Zebra Midge

[Dave G. 0]

I tend to use Danville, either 6 or 8/0 for midge bodies. I have some older spools though and I just like the look of the body. I'm not even sure if Danville still offers 8/0.

 

I agree, Uni builds too much for me in midges. It's too rope like in nature vs floss like.

[CGull 0]

Dave, don't know I'm set up either. I'm retired military so hopefully I can use bases and posts for starting places. Texas trout fishing not much to brag on for sure, but centrally located. I just want to do it.

[CGull 0]

I guess this stuff in using is 8, its from orvis and that's the number on the end cap. But for sure it does not seem flat.

[CGull 0]

Epzamora many thanks. I got to get this thread thing down in my head

[CGull 0]

Yo, what is Herl?

[Dave G. 0]

Good luck getting your thread "down" because the standards are loose on them from brand to brand. a 70 Denier Ultra for instance is about the thickness of 6/0 Danville. And I think 8/0 Uni is thicker than either one ! you just got to try them out a spool at a time and when you get something you like for a certain application stick with it.

 

A lot of people are turning to Veevus these days, I guess it's the latest "Tickle Me Elmo" name in threads out there.

[mikechell 0]

Yo, what is Herl?

It's what many do after drinking too much. Oh, wait ... that's hurl.

 

Herl is the circled part of a Peacock feather, for one thing.

 

[Dave G. 0]

peacock herl, but there is ostrich herl too, similar but different and not to be confused with peacock sword feathers. They are a type of highly iridescent stranded feather from the peacock, iridescent green and bronze and well iridescent and hard to substitute.

you can buy packages or a full stem . http://www.cabelas.com/product/Peacock-Herl/741352.uts?productVariantId=1567679&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=BingPLA&WT.z_mc_id1=35089000&rid=20&gclid=CNniwLberMwCFYKvNwodRzgLbQ&gclsrc=ds

[Bruce Norikane 0]

Hi CGull,

 

Welcome to fly tying!

 

Sounds like you are just getting started, and it'll take some time to learn all the fly tying jargon. All of us started at the same place.

 

When I got started, I learned a lot online. One of the best beginner guides is Fly Anglers Online - Beginning Fly Tying. It starts with terms, materials and tools and proceeds to build basic tying skills. I highly recommend taking a look a this guide.

 

http://view-source:http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/beginners/

 

Let us know, how it goes. We are always here to help.

 

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do,

 

Bruce

I highly recommend taking a look a this guide.

[CGull 0]

Yya for sure it can be a maze of unknown nomenclature, skills, and applications. Just about the time you think you can bump it up one notch you have to run to youtube to find out how to do something. Then of course words will fly around that youve never heard. Im thinking, maybe ill get a big ass bass hook in the vise and practice some of these intricisies on something large enough to see. See i saw a you tube earlier where the fellow tied a nice looking simple looking nymph. But when i looked down at the materials, im like wtf does this mean, lol.

Im good though, im border line purist. It took me forever to move from forums to AOL, from film to digital. Fly fishing and tying are the last corners of the world where the yuppies have not ruined it for us.

 

Cheers

Cheus

Sinara

And talk to yall soon.

[Bruce Norikane 0]

Yya for sure it can be a maze of unknown nomenclature, skills, and applications. Just about the time you think you can bump it up one notch you have to run to youtube to find out how to do something. Then of course words will fly around that youve never heard. Im thinking, maybe ill get a big ass bass hook in the vise and practice some of these intricisies on something large enough to see. See i saw a you tube earlier where the fellow tied a nice looking simple looking nymph. But when i looked down at the materials, im like wtf does this mean, lol.

Im good though, im border line purist. It took me forever to move from forums to AOL, from film to digital. Fly fishing and tying are the last corners of the world where the yuppies have not ruined it for us.

 

Cheers

Cheus

Sinara

And talk to yall soon.

 

Although everything is explained on YouTube, I recommend a little time on the basics through a step by step course that explains what each thing is. Once you know the jargon, all the instructions will make more sense.

 

If you're old school, try the library or book store. There are great fly tying books that'll walk you through the jargon and basics.

 

Basic Fly Tying by Charlie Craven

 

Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple by Skip Morris.

 

These are two of my favorites, and both available through the regional library system in Colorado.

[CGull 0]

Thx

[Dave G. 0]

When a good bunch of us learned " the basics" there was no such thing as youtube, in fact internet ( or it wasn't main stream yet) ! I learned from the Orvis Guide book, still have it somewhere around here. I remember tying a Matuka and thinking now I'm getting somewhere. Then maybe pick up a special skill at a show or two and the rest was by taking those basic skills and expanding on them. We also would buy a single fly and copy the pattern, maybe even dissect it. My first ever Royal Wulff I bought, fished it , caught some fish with it and as it got more beat up I decided to retire it as my pattern fly. To this day I love Royal Wulff and Royal Coachman flies. Caught fish the whole time. Or not for that matter. But through the years we all learn from youtube as well, we have the advantage of learning from some of the best fly tyers in the world now.

 

Edit: And with all that said, based on the few searches I've made about fresh water fishing in Texas I believe I would be tying for bass and other warm water species fish too. Think about a big Woolly Bugger for instance ( just a suggestion). Bass love buggy looking stuff in greens and yellows and chartreuse and often black too, or white..

[Cold 0]

 

 

To this day I love Royal Wulff and Royal Coachman flies. Caught fish the whole time. Or not for that matter.

This is one aspect of the game that I love.

 

As I was reading this, I got to thinking, and at first (before I had the skills to tie them), the "royal" style flies really caught my eye. I worked hard to develop the skills to tie them and as soon as I could manage, I had a small box full of royal wets and dries.

 

I fished them hard for quite a while, and to this day, I don't think I've ever taken one single fish on that color scheme. I probably haven't even fished one in 4 or 5 years now.

 

I'm the same way with CDC patterns, comparaduns, and the noble san juan worm. I know they're killing flies, they just never clicked with me.

 

With this knowledge, I never doubt someone when they say a given pattern does or doesn't work for them, provided they also acknowledge that they too understand this phenomenon. A good buddy of mine fished 3 years before taking his first fly on a bugger. Another friend of mine never caught a wild brookie on a stimulator until we went together one day and while he was taking care of business with a gray wulff, I was doing my damage with an orange stimmy. Finally he asked me for one, mentioning that he'd tried them to no avail...and promptly caught a fish on his next cast after tying it on.

 

The best we can do is observe and infer...and really, that is, for me, one of angling's saving graces: you can't pull that element of mystery from it.

[Bruce Norikane 0]

 

 

 

To this day I love Royal Wulff and Royal Coachman flies. Caught fish the whole time. Or not for that matter.

This is one aspect of the game that I love.

 

As I was reading this, I got to thinking, and at first (before I had the skills to tie them), the "royal" style flies really caught my eye. I worked hard to develop the skills to tie them and as soon as I could manage, I had a small box full of royal wets and dries.

 

I fished them hard for quite a while, and to this day, I don't think I've ever taken one single fish on that color scheme. I probably haven't even fished one in 4 or 5 years now.

 

I'm the same way with CDC patterns, comparaduns, and the noble san juan worm. I know they're killing flies, they just never clicked with me.

 

With this knowledge, I never doubt someone when they say a given pattern does or doesn't work for them, provided they also acknowledge that they too understand this phenomenon. A good buddy of mine fished 3 years before taking his first fly on a bugger. Another friend of mine never caught a wild brookie on a stimulator until we went together one day and while he was taking care of business with a gray wulff, I was doing my damage with an orange stimmy. Finally he asked me for one, mentioning that he'd tried them to no avail...and promptly caught a fish on his next cast after tying it on.

 

The best we can do is observe and infer...and really, that is, for me, one of angling's saving graces: you can't pull that element of mystery from it.

 

 

You've nailed one of the mysteries of fly fishing. Hare's Ear nymph for me, and Copper Johns. They slay for everyone around here but not for me. If I could tie a decent Comparadun, that might be another. But Royal Wulff's and Royal Trudes and Royal Parachute Madam X, those are killer flies for me.

 

Makes no sense, but it's just one of those things.