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Fly Tying

T_Bone

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Everything posted by T_Bone

  1. Well I tried Dumbell eyes on some old hooks I bought out of the odd ball box behind the counter today. There were not any bass bug hooks around but these old Mustad 3161's in a size 6 with an off centered hook point had a larger than average gape. Plus I think because of the twist on the hook it may make the fly that much more erratic.
  2. I'm thinking about tying some double bunnies with DB eyes. I was thinking about it the other day and I saw some videos. Should I tie them hook point up or down? I asked the same question in a Facebook group but the response I had was with DB eyes you have to tie hook point up. I don't believe this is correct. Can't you tie the eyes on the other side of the hook too? I'm thinking I will likely tie these hook point up, and should I use Extra weight on the shank? Thanks in advance for any feedback provided. -T
  3. I started fly fishing three years ago, and fell in love. Initially I thought wow I spend a ton on all these flies I am always losing! The following year I started tying. The good news is I hardly ever lose flies anymore, and I tie so many I have to give some away.
  4. You got me. this is precisely what I was talking about. Palmering the zonker strip around the shank. I did not have any cross cut strips though so I used standard zonkers in purple, and olive, then some pine squirrel zonker strips, which turned out looking more like a mouse. LOL. They looked all right but I found that it I left the eyes a little further back and ran two more wraps ahead of the eye the palmered hair helped smooth out the gap in fur that occurs while wrapping the DB eyes. Thanks!
  5. How does one get these right? I tie in the eyes, and then start with the tail. Glue the shank and wrap forward stroking back hair. Do I X wrap the DB eyes and then get another wrap or two around the shank before the eye? It looks alriht when I do it this way but I was wondering how others approach this type of fly. I will try and get some pics up soon. And if your zonker comes up short it seems, like there is no way to restart another and make it look right. Any advice? Thanks, T~
  6. I do not believe it is kevlar. I bought some black kevlar and I hate it! I notice if there is ever an uncalculated drop or bumb of the bobbin the thread loosens up, It practically unwinds half way down the hook. IT REALLY TORQUES ME! So I just don't torture myself with it any more.
  7. So I bought a large lot of tying materials and tools a while back to get me started tying. The draw back was there all all kinds of materials and stuff I've had trouble identifying. My question is.... I have this thread that I have been using occasionally that is awesome. It has no label on the spool, but it seems like a very waxy, flat single strand. It is very strong. Any ideas what I could be talking about? I think I would like to find it in other colors for tying different patterns. If you have any ideas as to what I am using I'm very interested in finding out. Thanks, T~
  8. Good for you! I hope it is exactly what you are looking for! At this point I wouldn't give up my rotary feature for anything, but to each their own. I'm biding my time on the Renzetti Traveler. After Christmas I'm hoping, but I do need some wading boots pretty badly too, so we'll see what Santa brings me. T~
  9. Up here in New England we have three types of trout currently, (Well four if you count the tiger trout hybrids, but....), Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout. What are your favorite flies for each species of trout. I hav noticed distinctly more effective flies for each species. Brook trout in my findings seem to prefer deer hair or elk hair, such as stimulators, elk hair caddis and even deer hair streamer patterns like the Mickey Finn. To further add to my findings, I have noticed that the color orange particularly attracts them. Rainbows I have had the most luck personally with streamer patterns like wood duck herons, and well wooly buggers being fished like a streamer. And on warmer days when the actions slows to a still letting a BH zebra midge sway into the riffles seems to bring them in. Brown's well I have only caught two in the two and half years I have been fly fishing, and I have concluded they like olive wooly buggers fished inthe nymph fashion really slow. So how about you what sort of fish do you target and which flies do you find most effective?
  10. I will work on that. Thanks!
  11. Thank you! The stone fly is a pattern I saw a friend had tied once. I only saw it in his box, but I was certain I could mimic it. This was the second one. The first looked like an anorexic version so I only posted this one. I was really impressed with the black ghost. It isn't a hard fly to tie, but I did it pretty small and it still looks pretty darn proportionate. Thanks again! T~
  12. Well come to find out an acquaintance of mine is a Nor Vise dealer, so I may get to try one out sometime soon. However the vise I tie on now is a knock of of the Renzetti traveler, and I tried a a genuine Renzetti today, and I think my mind is solidly made up at this point. I have to tell you I cannot wait to try a Nor Vise, but the Renzetti was seriously nice and had a seriously reasonable price tag. I can get the vise and a new pair of Simm's boots for less than I was thinking about dropping on the Nor Vise with all of its extras. T~
  13. So here are some I threw together today. Remember I have only been at it about a year or so. Their not perfect, but I think they'll catch some fish. T~ Well most were today but two were from a week ago.
  14. Well I certainly hope I didn't start WW III here, but I have enjoyed reading over the responses. I wish I had the option to try all of these vises. I can certainly see what many of you have said that they are personal and the preference is personal. I have been leaning very heavily towards the Griffin Mongoose with cam jaw. For $225 it comes with the pedestal and a couple other odds and ends I have found myself wanting. I have recently discovered however that a friend of mine is a dealer for Norm Norlander and is now trying very hard to make e a deal on the Nor Vise, which I may eventually cave in to. But then again I may just get an opportunity to try it and see what I actually think. T~ But with the price of the Danvise what it is, I am considering postponing a major vise purchase and getting one of them to carry me through in the meantime.
  15. I know there are plenty of posts on this topic, and I have began reading some, but I am looking for a faster answer than sorting through thousands of posts. I am considering a new vise in the next 6 months or so. The one I am using I believe is known as a Zephyr vise. It has a lot of the nice features you see on pricey vises, like being rotational, it has the ability to tie many sizes of hooks, and it is on a pedestal which I have come to love. It was somewhere in the neighborhood of $80-$90 and has over all served me well for about a year. I have literally tied close to 1000 flies in that vise. I have tied flies from size 2/0 to 20 on it and that was where I went wrong. There was no manual with it when I bought it. In fact the only markings on the entire vise are "PAKISTAN" on the back of the rotary handle an I had no idea what it was until I possibly stumbled upon it at ohioflyfishing.org/reviews (or something like that) last night. So I never really learned what size hooks it was supposed to accept. In the process of tying 2/0 hooks I believe I wore out the jaws. I was still tying 8-14 with no problems but after trying to tie an 18 and then some 16's it is obvious there is now a groove worn into the jaw tips. As I searched, initially I was awe struck by the Nor vise. It is awesome in the way that it works and the engineering that it utilizes. However it seems that this vise has its draw backs as do all others. Norm has done a good job I think of addressing these weaknesses by making and manufacturing adapters to tie flies that the standard design would have made difficult. The draw back still is that these adapters and accessories that I feel are necessary for me to justify owning this vise are pricey and after putting together the package I would want I was almost at $700. The main points as to why I loved this vise were: a)speed b)the ability to make hair brushes with it easily c)making chennilles out of about any material that you can think of (mostly peacock herl) to add strength to your flies But after reassessing I have come to these conclusions: a)I am not a professional and part of tying to me is the time it takes and the unwinding I do psychologically as I wind these threads and feathers and hair b)I can make or purchase a hair brush spinner for far less money c)well I cannot think of any good counter argument to c (above) so..... So I have concluded rather than tap out my annual funding for fun on one purchase, maybe I ought to consider my other options. The griffin patriot has been serving a friend of mine very well for a couple of years, and so I looked over the griffin product line. They are affordable and the new Montana Mongoose seems to be everything I am looking for in a vise, and to boot most vendors offer it with pretty much every aftermarket accessory you could need. HMH has a solid reputation and their design for a rotary vise doesn't appear all that aesthetically amazing, but I get the impression it is a rock solid design and despite it being a little more cash, it has a lifetime guarantee and is made right here in New England. Which I am a fan of. The Daville Danvise looks cool but I am looking for something with a litle more potential as a life time purchase. My research here tells me they are not the toughest vises out there. I am not concluding or insinuating that they are an inferior product, but I have found in my reading that they are famous for failing jaws. Renzetti makes a couple options in my price range that I find acceptable and their reputation is good, but I just am not finding them so alluring. And the same for Dyna King. And the Regal I have not invested much time researching either as they don't catch my eye a they are a bit on the pricier side. I'm leaning more towards the Griffin at the moment. I like the way it works it has the features I want and it is really reasonable compared to my other options. And it is American made, which makes me happy and I'm not saying that I think they can't make fine vises across the pond, but in these times I consider all my options made on American soil first. I want to support our economy first if possible. Advise opinions... That is what I am looking for. I'm looking to spend a little less than $300 but I want as much as I can get for that money. Thanks for reading and giving me any input that might have. T~
  16. I'll keep at it! The thread I used unfortunately has no label and it was a hand-me-down spool. I believe it is Danville by the remains of the label. I suspect it is 8/0 or something there about. (I think someone asked and I forgot to respond to that.) T~
  17. That is fantastic! I have been given large quantities of tying material basic tools, and rods, reels and line myself. There must be something about fly fisherman . Recently however a non fishing friend gave me an Orvis rod and reel combo that retailed around $900. I'm not sure I'll ever top that. I have begun to notice the cheap vise I purchased is wearing out. But honestly I have had it for a year or so and have used the crap out of it. SO I have been eyeing the nor-vise for quite a while now. I'd love to hear your thought after using it a while. I have heard they are great, but they have their place. SO they shine in some aspects and not so much in others. None the less, I want to put one through it's paces. T~
  18. Thanks again for all your help Amanda! I have been tying for a little over a year now, but until recently the world of dry flies has been undiscovered by me. I tied some elk hair caddis, and attempted some BWO's that really sucked, and a few stimulators, again that sucked. SO I just gave it up and stuck to wet flies, streamers, and nymphs. I most enjoy tying nymphs. I'm glad my flies are some what pleasing to an eye other than my own. T~
  19. I tied another of the first only with mahogony goose biots for a tail. It looks better than the first! Again thank you for all the help! T~
  20. So here is what I came up with.... I used a dubbing loop with wax and found no need to brush it, although I intend to get my .22 cal bore brush out pretty quickly just for that approach. Thanks for all the help and any further feedback.
  21. Well I know these are still far from perfect but here are some attempts I have made since this post. I know they are not sized appropriately, and the first one's hackle doesn't come far enough to the head, but I was impressed with the turn out from our discussion here. The first uses mallard quill wings, which I have never done before, only read about, and is a size 12. The second is similar to an Adams fly in size 18. What do you all think? Again I realize there is some work ahead to perfect my technique. And thank you for all the help so far everyone!
  22. Amanda, Fantastic! I really could not have asked for so much help, least of expected it. Your photo's high quality or not are soooo helpful!!! It illustrates everything you are telling me excellently! T~
  23. Alright! I think between every one I have got what I need. Thank you for all your help folks! I will let you ball know how they turn out.
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