Trouser Trout 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2013 Thanks for hosting this one riff. This was my first swap and glad to see the "Beginner's" stamp on it. But from the flies I received, it didn't look like any of them were from a beginner! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2013 I'm glad they are starting to arrive Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravytrain 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2013 riff, i cut blocks from a "stick" of balsa and used my dremel to turn and sand them. paint is from a copic air brush and 6mm animal eyes. after i did these i bought some tupelo. i like the tupelo more than the balsa. craig Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2013 you amazed me on how uniform each one was compared to the next it was like they were cloans I never get 2 alike when dealing with balsa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kudu 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2013 I came home from work and got my flies Riff: thanks for hosting. I have watched these swaps for awhile and have always wanted to participate but didn't want to stick someone With a sorry fly. A Beginners swap was perfect. Tent wing caddis will be saved so when I start spinning hair I will use it for reference on a Goddard caddis. Bream buster: thanks for the nymph. It is obvious that you have done this a while. The bream in my ponds will be in danger! SSC: very cool sparrow and nicely tied. Craig: awesome popper you have some mad woodworking skills. Lmb catcher for sure. Letumgo: spellbinder has me spellbound. This will go in my presentation box on the mantle. Scowens: nice caddis. This will hit a southeast tailwaters. Grey brook: very cool Chernobyl . It will also hit a southeast tailwaters. Bta awesome hopper. Will have to fight my 7 year old to keep it out of his flybox. Trouser Trout : wicked Cahill I like it very much Joman: looks like a fish catcher for sure. I plan on fishing soft hackles this season. Jackpine: nice popper. This fly is going to the Keys with me, I'm sure it will catch Mr. Big. Thanks again I had fun! Kudu Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravytrain 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2013 WOW! my flies arrived today. i can't say enough about them. i hope everyone is as pleased with the ones i tied as i am with the ones i got, and just like kudu said thanks for the chance to do a swap. i have been watching from the sidelines and it was fun to do one. craig Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grey brook 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2013 great set of flies everyone, none of them looked ''beginner'' to me. All well tied and all look like fish catchers. Thank you riff for hosting! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2013 I'm glad you all are receiving your flies I want to thank each one of you and I look forward to future swaps with you all I will say if this is the quality of flies you all put out none of you have anything to worry about get your butts jumping in the swaps Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrookTroutAngler 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2013 REcieved mine as well, they look awesome! Â Kudu, I don't think you have to worry about "sticking" anyone with an ugly fly, those articulated streamers are pieces of art! Â Not one fly looked like a beginner tied it. Really excellent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
breambuster 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2013 I agree that any of you who participated in the Beginner's Swap are more than qualified to get into any of the swaps here. Occasionally, there is an "Invitational" swap where you get in only by invitation, but other than that, you guys ought to be jumping into any swaps that you see that interest you. You've all got one under your belts now and your flies are more than "good enough" to participate in any swap you see. So get with it!  Let me just give you a quick tip about the bead head system that I use. What I did on the fly that I tied for this swap, Red Fox Squirrel Nymph, is that I started with a 3906B style hook and a 1/8 gold colored cyclops bead. Put the bead on the hook. Then I took some .010 lead wire, or led-free substitute, and took five turns tightly around the hook shank. I could have used .015 as well, and that would have been a little better fit, but .010 was what I had at hand when I started tying. Make sure that both ends of the wire wrap are smooth and tight against the hook shank. Then push this little coil of wire INTO the large opening of the bead head. You might have one of the 5 turns sticking out, but that's all. This securely fastens the bead head in place right behind the eye of the hook. It won't go sliding around as you begin tying your fly. Tie on your tying thread right behind the bead head and the little coil of wire, and wrap back over the one coil of wire if you still have that sticking out. Now your bead head is absolutely NOT going anywhere. From that point, you can go ahead and tie the rest of your fly. It's a little trick that I learned a few years ago, and I like it because the bead is securely fastened in place from the very beginning of the tie. Hope this little tip helps. If something about my explaination isn't clear, don't hesitate to ask. A lot of patterns call for a bead head and I always do this little step.  Take care  BB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrookTroutAngler 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2013 Yup, learned that trick of securing a bead with wire myself several months ago. Works great. Plus you can use a little extra and get the weight of a tungsten bead with the cheaper price of a brass bead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCOwens 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2013 Yeah upon recieving my flies, I am confused, I thought this was a beginner swap, the Frog Popper is my favorite, it is great. Also love the tiny popper, I will be trying them out soon, Thanks for hosting and thanks to everyone who participated Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
letumgo 0 Report post Posted February 24, 2013 Holy cow, these flies are amazing! Terrific job by all. Thank you for letting me participate, and a BIG THANK YOU to Paul for hosting the swap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jackpine 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2013 Just got back to find a great selection of flies. I think it has all be said above, but excellent job guys. Can't wait to do it all again. How about a "beginners" theme tie, like anything Clouser, or some other idea. So what we need is an idea and a swap master. Riffleriver, you in? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2013 I might run something on that kind of theme here in a month or so with the end of trapping season coming I am going to be a bit busy getting my hides ready for the buyer and then selling them and putting up my traps for next years season Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites