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rodj

Hello from Austin, just beginning to learn

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Hi All, my name is Rod - short for Rodman a hand-me-down from my father's first name. I'd like to believe it was fated that I would enjoy fishing.

 

Recent shoulder surgery caused me to go into a closet and pull out a 20+ year old cardboard box containing a beginners fly tying kit that I had never really opened. All it has for materials are some tiny hooks (14?), a few feathers, a bit of green chenille, some strands of peacock herl, and a bit of copper wire. The British seem to use the word "agricultural" for "crude but functional equipment" and the box had exactly that: a poorly powder coated 5 cent clamp vise, a bobbin, a hackle plier, and a simple whip finisher. But, with a few minutes of YouTube help I learned to wrap some old sewing thread around the shank of a hook and to whip finish (I think - I can't confirm that it's actually correct but the thread stops and is tight).

 

10 days later I've tied 1) some severely disfigured wooly buggers one of which had to be "put down" it was in such misery; 2) allegedly a dragon fly nymph that includes a pair of eyes made from 30 lb test mono (that was fascinating to make and they look neat) but the poor thing appears to be lacking the better part of his thorax; 3) something called a Carey Special which, despite an apparent case of anorexia bulimia, looks closely related to the one in the book; and 4) a pheasant tail nymph. He was the most difficult and in some ways the coolest because he supposedly has a "wing case" even though I can't see it.... he's got too much copper wire on his body, and the pheasant fibers were too short so his "legs" look more like a short collar behind his head.

 

If anyone cares, the kit / book is called "The Art of Fly Tying - an angler's complete handbook and kit" by Steve Probasco (1995). Even though the materials are lacking and the "book" (booklet) is printed in black and white, two decades later it proved sufficient to hook another fisherman onto fly tying. Well, as mentioned with the help of YouTube to figure out the thread and whip finish.

 

Everyone asks for photos of flies, so I'll do that as best I can. Should probably be a contest to see who can figure out which fly is supposed to be what.

 

Thanks

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Not a bad start. Soon it becomes an addiction and materials goes up in quality and quantity. Fish likes some that I consider as my fails but after enough catches about 25 or so I get to redo my fails lol. Great start and welcome.

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Go to flyanglersonline.com

on the left side there is a flytying tab. Hit that and there is a great beginning fly tying course.

 

Rick

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Thank you both.

 

Tom, that's hilarious and I had not thought of my "failures" in that way.... let the fish decide, I guess that's fair enough. Apparently there's a lot more to this than meets they eye.

 

Rick, reading this forum I found a recent post of yours to another guy recommending that website, and I started reading that tutorial today. Not only helpful, but it demystifies a lot of things. Thank you.

 

Thanks for the replies and encouragement / help.

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rodj I bet they will catch fish. Welcome to the site it is a good group and a lot of information. Enjoy tying it is good therapy.

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