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s fontinalis

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About s fontinalis

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    Brook Trout
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  1. There is an entire forum dedicated to classic streamers (and wet flies) Classicflytying.com - you log in details for this site will get you logged in there too - its sister site of this forum/
  2. As someone who's tied a few Gray Ghosts, i would advise you to walk before you run. You asked for critique so here it is... THis fly pattern has a lot of elements that require a certain amount of 'nous' to get them all on a hook in a manner that will give you a quality fly that will hold up when fished, and if eaten by a fish. There are a lot of things to consider when tying a fly, and those include fly proportions, of the materials involved (tinsels and hook for example) as well as how to get the wings formed and set that they will permit correct tracking of the fly in the water. I highlighted tinsels because there is a reason narrow tinsel is specified, and the hook should be a long (6xl-8xl) hook. Its hard to hear negative criticism sometimes or even all the time, but i'm going to give it to you no matter what. The reason is, that telling you well done, the fly looks good is just a lie. It might hold together, but it is not a good fly. The rangeley style streamers often were designed to imitate smelt and bait fish - this one looks like neither. You say you are new to tying, and by tying this fly you've attempted something extremely complicated for a beginner.... Take some time to learn to tie simpler flies, learn proportions and gain some material handling and tying skills. If there is one thing I despise it is the artifical 'smoke blowing' that goes on via internet forums - it helps noone, particularly beginners. If you want some real help, find someone (or ask me - publically or via pm) for tips on how to improve your fly tying. Watch some videos on youtube. Davie McPhail, Tim Camisa, Tightline Productions all have quality videos online for free where you can find out how to do a particular technique or tie a particular fly.....use these resources Please, I invite you to ask for help, its the only way to learn unless you're willing to try to figure everything out over a few years like I did. And finally, in case you think i'm talking through my hat when I critique your fly, this is one of many gray ghosts i've tied and subsequently fished.
  3. Hi green, If you want good quality goose or duck quills, Spirit River brand has some of the best. You can get a lot of junk that's practically unusable for tying quill wings these days and is almost a complete waste of money. Regards, Mark Natures Spirit river has the absolute best quality duck quills. Get them from HOok and Hackle
  4. nice first effort Pay attention to proportions - hackle length, tail length, wing length and shape etc Here's what you should be aiming for
  5. here's how to make wax....vary the ratios to suit your needs. more rosin = tackier and harder more beeswax less tacky, more oil, softer. http://www.addictedtovise.com/2013/10/on-making-of-cobblers-wax.html E
  6. what he said. This and the other forums you own/run are becoming increasingly untrustworthy in terms of the overall running and representation/activities of you, the owner Take classicflytying for an example - you basically held those guys (of which i'm a member, and former regular contributor) to ransom, "buy subscriptions/sponsorships or i'm closing it down". Some good folks couldnt see the wood for the trees, subscribed, or even became sponsors, were promised subscritption packages, many of which never even materailized. FWIW i didnt subscribe. There is a common consensus on this forum, rodbuilding forum and to a lesser extent, classic fly tying, that the whole operation is a sham! it seems, the title above your avatar is starting to ring true. Prove it otherwise, please.
  7. this is without doubt, the best company to get yarn from. http://www.renaissancedyeing.com/en/category/crewel-wool/threads-yarns/crewel-skeins-and-hanks/?group=all 25m skeins for less than $2 each. Infinitely better quality than uni yarn, and the yarn diameter is just right for wrapping on small flies. I double it up for wool body streamers up to 8xl. They have a ton of colors as well, and shipping from France is merely a few bucks extra, hell its less than $5, which is the standard flat rate shipping cost around here, unless you get free shipping with a minimum order. The yarn can also be shredded for dubbing by stripping it under a lightly held razor blade.
  8. Tie the hackle in first right at the eye, hanging off the front, then tie your fly. At 'hackle time' you'll have it already tied in. this reduces bulk at the head and makes for a nice shaped collar. works just the same for CDC
  9. i use Cellire or Sally Hansens Hard as nails.
  10. Having done a fair bit of dying with acid dyes, and knowing that rit dyes are a conglomeration of a number of differenet dyes, i'd say avoid RIT dyes like the plague. Also, the kool aid dying business is something i've avoided as well. Acid dyes are not expensive, about $5 for a half ounce jar, which is enough for any dye projects you will have - unless you're going to be dyeing bucktails by the dozen, multiple times, the half ounce jar is sufficent. I've dyed with Jacquard Acid dye in Olive, #634 I've dyed wool, from cream to olive, with no problems, also, dyed over a brown saddle. THe process is simple, but for bucktail, i'd recommend heating the dye bath, inserting the bucktail, closing the lid and leaving it overnight in the bath (turn off the heat), before you come back to reheat it and fix the dye with either household vinegar (acetic acid) or citric acid powder - both are 'weak' acids and will pose no health threat. IF you've any questions, shoot me a PM. Wool dyed (jacquard) brown - top and olive - bottom Here's some other stuff i've dyed, all with acid dyes, from either Jacuqard, Cushings, or ProChem Selction of materials to sunburst - a mix of yellow and a tiny bit of red - both Jacquard - notice how the bucktail piece in the middle (Top) didnt take the color so well. Hence why i recommend an over night steep in the dye bath. This was a quick 1 hour dye job. Magenta (prochem) - snowshoe foot and hackles Purple - hen cape (Jacquard) Two different shades of pink (Cushings) (hard to see) - whiting rooster saddle and hen cape Golden Pheasant crests - red (Jacquard) and watermelon (prochem) Hackle, Turkey tail - both sky blue (Cushings)
  11. for me, single fibers are barbs. Multiple barbs are strips. eg. the bottom and 3rd wing comprise 7 strips of dyed goose shoulder.the second and forth (From the bottom) comprise mixed strips (2 barbs) divided by single barbs. Others might say different, in the end, its what you feel most comfortable with to get your point across.
  12. I had an atlas and sold it after a year. If you're tying a lot on big hooks ( greater than size 1) then you'll not find a vise with better grip than one with two points of contact. Have a look at a cottarelli, true rotary which Will cost you the same as a top end Regal. http://www.artisticflies.com/COTTARELLI_VISE/COTTARELLI_VISE.html Here's mine with a 1/0 hook.
  13. Great work. I have a Brook trout tied by Pat Cohen. Wish I had the skills and patience to stack and spin deer hair Cracking fly
  14. Ice dub fore and aft. Pearl and peacock. Also tied it with pearl and red at the front. Hook is a Scud hook, 2457, with bead to fit the hook
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