn't get why the corner of out bedroom is all cluttered with pokey things and bits of dead animals. Here's a link to the website for the thing.