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mdraft1

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About mdraft1

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    Salmon, Steelhead, Trout
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    2007
  1. Thanks for the comment. A nano cone has very little weight. It is used to finish the head. I typically use Gamakatsu egg hooks when using junction tubing.
  2. Ok, lets finish this up: Next, lift the front of the foam up and dub a medium size ball just in front of where the foam is tied down. This will force the front flap up and push water when stripped. You can tie the thread off now and trim. Once cut, place a small drop of super glue just in front of the dubbing ball and slip on a nano cone. cut the tubing leaving about 1/16" exposed. Holding the fly in the vertical position, take a lighter and melt the tube until it mushrooms in front of the cone. Now, hold the fly upside down and trim the bottom flat. Insert the soft junction tubing onto the back of the fly and cut just long enough to allow for the eye of a hook to be inserted. Insert your hook into the junction tubing and you are done.
  3. Hi everyone, Thought I would share my "go to" popper for bass. This pattern has worked great in a wide range of colors and sizes. Here is the material list: Tube: Future Fly soft 1.8mm tube Thread: Veevus 14/0 black dubbing: SSS Dubbing (Gaudy green) tail: buck tail back: black foam (hobby lobby) body: UV Polar Chenille UV Pearl Legs: Sili legs Olive/orange tip front cone: Future Fly nano cone (black) Junction tubing: Proof tubing Ok, here we go: Start by cutting a 1 inch section of tubing. Attach thread and make a small ball of dubbing leaving 1/8" of tubing exposed at the back (for junction tubing). Cut and tie in a small bunch of buck tail on top of the tube extending behind about the length of the tube. split the tail in two and do a few figure eight wraps to keep the sections apart. cut a tapered piece of foam a bit longer than the length of the tube. Tie in the narrow end just in front where you split the tail. Tie in a 4-6" piece of polar chenille right on top of where the foam is tied in and advance the chenille 3-4 wraps. Ok, things get messy for a bit. In front of the polar chenille wraps tie in two 1" pieces of silk legs on each side of the tube. Next advance the polar chenille 3-4 more wraps and tie in another set of silk legs only make these slightly longer 1.5" should do. Ok, things are really looking messy now. Advance the polar chenille 3-4 wraps, tie in two more silk legs on either side of the tube and make them slightly longer than the last pair. 2" works nice. After the legs are tied in wrap the chenille 3-4 turns and create a small ball by wrapping the chenille on top of itself. Ok, before you fold the foam forward spread the top of the polar chenille to either side. Kind of like you are parting hair. This gives the fly more body and allows the foam to sit flat along the top.
  4. Hey, what I meant was that by using two tubes you don't need to source a wide range of tubes or buy a large range of sizes when using pre made tubes (pro tubes). You simply have two tubes, where one fits inside the other. That way if you are tying small flies you use the small tube by itself. For larger flies you slip the small tube in the large one and you are good to go. given some of the tube fly systems out there the two tube system seems pretty simple
  5. Great way to simplify tubes. Nesting tubes allows you to control the size of your tubes (generally found in scandinavian tubes).
  6. Hi, Does anyone have a copy of Shane Stalcup's DVD on tying with CDC feathers that they would be willing to loan out? Please PM and we can work out the details. Thanks.
  7. Hi everyone, I just purchased a set of Marc's Magic tools and have heard that the DVD sold separately is well worth watching. Anyone have a copy I can borrow? I'll cover shipping and return it with a bunch of tying materials. Please PM me if you have a copy you are willing to part with for a week or two. Thanks.
  8. I've tried both and like Bug Bond. I've found the CCG does not set up nearly as hard as the Bug Bond. The Bug Bond light is fantastic.
  9. If you don't get any replies here I would try posting your question on speypages.com Many of those guys know a good deal about Hardy reels.
  10. Hi everyone, I just posted a review of the Loon Shark Tooth Spool Management System on my blog. You can read the full review below or to check out the review with pictures click on the link below. Shark Tooth Review The other day I watched a fly fishing video where a fishing guide bit through a section T14 sink tip and then proceeded to bit off a length of 12lbs. leader material. The health and dental hazards of putting a tungsten rich line in your mouth and then biting through line is pretty obvious. Less obvious is the inefficacy of the managing spooled material via one's teeth. Loon Outdoors has once again come up with a product that takes a fresh look at an issue that all anglers deal with: spool management. The Shark Tooth spool management system is a device that fits over spools of tippet and leader material and allows quick and precise cuts. The concept is pretty simple. Here is how it works: You slip the elastic band over the tippet spool and feed the tag end through a hole located on the top of the Shark Tooth. The tag points straight up so its easy to grab when you need to tie on a new piece. When you need a fresh piece of tippet all you have to do is pull the tag end and the elastic band rotates around the spool until you reach the desired length, then simply take the tipped and fold it over the safety blade and give it a light tug. The blade cuts the tippet and the perfect length of tag for the next use. Simple and efficient. The Shark Tooth comes in four sizes to accommodate most spools of tippet and leader material. Orange: 1/4lb spools 1 1/2" inner diam. min. 3" outer diam. max. Yellow: 100yd to 3000 yd spools 2 1/2" inner diam. min. 4 1/2" diam max. Blue: Umpqua (wide spool), Camela's (by Climax), Climax, Frog Hair (small dia.) Red: RIO, Maxima, Cabela's, Scientific Angler, Orvis, Seaquar, Frog Hair (Large Dia.), Umpqua (thin spool).
  11. Hi everyone, I just posted a review of the Guideline (FITS) tube fly system. I also reviewed a few of their tying supplies for those who do not tie tubes. Anyway, you can find the complete text of the review below and the review with photos at the following link: FITS Review Guideline is a fly fishing company based in Sweden. They produce a full range of fly fishing equipment including single and double hand rods, some of the finest spey lines available, reels, clothing, waders, and fly tying supplies. Guideline products are among the top Scandinavian fly fishing companies and their dedication to the sport carries over into not just product development but also they run a series of spey "boot camps" in the U.S. to help both beginner and advanced spey casters hone their skills. Guideline's site also offers a nice selection of articles on tying with FITS tubes. The review that follows will focus on the F.I.T.S., Guideline, and Salar tube fly system and a few tying materials. After having finished four tube fly system reviews I thought I had a pretty good grasp on tube fly design and theory. Most tube fly companies offer varying degrees of specialized tubes that are pre-formed and made of either brass or plastic. The tying platform on the tubes of the four companies I reviewed was pretty obvious and the basic design of the fly is established by the manufacturer. The F.I.T.S. system is different. The simplicity of the design was, I have to admit, a bit overwhelming at first. Where is the junction tubing? How do the different size tubes fit together? Why do the cones only fit on certain tubes? After watching "Make em swim" by Mikael Frodin the genius of the F.I.T.S. system started to make sense. With the F.I.T.S. system the fly tier has complete control over the fly design and is only limited by material selection and imagination. If you want a 4" long tube fly, then you can make one. On the other hand if you want a size 14 tube fly that has a total length of 1/2" then the F.I.T.S. system has a tube that will work. Here is a look at the F.I.T.S. system in detail: The F.I.T.S tube system The basic tube design consists of four different size plastic tubes: extra small, small, medium, and large. The different size tubes can be tied individually or you can insert the smaller tubes into the larger ones to allow for different heads. The extra small tubes fit into the medium tubes and the small tubing fit inside the large tubes. The plastic tubes come in six colors and can be mixed and matched to create the exact color combination for a given fly. For tube flies that consist of a single size tube all you have to do is cut a section of tubing and insert the tube into the F.I.T.S. tubing device or most any tube fly adapter, tie the fly and you are done. The F.I.T.S. heads will fit the extra small and small size tubes. If you want to use a head on a fly tied on medium or large tubing, then all you have to so is insert the corresponding smaller tube into the larger tube and you are good to go. To connect the two tubes simply cut an angle on the larger tube, insert the smaller tube, and tighten things down with a few turns of thread. To connect the two tubes simply cut the larger tube on an angle and then secure with a few turns of thread. The FITS needle does a great job of holding both tubes. No need to use messy glues to secure two sections of tube. The F.I.T.S system offer a wide range of cones to allow your fly to balance; additionally you can control which part of the water column your fly presents in and how much action you would like the materials to receive. The cones also do a great job in keeping soft material such as spey plumes or arctic fox from compressing in the current. All of the F.I.T.S and Guideline cones come in a nice range of sizes that further allow you to control how much impact the current has on the fly. The size range also helps prevent material spin-out that often happens when a cone is too small for a given fly. Below is a quick look at the different cones. Plastic turbo cones add almost no weight to your fly but generate tons of movement. Guideline also offers soft rubber turbo cones that can be custom colored with markers. These are perfect for flies that you want to ride just below the surface. They also work great when fished with a sink tip. In addition to cones Guideline offers tungsten tubes that can be slipped over the small tubing. These tubes work great for balancing out larger flies or for those times when you need to present a fly deep quickly. I have used these in conjunction with a 10' section of T14 for those holes where you have very little clearance and need to get your fly down fast. Guideline also offers a complete range of hooks to accompany your tube flies. They offer single, double, and treble hooks in a nice range of sizes. These hooks are extremely sharp! The only other hooks I have used that compare are Knapek hooks. The Guideline hooks have a "sticky" point and the short stout lengths work great for securing the hook via junction tubing or a knotted leader. Salar synthetic series Angel Hair HD (Heavy duty) is a version of standard angel hair only in a slightly heavier version. Unlike traditional angel hair the HD does not pull out and offers a bit more flash when you need it. It is thick enough to pick out individual strands and for its size is very durable. Like the Salar dubbing the colors of the Angel Hair HD are unlike anything I have seen in the States. The blends offer purple with hints of red and gold and the "rainbow from hell" is a a gold variant with copper and green highlights. If you have ever admired Mikael Frodin's flies the subtle flash comes from these blends. In Sum: After having worked with and written reviews for most the tube fly systems available the F.I.T.S. tubes are quickly becoming my favorite. The simplicity of the system gives the tier near complete control over the fly and the colors, sizes, and styles of cones available with the F.I.T.S. tubes allow the tier to control what the fly does in just about any situation. I have tied flies for bluegills, trout, steelhead, salmon, bass, and pike with the F.I.T.S. tubes and they have held up great. I also put some of the F.I.T.S. plastic tubing in a chest freezer for a few days to see how it holds up to freezing temperatures. Last winter I had a few flies (tied on tubes from two different companies) break when the temperature dropped into the teens. The F.I.T.S. tubes, even after being frozen for three days, still maintained their flexibility and would not break no matter how I twisted them. I would recommend picking up Mikael Frodin's DVD "Make 'Em Swim". Mikael provides not only a wealth of information on working with F.I.T.S. tubes but his philosophy of tube fly construction is well worth the price of the DVD. Questions regarding when to use weight, how to balance a fly, which materials to use when, and different ways to secure the hook to the fly are addressed.
  12. Correct. I forgot to add Ron's screen name.
  13. Hi everyone, I just posted a review of Wapsi Perfect Popper Bodies on my blog. The review features poppers painted by FTF's own Ronald Braud! I have posted a full copy of the review below and you can check out some of Ronald's flies with the following link to the reivew: Perfect Popper Review Wapsi Fly: Perfect Popper Bodies When it comes to tying poppers there are a number of techniques and materials that will get the job done. Sometimes I like working with deer hair. Stacking, trimming, and making an absolute disaster out of my tying area can be a lot of fun. Other times I like to tie poppers using pre-shaped foam bodies. It is no less an art tying with foam bodies than deer hair just a different set of materials and techniques and results can be stunning. Wapsi Fly has taken popper bodies to a new level with the advent of the "Perfect Popper Bodies". These bodies are made out of compressed foam and come in a wide range of shapes and sizes ranging from tiny brim poppers all the way to size 4 saltwater poppers. Wapsi offers the popper bodies in packages of ten and they can be ordered with or without popper hooks. There is minimum preparation required when working with the foam bodies. All I do is take a piece of fine sandpaper (600 grit) and brush over some of the light ridges that are left over from the molds. You don't even need to sand the bodies, I just tend to be a bit on the anal side when it comes to my poppers. For those times when you just don't feel like spinning deer hair or if you like me and enjoy working with different mediums, then Wapsi Perfect Popper Bodies are a great way to go. They take paint very well and the design elements are endless. Some tiers are using the Copic Airbrush system to paint their poppers with stunning results. Perfect Popper Bodies can be painted with permanent acrylic paints, which are inexpensive and widely available at craft supply stores. It is recommended that after you are done painting the popper that you seal the paint with epoxy or Bug Bond for durability.
  14. Large light flies with short hooks for better hookups. From what I have read tube flies originated in the Scandinavian countries and were then brought to the U.S.
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