Silver Doctor

I looked at the Tomahawk but settled on the Fishpond Road Trip. I tie at a few shows a year and demo tie at a few shops plus I needed something for fishing trips. The smaller bag fit the bill better, and is always loaded. If I need to add a couple of other things I add them to my Hardy extra shoulder bag. Easy size to carry.

Thanks Garthman

Looking for the recipe for the thunder chicken streamer. thanks in advance

Go to the dollar store and pick up Pony Tail holders. a buck or so. cloth covered elastics that come in a variety of colors, great for holding the thread. on a spool

Yea for the first few really take your time and concentrate. after that you will get the feel and it will get easy. Just to add that the reason we Strip the sides and wrap as opposed to clipping the rhea off is that when wrapping this way it flairs out straight instead of lying flay like with a dubbing loop for more action.

I've never had to soak my Rea before stripping each side. Don't start at the tip but about and inch and a half down. Grab the top of the Rea (the tip part) between you right thumb and index finger and do the same with the herl portion of the other side. Keep your two thumbs against each other and "roll" your thumbs against each other as you split the herl. Reposition your hands and do it again. You will get a perfect split this way. I usually split a few dozen this way watching TV in the evening. Hope it makes sense.

Could you post a materials list

Nice for tiny trout on small streams, Brother in law bought one. Fun till you hit a trout that wants to take line. Then its end game. Not good for a lot of the 18" to 28" Browns and Rainbows up here in Canada.

The very best vice is the one you enjoy tying with.

For years I have done quite well with a small streamer, red body white wing fished deep on sinking lines.

If you are talking small wraps of peacock like on a Royal Coachman first of all use the herl close to the eye of the feather, better Herl and stronger. The second tip I can give you is practice, tie, tie, tie. I tied commercially for 35 years now. Take some classes from a qualified instructor.

To get rid of the mothball smell hang the capes in an open area. They will "air out" in a couple of weeks to be in reasonable shape. Have done this several times with capes I have bought with mothball smell. Works

Instead of pulling out that much thread and wasting it, you can do a couple of wraps around the vice post and let it hang till you need to use it again. Norm also has plastic "caps" that hold the thread from retracting after using it for a session, very slick. You can also just fold the thread against the bobbin tube and wrap an elastic band around it to hold it. I've production tied with the bobbins for years, never once a clog.

That's the one, thank you very much.

Love the nor bobbin, been tying with them for about 8 years, I won 4 now and a couple dozen spools. I tied on a nor vice for about 4 years but use the bobbins with other vices I've owned like the Traveler and the Dyna King Barracuda. Don't use the Nor vice anymore as I like my Law better but still really love the bobbins. Tried the Ekich bobbin but it sits in a box.

I have a McKenzie Vise Light, which I really like, It's the larger type 20 watt bulb with a long magnifier. The ac adapter has given up the ghost. I was going to pick up another adapter at the local electrical store, unfortunatly the information tag fell off the adapter a while ago. I know it's a 12 volt but how many amps or watts. If anyone has one could you post the specs of the adapter so I can pick another one up. thanks

I find pheasant rum easy to find and cheap, I've just picked up a full Bleu eared pheasant cape which is a really great substitute. You can get small quantities of heron at: www.canadiantubeflies.com --------------------------------- Silver Doctor- Where do you buy these from? As I find it very hard to get heron or pheasant rump in bright dyed colours.. Troutbum- I do use schlappen, Actually more often than anything else as I really like working with it.. However I'm working on a pattern that schlappen just isn't working. needs to be a little more stiff and basically no web on the barbs at all. The pattern calls for cock hackle and the original tier said that nothing else worked just right. So I have been attempting to make this burnt cock hackle work but I may just go use the schlappen and hope it turns out half decent. THanks Chris

I tried burnt hackle one but as you found it is very brittle. I now buy heron or substitutes like pheasant rump, and peacock.

I use a folded piece of mono.

I use Minwax Polycrylic, low smell and good seal, now a shine build up but because it seals and penetrates great you can run an over cot of something like Sally's for a great shine.

An interesting post and subject. I started tying in the early 60's. Unlike a lot of kids at that time I didn't have a paper route I tied for the local sporting goods. Back then there was not a lot of places you could learn to tie. I learned from my Dad and Grandfather. After tying for 5 years in hand (yes without a vice, you should try it) I bought a vice and bobbin (mail order from Field and Stream magazine). That Universal vice was scorned by my Grandfather as breaking tradition by not tying in hand. He tied the most beautiful Atlantic Salmon flies this way. We gathered our own materials, the bulk of them came from fall hunting expositions for deer, duck and upland birds and buying chickens for capes (bet very few of you had to deal with a live chicken or rooster to get capes). There where three categories of flies. Dry flies, Wet flies and Streamers. Now talk to me to me about tradition.

Go to a reputable fly shop and try both. My personal preference is the Renzetti.

I use Minwax Polycrylic as a base coat on everything. Water based with no smell, penetrates very well. If I want a buildup a coat of Sallys or hard as hull.

I have a Law vice on order, by the sounds of these posts I must be rich or a bad person. I've tied for 50 years now and will sell my existing vice collection when it gets here. Have tied on the Law a few times and like it. A personal favorite.