come and look give opinions2

[Kirk V 0]

I have been working all day and these are the ones I have created and could use some input please be as descriptive as possible. I am just trying to make myself better at this

 

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[utyer 0]

Your pictures need to be close ups, find out how to use the macro setting on your camera, and get closer to the fly. Then get some photo editing software to crop them down so we can really see the details. Right now, I feel as if I'm looking at pictures of your lamp base. Google Photoscape, and download it, its free.

 

Other than the fact that your hackle on the first one is a little large, we can't really tell much. I notice your still trying to do too much. Slow down and work on ONE pattern as I suggested before.

[CrookedHook 0]

Yeah I am with utyer. You might wanna right click your pics, select edit, then when it is opened in paint resize it a little. Crop the pic and save. Then post it. I know you are just starting out but a word of advice In my opinion is: Take A fly, just one fly pattern i.e. wooly bugger is an easy one and tye it several times. Try to "master" for the lack of better words, the specific pattern. What I have seen in the past with me is that I would tye many different patterns which have many different issues and it takes longer to understand where I go wrong. IMO a wooly bugger is simple yet, one can learn many mistakes from tying the pattern. (Steps and proceedures in tying the materials, tail lenghts, crowding of the eye, etc.) Get ya some marabou, chenelle/yarn and maybe some soft hackle and practice with those materials tying a bugger on a long shank hook. You will be surprised how many tricks you will learn on such a simple fly.

 

Tye a dozen or so and post 1 or 2 of the best flys out of the bunch. This way you will get suggestions regarding many issues on one fly versus getting alot of suggestions towards alot of different fly patterns. Tye big hooks to get the feel of how the material acts when handling it. Work on the heads of the wooly bugger. I would not use a bead head when tying these. You will be able to learn how to make nice heads by using different approaches. A bead kind of takes the place of tyeing the head. Work on reverse wrapping of the materials etc. I think you will be able to tye much easier and understand problems when you limit the amount of different patterns and stick with one or two while learning. Once you get these, you will be on your way to more advance methods. Good luck my friend and cheers to ya!

[Kirk V 0]

I did this one a dozen time then my creative took over and this was the best out of the bunch

[FishDragon 0]

Hi Kirk v

 

I took a look at your last pic posted.

 

I think a big problem is materials. You seem to have the right idea but not the materials to work with.

 

Try using a much larger hook, say if you were wanting to do some size 18 chronnies start tying on size 14 (a little larger) and then work down to size 18. Now on a wooly bugger(i think that is what you were going for) use a size 4 streamer hook. You can ties these very small but for now start large and work don to a smaller size.

 

Materials you would need for a wooly bugger is black chenille, black marabou(blood quill), soft black rooster hackle, streamer hook, and black thread(6/0 for a fly that size but safe with 8/0)

 

Also try to use the proper size material for the size of fly you are tying, try not to trim materials like hackles or feathers/hair used for tails.

 

There are alot of books out there to help beginners as well and these are definitely worth reading even if you think you may know all the tricks. I have only been tying for a while since Sept in 2010 and have read numerous books as well as watched countless videos and talked to countless great tyers on this site and I am still learning all the time.

 

One book I have that is helpful is the "Orvis Fly-Tying Guide" and "L.L.Beans Ultimate Book of Fly Fishing" which has a few pointers on tying at the back as well as the best book "The Fly Tiers Benchside Reference". I still go back to these books all the time and read through them.

 

My first fly was a size 10 PT Nymph. The legs on the fly were longer than the tail and that was long because the tail was longer than the shank of the hook. I crowded the eye so bad I wouldn't have been able to attach it to tippet if I wanted to use it for fishing. I had alot of problems with that fly but I have probably tied over 200 of them now and they are much better, but still improving.

 

One of my big problems when starting was looking at peoples patterns like Utyer and trying to tie a fly like them, not realizing the steps that go into producing a nice looking fly. I also liked to try and tie fast for some reason and have realized if it takes me an hour to tie a proper fly I am happy with, than it takes an hour to tie that fly.

 

Take your time and practice. If you have to, take a break for a few days so as not to get burnt out or frustrated.

 

Keep at it man. I am learning alot and I enjoy every minute of it and I am sure you are too

[utyer 0]

My guess here is your going for a wooly bugger type of fly. If so, you need to use something other than deer hair for the tail. Try marabou instead. Tie it in with the tips of the feather extending, and sized to be as long as the hook. Strip off a little of the chenille to expose the thread core, and tie this in. Then tie in a copper wire rib. Take your thread forward and wrap the chenille in close touching turns to two eye widths from the eye. Tie off a clip the chenille. Now clean off the fluff from 6" saddle hackle and tie in by the butt. Wind the hackle twice at the front, and then wind the rest back to the tail in evenly space open turns. About 5 to 7 turns is enough. leaving the tip of the hackle hanging in your hackle pliers wrap the rib twice over the back of the hackle, and then spiral the rib forward. Wiggle the ribbing back and forth as you wrap so as not the trap too many of the hackle fibers. Wrap off the wire, and break it off. Then form a small head, and whip finish. The only place thread should show on this is right at the head.

[CrookedHook 0]

Kirk,

I think you are trying to put to much material on the hook which crowds the gap etc. I am gonna post a pic and give you an idea of a slinder bead head (which I told you not to use) but the body tail etc will give you an idea of what I am talking about. even on this fly, many will say taill is too long and front hackle is a bit to long. Anyway this will give you an idea. Just click the pic and see.

[CrookedHook 0]

I did this one a dozen time then my creative took over and this was the best out of the bunch

 

Kirk,

Try tying the tail and only the tail and post a pic. And then we can start from there.

[Kirk V 0]

I did this one a dozen time then my creative took over and this was the best out of the bunch

 

Kirk,

Try tying the tail and only the tail and post a pic. And then we can start from there.

 

Here is a pic of a tail that I just did.

[utyer 0]

So far it looks fine. About the right thickness for a marabou tail. It is a tad short, but it will work out fine.

 

I have a question about your thread. I noticed the two HUGE thread spools on your desk from your first posts. What kind of thread is that, and what size is it? I looks like a pretty heavy thread. I will send some more info your way tomorrow.

[CrookedHook 0]

Yeah, I am with utyer. Your tail just a bit to short. Try and make it about the same length from the eye to point of hooh probly give you a good length. Also, IMO if you tye the marabou on the shank as you did, you will notice a "hump" where the marabou is contacting the hook shank. Some will say it is ok, but this is for learning purposes; therefore, I would suggest taking the marabou and do a few wraps to connect it to the shank, then trim it off a few mills from the eye and wrap the entire thing down the shank. This will give the body a smooth transition and also build it up. If one tyes all the stuff all at the base, one will find that after he or she continues to do multiple wraps there will be a small hump which causes the body to look strang. So, try this and post one so we can see. Little steps/but big accomplishments!

[Kirk V 0]

So far it looks fine. About the right thickness for a marabou tail. It is a tad short, but it will work out fine.

 

I have a question about your thread. I noticed the two HUGE thread spools on your desk from your first posts. What kind of thread is that, and what size is it? I looks like a pretty heavy thread. I will send some more info your way tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the comments. The thread is acrylic and was used for sewing I got it at a garage sale. I used it for the long tail in one of my first flies not to actually tie with it is way to thick.

[kentuckytroutbum 0]

Kirk V-

 

One thing that might help you is Charlie Craven's book "Basic Fly Tying" which is available on Amazon. Craven goes into detail about the selection of quality materials, and the proportions of various flies. I believe the proper proportions are important to tying a good looking fly. My $0.02.