Freddo

I "know" this is an old post but I had to say that I thought "I" liked fishing...well...you win Steve! All kidding aside, awesome space and I hope you are still enjoying it and getting out where the fish live too!

I saw a tip recently for pet owners... Grab a rubber squeegee and run it across your carpet. Have a bag ready!

Oh my where has this post gone to? A lesson in typing and proofreading?!? Ha - LOL - you're all too funny! We all tend to type too quickly at times, click "Post", and not look back right away. And BTW...I corrected my initial "fail!" Thanks again to all of you that have posted your ideas - they're awesome and useful. I'm sure to be shipping more flies over time and now have great insight. The flies (not lies) I shipped out got to my buddy "A" OK! He's looking forward to fishing them.

Hi - My son and I started hunting last fall as newbies. I was all excited about getting some fur and squirrel tail. SALT! Regular old table salt for cheap did the trick. My son stretched and salted the skins and it worked great. I posted the process here in FTF but I'll repost it here... For a squirrel tail preservation, you can leave the bone in. Put the cut end of the tail into some regular table salt for 24 hours. After the 24 hours had ticked by, discard the used salt, brush off any salt stuck to the tail, and then put the cut end of the tail in a new batch of salt. We let that go for six more days. Again, discard the salt, brush off any salt stuck to the tail, you're done. While the tail may not need that long in the salt - no harm done as far as I know, no awful smell, and now you can tie a bunch of streamers. For preserving the squirrel skin, here's how we do it: 1. Make sure there is no meat on the skin, if you're careful skinning the beast that should not be a problem. 2. Get a piece of wood large enough to pin the skin down onto. We used push pins to stretch the skin out until it's as tight as needed to keep it flat. 3. Same deal with the salt type as the tail preservation but be sure to cover all "the" of the fleshy side of the skin! Tick, tick, tick...24 hours... 4. Dump salt and scrape skin well to remove old salt. 5. Salt again... Tick, tick, tick...3 days... 6. Dump salt and re-salt once more. Tick, tick, tick...3 days... 7. Scrape skin to remove salt. 8. Unpin and make dubbing. My son has two skins in his room and BELIEVE me they don't smell else they'd be OUTTA DA HOUSE!

HI All, Thanks so much for all your ideas - I appreciate them all. I can't send my friend $500 for gear, I need it for a saltwater setup I would like one day; darn fishing show in Somerset NJ set me down that road. Listen to me blaming a fly fishing show! Maybe it's this forum's fault. Maybe, just maybe, we are all just blessed to be out there doing what we love and want MORE! The round container that "heavynets" posted an image of I see at Dollar Tree for $1 each. I have one and took the day abbreviations off with denatured alcohol. The flies shipped out today in a small Altoids tin. It was perfect and I wrapped that in bubble wrap. There were only two elk hair caddis dry flies so I hope they'll be OK. I don't plan to ship flies all the time but this thread is a keeper. AGAIN! THANKS to all of you!

Thanks all - I'll go with the Altoids tin; got a few laying around! @josephcsylvia - Nice catch and that was not a Freudian slip (well maybe not). So much for my proof-reading! The guy is actually a stand up friend. If he got skunked I'd hear about it. Not sure what kind of fisherman the man is but as a trapper, I'd hate to have fur where this guy sets traps! Hope you all have "your" boxes full as the opening day is coming up and warmer weather too (at least here up north). Personally, I like fishing when the fair weather guys stay inside. Actually, I like fishing every chance I get. This isn't a dig at the guys that only fish in fair weather, but I suppose what I really enjoy is the solitude, the river, the fish, the flies, the natural things around me, the gear, and the thought of getting back out there again soon! This fly fishing stuff is fine by me!

Hi All, A buddy not near to me physically is a trapper. He sent me some fur pieces and some feathers from a grouse he harvested. He's getting into fly fishing so I want to send him a bunch of flies I tied for him. What's the best way to get the flies shipped in the mail without them taking a punishment they don't deserve until they're eaten by the "intended" targets? I'm sure some of you have shipped flied around. And BTW, there are woolly buggers, nymphs, elk hair caddis, etc. (a little of each). Thanks in advance!

Coffee (well sort of). The coffee "gets" to the bench but I get so wrapped up in the tying that it almost always gets cold and I rarely drink any of it. However, I "do" succeed in drinking my coffee hot when I'm relaxing with the fly tying and fly fishing catalogs in hand!

Last night I came across a seemingly simple solution for leaders and found it interseting. I have some leader rings and will give this a try soon. Here's a link: http://www.garyborger.com/2012/05/09/uni-body-to-harvey-style-leader/

Ha Dave - Caught you off guard! As a kid I snapped the end off my favorite Garcia 3 Star UL rod. Replaced the rod tip guide to find the line cut into it over time and so I wrapped ceramic guides on the entire rod way back when. I enjoyed doing that "tweak" (rob building of sorts) and sold that rod after a bit to buy a Garcia 5 Star upgrade. Always UL for me. So I'd admit now that I can fly cast pretty well and fell headstrong into fly tying and fly fishing that the thought of a 3 or 4 weight has crossed my mind many times and continues to do so at exponential speed. So has fly fishing in the surf in NC while vacationing (and retirement down the pike [a whole bunch of years from now]). I'm not sure of my 9' 5 wt would "do" surf fishing. And for trout? I'd like a smaller setup. I was warned this would happen! Uh oh, I think my wife hid my wallet!! LOL!

Walmart caries Sally's too. Currently using Hard as Hull and like it a lot. I may try the no cement at all after a couple of whip finishes though and see how they hold up. I bet they'll be fine!

I tied some last night and didn't have trouble and used only UTC 70 thread without adding wax (I'll try fishing them today after lunch at the river!). Like it's been said... use a little and a lot of pressure to get a tight noodle. I'm still learning to dub well (not there yet) but found the sow-scud from Wapsi a little easier than the UV Ice Dub from Hareline. The just goes on a little differently (in its behavior). Just practice, practice, practice. I find that tying a slew of the same pattern helps get a technique learned better. Early this week I tied a bunch of Frenchies. The trees loved them so much I needed to tie a half dozen more. Now I'm pretty good with Ice Dub. Just take your time and enjoy the learning. The videos all over YouTube show the "pros" dubbing and they make it look simple to do. It is I'm sure once it becomes a learned skill. Have fun!

Hey Roland - Before you go completely nuts like I did early on acquiring materials, think about how many flies one thread spool will tie. Divide if you will, the qty. of flies you will yield by said spool by the difference in cost between vendors. You may have saved the S&H charge but maybe your not as bad off as you should feel. This isn't a dig at you of course; just sharing the point "I've" come to in all this. I just wish there was a one stop shopping fly shop but there isn't that I know of. I saw a long list of vendors here in this thread and I've already used a few. It's a game of put and take I find. Please don't let a few cents here and there take the joy out of the experience of tying and fishing (that is unless your vocation is "a purchasing agent" and if that's the case I can understand).

That's interesting! During the short time I've been involved with reading/watching/tying/fishing flies, it's a no brainer that peacock herl is a fish magnet. The shinier the better I imagine. The original Zug Bug pattern's tail used the peacock sword fibers. I've tied a bunch of flies for my son and I to use at the lake we live by and used marabou for tails and the fish whacked many a fly. That material moves nicely in water. So as I see it, try anything to see what works for you. There are so many patterns that are variations of the originals it's hard to keep track. Maybe the tail material on those flies isn't as critical with the use of the attractive herl in the body. But hey - if it catches fish, tie one onto your tippet.

Thanks for the pointer to the other thread. I read the whole thing. I came over to fly fishing after being a salmon egg fisherman for trout most of my life and got good at that. The technique seems similar in ways although with ultra-light line and next to no weight. I'd cast into a rapid and keep my line dead straight out of the rod with my finger on the line to feel the slightest tap (and would be slight at times). I caught more trout in winter months 'cause around here the guys stay inside and miss out on the action. I'm going to study this out some more as it may be a method for those certain times and conditions that lend to that type of fishing. Please let me know how the George Daniel book is that Flytire pointed to in the other thread. Again - thanks for the pointer...there is a lot of great information there to get a newb started!

Well that's a great question and it was a topic of discussion here at home. Hair clippers would work just fine too. I was answering the question of preservation itself and the dubbing question came up as a residual since I'm new at hunting squirrel and thought to harvest some dubbing. Shaving the beastie would be easier than the preservation but the process is quite simple.

Well thanks for that and the last line is key...relaxation. I enjoy the occasional trout dinner but mostly release them. But that said, as I like to fish "hard" as I refer to it when talking with my son. "Hard" to me is "all in" concentration. There is no setting my rod on a "Y" stick and of course I'm referring to non-fly fishing. But based on your description, I'll still look into it because any "technique" for me is valuable as I'm learning the ins and outs of getting the flies to the fish. I have a lot to learn about mending and droppers and maybe indicators and so on. My flies are turning out a better as time goes by at the desk but it's time to beef up on presentation. Thanks PHG!

Thanks Bulb! I'll check out the video and see how it's done.

Hi All, With less than a dozen trout caught on flies in my lifetime and as a newer guy taking to the river with a fly rod, should I be learning about Czech Nymphing? What is this really and is it good for all types of rivers using the standard nymph patterns recommended for trout in NJ? I saw a DVD out there that is suppsed to teach it in 1.5 hours sitting on the couch, anyone see that and is it worth the $30? Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the club and the forum. Suggestions???? The Internet is great but can be overwhelming. Don't buy a kit starter kit. Find patterns for the species of fish you want to target and tie them. "Everything" looks fun to tie but start small. I became "over inspired" (if that's possible) but slowed down a bit. With winter setting in up here in NJ, I'm concentrating on trout patterns. Even there it can be many types and many variations. Just ENJOY. THIS forum is the best place for information. You'll get humble opinions from all but you'll get information that works for those people. I see it this way, if the fly I tie and offer fools the fish to bite, I have a chance to hook it. Just getting out there to "do" the fishing is a win. So at the tying desk or on the river is all a blessing! Have fun, ask questions, and enjoy every minute of it!

Welcome back to tying. I'm a newer tier myself and shopped good and hard for a vise. I too didn't want a clamp vise and went to a pedestal version and I did choose the Regal. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. They're not inexpensive but but my kids, kids will be using it one day. I just started tying midge patterns and may look into the midge head for mine. I picked up the Medallion Traditional Head Bronze Pocket Base model. I've tied flies from bigger woolly buggers to size 18 zebra midges and it's a rock solid vise. What I like most is that since I'm not a production tier. I may switch hook sizes often and there's no adjustments needed. The hooks are in the jaws so tight they'll bend or break before slipping out. Do I sound like a happy customer? I am one!

Progress is good here too for the most part. The fly "proportion" thing and "crowding the eye" especially is something that has been kicking my butt a bit. I tied a bunch of midges with bead heads that look great (simple to tie too). Last night I tried a pheasant tail nymph on a curved and it'll catch fish but I need to "STAY BACK" away from the eye. Any tips out there? I watched a YouTube video last night and the tier kept an eye's length of the hook shank clear for the purpose of a nice neat head. PRACTICE is what I need...lots of time at the vise. But that said, the Zug Bug looks good flyguy613 !! Did it catch many fish?

Here's a follow-up from May 2015. One of the zug bugs I tied did get me my first trout on a fly rod that next day as a newb. But to be honest, yours looks better than mine did "before" mine got hit. So if the fish don't bite it, there must not be fish where you're fishing it. Great pattern!

I've used them twice recently and was happy. If you like Dai-Riki hooks, they were just running a special and may still be. As a new customer, for my second order I was able to receive a 10% off promo code. So far so good with them. Oh and shipping was free for both orders - that is always a plus!

Please let us know how you make out. Funny thing happened yesterday... Within an hour after my post explaining the instructions, we were heading to a cousins for a get together and there was a freshly killed squirrel a minute from the house. Now that was not funny for the squirrel but with all the talk of grabbing up road kill to turn into fly tying material. I was a newb here too early this year! We all were at some point right? I've still got a lot to learn but also happy to share what I've got working for me. This is by far one of the best places to be when not at the tying desk or on the river regarding fly fishing. The people here are wonderful! Have fun!