Jeremism30

This looks like what you are talking about. http://www.flyfishingconnection.com/patter...es/138/Cricket/ If you are looking for a good source of general step by step recipes, then check this site out. There are many crickets at this site. Go to fly tying, then click on "Fly Archives." There must be a few hundred there. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/

Same here, I have several colors in my box, but have only used copper extensively. Maybe, I should start trying other colors and see how it goes.

Something completely random. What I mean is, it wasn't a pattern, but rather random materials and just slapped together. After a day of that, I started doing real patterns, but I don't remember what the first one was.

Almost 5 years for me. I was at a book store when I stumbled onto a book about fly tying, and said hm... tying flys looks like fun. I bought the book, but it was about another 2 months before I went out and bought my first vise and tools and some materials to get started. I wasn't sure it was something that I would like and didn't want to go to the expense if I didn't. I sure am glad I did. :headbang: It was a great feeling the first time you catch a fish with a fly you have tyed.

That reminds me of the time my cat found a bag of feathers I left out. I don't remember what specifically they where, but when I came home from work there was feathers all over the dinning room, living room and the hall way. Maybe 100 feathers or so.

Most standard patterns I can tie in 5-7 minutes. Others take longer, royal woffe, more like 10-15 min. And my all time UN-favorite fly to tie is a humpy. I always have to take them apart and retie them. Probably 30 minutes or more for a humpy. I just can't seem to get the placement right when you tie on the deer hair. The wings end up too long most of the time and sometime too short.

Nylon brush - for ruffing up bubbing. Small metal file - removing barbs

I buy only a few selective at a craft store, and I would still buy them there. Foam and small glass beads (seeds) are two things. The only feathers I would buy would be a non-dyed turkey feather. That's about the only feathers worth buying there.

I use a cheep one still. Paid $25 for it and it suits me just fine.

I have used it before, and it will go fuzzy. I only use it once in a while, but I coat it with clear head cement.

At one of the small lakes in my area, the rainbow trout really seem to like the Montana Stone Fly. I have caught a lot of fish in that lake with that fly. Being in southern California there are few places to fish without having to travel far, so I frequent this particular lake.

Someone mentioned losing links of patterns they like. So, I thought I'd tell ya what I do. When I find a recipe that I like I just print it to a PDF and save it with the name of the fly. Then just file it away on my computer. Can’t ever lose it that way.

Looks really cool, I think I might make a couple this afternoon. Looks great.

Most patterns 4-8 min. for the easy to medium flys. Complicated patterns that I have never tied before may take 40 min for the first, 30 for the second and 20 for a third and so on. But I have only been tying a couple of years and still consider myself a beginner. But, don't worry about the time just have fun and tie, before you know it you will be a lot faster.

Doesn’t hurt to have two pairs of scissors. I have one nice, really sharp pair for all the fine work. I also have a crappy, cheep pair for cutting wire, (lead, copper, etc…)