tomcraw

I have drop-front (secretary) style desk and I like it. I keep my vise on a mat and slide it in and out. I like that I'm out of the main box of the desk to get more light.

I'm going to build my own and things I am going to change:

- I don't like that the main drawer supports the fall front. I keep too much junk in there and its a pain to get to something once I'm set up. supports that automatically slide out the sides are better and have a different drawer arrangement.

- most have cabinets underneath, again prefer drawers with some built in dividers, sliding tills, etc. Can incorporate a lot of ideas from floor-style woodworking tool chests.

- a big bookcase on top with more drawers.

Anything with a lot of properly sized drawers will work well.

I'm stuck with roll-top or drop front since my desk is in the living room and it has to hide away.

Trying to tie some parahoppers and they have the pheasant tail legs with the knot on them. They are...frustrating to tie. It took me probably 10 minutes to get them in a knot and I'm not happy with how they look. Lost too many strands getting them on.

Wandering if anyone has had success substituting rubber legs for the pheasant. If so, did you keep a front leg for four total or stay with the traditional patter of only two back legs.

Really didn't want to buy a specialty tool just for this one fly on a pretty durable pattern.

I'm going to give them a try, I usually buy tiemco for ~$8 per 25.

Has anybody actually fished them?

You can get high grade DE from a nursery.

If you know you have an infestation why wouldn't you pull the carpet in the tying room?

I like that variation on the butch, I'm going to give that a shot myself.

thanks for the reply, I'm going to give these a try this week

Based on this page:

https://stpetes.com/blog/the-heavy-weights/

Trying to decipher a couple of these as I'm heading up that way in a couple weeks. I'll probably stop and buy a few but I'd rather tie them and its a slow work day

Smethhurst Stone Bomb and Heater Bomb:

Another angle of stone bomb: http://www.montanafly.com/productDetail.php?p_id=4413

Slightly different body on the heater bomb: http://www.montanafly.com/productDetail.php?p_id=4414

Interested in this one with extra tungsten bead as I dislike using split shot and like that it rides hook up.

thin peacock herl body building to thicker thorax

• stone bomb: with a palmered feather overwrap that is then trimmed short? Very thick on the body.
• heater bomb: with a black biot with spacing to let some peacock poke out?

Thin-skin or pheasant for wing case with epoxy

Two different size beads

Any suggestion on the hook type? TMC 2312 or 200R maybe?

Two bit stone:

Another angle: https://umpqua.com/products/flies/tungsten-bead-head-flies/two-bit-stone

Maybe I'm being too simplistic, but basically a modified Copper John?

yellow-ish dubbing thorax

two beads

yellow goose or turkey biot body?

goose biot tail

mottled thin skin wing case with flash

When I tie them two-tone I use one wire in medium and 1 in brassie. Not sure if you mentioned that as I watched your video with the sound off. Nice tutorial. I actually enjoy tying these copper johns quite a bit.

Nice Kimo, what hook is that?

 

Still working on restocking the boxes for this year. Just doing some simple buggers with a thin veil of flash hair over them which always produces for me.

Nice, where do you tie in the flash hair?

Thanks for the replies everyone, simpler than I thought. I have a bunch of spare plastic boxes, just need to glue down some foam.

I have nice fly boxes for when I'm on the water, but these are just a subset of what I actually own. Right now I have other cheap boxes which basically work for nymphs but not enough space for streamers and dries.

What's a cheap (even DIY) way to store all the flies waiting to be used or gifted? I'm too anal to put them in compartments where they are all loose, need to stick the hook into something for organization. Something with nice headroom that won't crush hackle. If its cheap I'm not concerned as much with efficiency.

Sink rate is much higher with the perdigon.

So advantages in faster moving water? I'll probably tie a few for fun.

Right now I have a plastic tub and tackle box, everything in a bunch of little craft organizers. I just get it out and clean up and put it away when I'm done.

Having a hard time seeing the benefit of these over a Frenchie? Basically identical idea but the Frenchie has a little dubbing to add some bugginess. Same hot spot behind the bead and spotted tail.

thanks for the replies, I figured it had a bunch of names

In Charlie Craven's "Tying Nymphs" he's calling for "Super Floss" for legs on a Pat's rubber legs. I'm trying to order materials and was wondering what a substitute for that would be at JStockard.

Would something like the Hareline micro legs be similar? I'm not sure how to tell what diameter this should be:

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/item/sm-720070-0000/hareline-grizzly-micro-legs/1.html

Tying in sizes 4-10 roughly.

I am looking at building something similar myself. I would not put drawers overhead like that, I don't think its good design to have to stand up to peer in a drawer.

Otherwise mine will have cabinet space on the floor at least on one side. Large to put the saddles/capes in.

thanks, that's very helpful.

I've been tying for a couple months now, using Craven's book. I'm currently at the Copper John.

I've been using the Loon UV clear fly finish in both thick and thin depending on the fly.

I've been using the thin fly finish for where Craven calls for something to lock in the threads on the underbody or a threaded head. Is that OK or should I use something different?

Is the thick fly finish the proper stuff to finish out the wing case on a fly like the Copper John?

When should I be using the head cement instead? It's also $8 a bottle vs $13.

Thick Loon on wingcase:

Thin Loon on the head:

A couple of mine, just started tying last month: