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Fly Tying

wr1nkles

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Everything posted by wr1nkles

  1. Yeah, I too had this dream of tying flies and selling them as a side gig. I forgot all about that dream once I realized how much time it took to produce one good looking fly, let alone dozens. I am not trying to discourage, and you SHOULD still contact your local outdoors shop to see what comes of it. But just remember you can make a lot more money doing something less time consuming, and keep fly tying as a fun hobby. Just for fun (and reference...) I'd have to tie 4,400 flies with a .50 profit to make the same money I did building a website for a local company that took me 5 hrs.
  2. I tied last night for the first time in 2 weeks. Was in Vermont for a week, then this past week has been busy doing holiday prep and mudding drywall joints. Can't wait for that to be over... Anyway, I figured I'd tie some woolly buggers last night for a family member I know I'm going to see soon and who just started fly fishing. I couldn't believe in those two weeks how the little skill I had acquired over the past month or two regressed! I tied a bugger, hated it, stripped it and started over. Happened twice more until I finally got a decent one. I told my wife and her response was "I thought it's suppose to be fun". She's right. So in short, I'm working on making sure I tie at least every other night and to "have fun".
  3. Beautiful slab of wood. Kind of looks like you're looking down on a group of fish swimming upstream
  4. Yes, be sure to post pictures! Maybe even document the whole build?
  5. Never used it but almost 1,000 people seem happy with it. You can view their pictures and see if it'll work. Looks like good stuff. https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Clear-Table-Coating-Tabletop/dp/B01LYK2NAG
  6. Thanks FlatsRoamer. I should have specified when I asked about blind casting from shore. I didn't mean to target bonefish, but something else like Jacks.
  7. Rod's book is the other one I have, I just pulled it out from the bookshelf last night to start going over it again. Good to know they're not too picky, my boxes are full of gotcha's and charlies, some merkin crab and spawning shrimps. Though those are all store bought and I want to tie my own to get the full thrill of my first bonefish on my own fly. Did you walk the beaches and blind cast from shore? Any luck with that?
  8. Cool to hear from someone else who has been! We stay in Provo because a family friend has a house there and lets us use it. We always talked about going to North Caicos on the past few trips but are for sure doing it this year. Is there a good spot to enter and wade the near side channel of Bottle Creek? Same question about the causeway. Did you rent a car when you got there? I see from Google Earth that Bambarra has like a long shoal going out, did you wade this and fish either side? I am the only angler in the family so trying to reserve some time for fishing is hard, and even harder to get them to understand it's not a 30 minute activity. I'd wander the flats all day if they let me. I have two DIY bonefish books, the one by Chico and one more I can't remember the title of. Any other tips, tricks or spots on North Caicos you can think of would be great. I look forward to connecting with you more about this! Thanks!
  9. I know it's a summer pattern, but I'm just tying what I have materials for. And I'm enjoying it! GFA Hopper #10 hopper hook UTC 140 - Olive Peacock hearl underbody Foam body Bleach Elk Hair wing MFC centipede legs
  10. The gold one looks like a Christmas ornament. I might have to tie up some and hang them on the tree to see if the wife notices...
  11. Just found this YouTube video from 2007 of a guy fishing the flat i was trying. Says 17 small bones in 4 hours. I'd be happy with 1/4 of that production. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2AhZVll2eI The second spot he fishes "bonefish point" which is now part of the natural reserve and can not be fished. Though, in my 5 trip there I've only seen 1 police car and 1 beach cop on an ATV. That point is out in a desolate area I doubt I'd run in to any kind of policing. I'm just not one to break the rules...
  12. How do you see signs of them having been there feeding? I assume you mean little depressions in the sand? We were talking about renting paddle boards but it's crazy expensive ($300 per SUP a week). Though that's less than a guide... I like your thinking about the beach walks at night!
  13. mikechell, that picture I attached is actually one I took on the trip. The resorts have hogged the leeward side, but most of the rest of the island is pretty barren. You can see the turtle grass in the foreground, right where it's muddy, but middle LOOKS like it could be more firm. I'm pretty familiar with the island as I've been there 5 times, but I still look forward to learn a little more each time I go. It's like the ultimate challenge. Knowing I'll figure it out someday, but I only have a few days every 2 years to put into solving it. This is great info Capt! There are lodges and guides on the island, but they definitely travel around to the other Turks and Caicos islands to do fishing as well. I have a 9wt for stripers, so that's just what I bring. Jacks are the reason I was fishing the canals after I couldn't' wade that flat. Is this a good place to target them? I should include, the whole North side of the island is protected from fishing which is a bummer because I've snorkeled and seen barracudas. The south side is the windward side. What you said about ocean sides being harder, bayside being softer makes complete sense. This Flamingo Lake is fed from the ocean so it doesn't get a good current or turn over, hence it being soft and muddy. Picture of flat attached below... The guides are expensive, I know they're worth it. Maybe I can split it with another fisherman down there...
  14. I like the way it looks wet. Hope the legs flutter on pauses. Hook: Daiichi 2220 #8 Thread: UTC 140 Black Tail: Marabou Underbody: 15 wraps of .02 wire Body: Gold Braid Tinsel Legs: MFC Medium Centipede Wing: Marabou Head: Thread, Loon Thin UV Resin
  15. This may be a stupid question, but is there a reason they don't tann bucktails? Maybe they do and I've never seen them.
  16. Good to know this is common. I was a little worried I got some bad ones. My black one doesnt seem to smell though...
  17. Hi all, My family goes down to the Turks & Caicos every other March for a week. Last trip (2017) I brought my 9wt for the first time to attempt some kind of DIY bonefish wading. I got a few books before the trip and did all the research on spots to hit. It was pretty windy that week we were there but I stilled tried to go out for a few hours here and there. Of course I didn't catch a fish... The main section I was planning on fishing is called Flamingo Lake. It's long and shallow and looked like a wading paradise. The author of one book I got had fished here so I was sure it was going to be nice. When I got there, I was surprised to find it VERY muddy. I didn't even want to start walking in as I was afraid I'd get stuck, die and my wife would curse my name for all eternity. So I drove down along the lake looking for a more solid spot but never really found it. This was just about as the tide was turning to come back in. I ended up finding a canal I could fish from shore, but was really bummed I couldn't wade that flat. Anyway, I was hoping someone here with some saltwater flats experience could give me some ideas or tips? Are these flats possibly just muddy around the edges, and as you wade in get a more solid bottom? Are the flats more solid at a certain tide? Anything would be great as we have another trip booked to go down there this coming March 2019. And I can't go for a guide because it's $1,000/day
  18. I have a mind that never rest. It's why I lay awake a 3am thinking about things I want to do. I like a challenge and always want to learn. I started seeing what it takes to make a fly reel. Needless to say, I wish I was a machinist. I don't know if it's been talk about before on here but I found this Youtube channel for JH Reels. He goes through every step of machining a fly reel. I think it's mesmerizing to watch. It's a 14 part series and I wanted to share with you guys. Here's the link: https://youtu.be/OyRLeVZy4zw Enjoy!
  19. I'm sure this isn't anything new, but I had fun not following a tutorial for once...
  20. Those are awesome! Even though I can't see the benefit of a matte bead, I can't help but buy them... EDIT: I added everything I wanted to my cart then realized it was crazy money and I'd be slaughtered if I spent that much. Maybe after the holidays
  21. I shop J. Stockard (www.jsflyfishing.com). They're having a thread sale now, including Veevus.
  22. I'll try to upload a pic of them soon. They are identical to the video tutorial: https://youtu.be/7Ku1-lnkKzI The concave side is facing toward the bend. Any tips on keeping the marabou tail from fouling (i think thats the right term) around the hook? Can I tie it down further into the bend, or maybe put wraps under the tail?
  23. I do not. Maybe that's my problem... I'll give that a try on my next batch of buggers. Thanks Mike! I also always use a loop knot with streamers, as well as tippet rings but I think I'll replace it with a small swivel to try and combat this.
  24. That was my first thought, but I (too quickly) dismissed it because I've fished other woolly buggers with a palmered hackle and never had this happen before. I did not consider how the stiffness of the hackle could influence this twist. I'm using a Whiting bugger pack which I thought was to be the best? Maybe I'll tie a few with longer/softer barbs and see how that performs. Should I be using the tips from longer hackle feathers for softer barbs? Maybe? Is a 9' 3x for a #12 BH woolly bugger to small? Guy who first taught me about fly fishing was dead set on only using 5x for trout. I quickly formed my own opinion... I get what you are saying about twist in the cast. I've experience that loop of leader on the surface unrolling after the fly lands. But I think I can rule out casting error in this case. I've never has this much twist in my leader until I started using these buggers I tied. I literally lift the leader and fly out of the water and it's just starts spinning like mad untwisting itself.
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