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Fly Tying
TXH20man

New to Tying, New to Forum (a few early efforts)

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Howdy,

 

I got bit hard by the fly tying bug a couple of weeks ago and am now suffering from full-body paralysis ... I can NOT get up from the table!

 

In the space of two weeks I upgraded my original $29 made-in-India vise from BassPro to an Apex and dropped way more money than I should have at the local fly shop (which happens to be cheaper on everything than the big box!).

 

Probably 60 or 70 flies in, it's already getting easier (i.e., I break thread less, have figured-out how to use a bobbin threader -- you'd think that would be obvious, huh? -- figured-out I can't actually bend a forged hook, etc.). I have yet to fish a single fly I've tied, the river in the backyard notwithstanding.

 

Field tests this week in South Texas (I alternate weeks between central Texas and Corpus Christi, where I drive a tugboat -- not an ideal fly fishing platform, but I do see a lot of fish).

 

This forum and YouTube have been great teachers. Mistakes below are my own.

 

Cheers!

 

txh20manbeginnerflies.jpg

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Welcome to the addiction! Just jeep telling yourself that all of this expense is actually saving money over

buying your flies already finished. There are many different paths you might take as a fly tyer - for me,

it has been 50 years of collecting materials (that now require a room of their own).

 

Best of luck and enjoy the art, science, and fun of fly tying.

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FlatsRoamer -- I do. Hope to see some this week. Most likely conditions are an oyster-choked creek or open water under lights with fish mailing bait in the too 4' of the water column ... Throwing WF8F if it makes a difference. Thanks!

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Ok sweet, well I have 2 that I know work and I know how easy to tie. Actually, I have made my own youtube videos on both of them believe it or not, the Black Redfish Worm and the Drunken Shrimp. Ill add the link to them, check out the rest of my videos if you have a chance.

 

I also assume that you routinely target speckled trout and flounder, or am i wrong?

 

Welcome to the forum, would love for you to be a regular :)

 

You can find the videos in the link Below, you should be able to see it, and be sure to let me know what you think about the patterns/videos :)

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Thanks so much. I'll check out the videos. Flounder, mangrove snapper and snook ... Trout usually only by accident ;-) Lady fish by accident, and I'm trying to decide spadefish ... Tied up some comb jelly imitations ... Will see if that does the trick. Hooe to be a regular and eventually to contribute when I have something to add. And thanks to everyone for the welcome and kind words.

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You guys have snapper and snook in Texas?! Wow, I never knew that...

 

Also, the when I made the video I didn't add a weedguard because I always felt that it was a boring and time consuming thing to watch, but how your describing where you fish, you might want to add a weedguard...

 

Also for trout, I haven't tested it out yet in the salt, but soon will in the Everglades, would be a Bunny Minnow. It does move nice and looks like a baitfish fleeing away so you might also consider tying some of those as well...

 

Enjoy the videos and let me know what you think, they DO take a lot of time and effort lol

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Welcome to the site.

Those clousers, other than being a bit "plush", are very good. Proportions are good on eye placement and tie in points. Just thin out the materials by a third, and they will be near perfect.

 

That clear spoon is interesting. Took me a few glances to figure out what the wires were, then I realized I was looking at a clear version of the white spoon. I have never tied or fished those ... I'll be interested to here how you like them.

 

I am in Spring, TX for these two weeks, fishing creeks and washes. What river is "in your back yard"?

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MikeChell, I've been fighting a losing battle with plushness. I have since trimmed most of them, esp. on the lower wing. Thanks for the feedback. Hope you get a chance to hit Village Creek or even Christmas Bay while you are in the area. My backyard river is the N Fork of the San Gabriel -- all the usual warm water suspects plus Rio Grande cichlids.

 

FlatsRoamer, three species of snook in Texas in scattered locales mostly Corpus Christi south. Gray snapper all up and down the coast. For reference, Corpus is the same latitude as Tampa, and Port Isabel as Port Everglades.

 

Thanks for the feedback, welcomes and tips all!

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That's a long haul from home to Corpus Christi. Three hours or so, depending on traffic?

Back home, I am only 40 miles from the closest salt water, and I never go there.

I need a T-Shirt that says "Fresh Life" instead of "Salt Life" ... but then the PC women would knock me down and kick the crap out of me.

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Mike, about 3.5 using the 85 mph toll road around Austin. I only do it once a week though, so not too bad. "Fresh Life" -- love it! I love our little river and have a 4 wt I use back there ... I reasoned that saltwater flies were bigger and in many cases simpler, so that's where I would start. ;-)

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I see quite a few trucks around here with fresh life stickers..

 

TXH20man, welcome. I'm fairly new here also. As a native south Floridian we target much the same species. Your off to a good start. Keep it up...tie, fish, learn.

post-59266-0-17908800-1478035898_thumb.jpeg

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Ps. I just looked closer at your bendbacks. It appears to have way too much of a bend to keep a fish hooked up. I could be wrong, but I'd try less of a bend, or tie that similar pattern on some wide gap worm hooks. They will stay point up and no bending needed. Just a suggestion.

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