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Fly Tying
Mark Knapp

What are you working on, fly tying or fishing related please.

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Please lets keep this one about fly tying and fishing and if you'd like to talk about house renovation or anything else, please use the one in "The Lodge". I'd like to talk to people about tying flies here.

 

I have been working on taking better pictures and playing with acetate floss. The most important thing I learned about taking pictures is to use a lot of light. It reduced the blur a lot. Blurry pictures is something I have been struggling with. The problem with taking better pictures is, the thing is blown up so much and when it's not blurry you can see every little mistake.

 

I recognized that when acetate floss was dunked in acetone (something brought to our attention by Norm in a thread a few weeks ago) it melted a little, left a hard glossy shell and glued the fly together from underneath. I also realized that the floss became translucent when it melted so I thought about putting some pearlescent Mylar under it to see if the reflective properties of the Mylar would show through. I also though it would be a great way to make flies tied with palmered feathers and hurl more durable. So here are some of those experiments.

 

These flies are of no particular known pattern.

 

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A Russian style nymph hook with Mylar under the acetate and palmered peacock hurl.

 

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An acetate, Mylar bead head Chironomid.

 

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A Mylar, Acetate midge with palmered hackle.

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I have an old, messed up vise, that can't clamp on dry fly hooks. I am looking for something that is not made in china.

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An acetate, Mylar bead head Chironomid.

Is the rib under the floss on that one?

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An acetate, Mylar bead head Chironomid.

Is the rib under the floss on that one?

 

No, not this one, I must have wrapped the rib tight enough on this one that it sank through when I dipped the fly. I did tie one with the rib under the floss but I had mixed results with it. Parts of the wire came through nicely but some was pretty muted. It seemed like it wasn't consistent enough to pursue it any further.

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Nice pic Mark. I'm still taking shots with either my ipad or cell phone.

Thanks Mog, I'm using a $69.00 Fugifilm XP point and shoot. Same one that I've been using for two years. It's been a long learning curve for me but I'm finally starting to get it dialed in.

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Yep that vise Mike linked is pretty good especially if you're on a budget.

 

Nice flys Mark, that bottom one looks like it would be killer.

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Most of the point and shoot cameras have good close up functionality today. In fact now the later smart phones do too, I just got one that takes amazing close ups and it's not a top end phone. I needed a phone anyway though, my old one was finally croaking out. But Mark, it's not just a lot of light, it's also light angle. You can shape and model your flies with light. Most people don't, they like the even look of something like a ring light can produce. Or set it in a light box or light tent.

 

Right now I'm not tying, I'm going into my annual wood turning mode turning hollow form Christmas ornaments as gifts. So the vises are set aside for the season so to speak. But as to flies, I think I have precisely one spool of acetate floss which is a celery toned green floss. I haven't used it in years, I want to say it was a card of floss actually from Universal Vise. But I've never dunked it in acetone, might have to try that when I get to tying again around Feb or so.

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My small to do list...

 

RODBUILDING/REPAIRING

 

1. Replace guide on rod for fishing guide (when that's done he's bringing me a Winston that needs new stripping guides...

2. Strip, rehab and re-wrap one of the rods for my skiff (Have eight to do but only when I have time available..

 

FLY TYING

 

1. Go through all of my "need re-cycling flies" and sort - then re-do the ones that can be restored

2. Make a start on the flies that will be needed as we move towards winter (winter we're all interior, shallow sight fishing -until the big tarpon come back inside -usually just before Christmas...).

3. Work up a materials order for my wholesaler before end of year

 

SKIFF MAINTENANCE/ REPAIR

 

1. Sort out my primary bilge pump (needs new mounting base for a drop in unit...)

2. Replace live well light (much needed when operating at night using bait...)

3. Rehab nav lights switch (remove each wire, sand and clean terminals then remount everything (have new spare switch if needed)

4. Get materials then start making a new dash panel to replace existing one

5. Boat trailer to nearest ramp to launch boat - then trailer hardware replacements (hog rings, etc for an all roller trailer)

6. Adjust wheel bearing tension (on oil bath hubs - not a standard deal at all...)

7. Aren't boats fun?

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I'm still in the process of restoring the old bamboo rod pictured below just before I started the silk wraps I have 6 more guides to wrap and then to apply the spar varnish. It should have been completed by now but I chose to use my free time to go fishing while the weather was nice. After the rod is done I'm going to build a rack to hold the my rods. Right now the tubes are standing in a corner next to my tying desk.

 

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Yep that vise Mike linked is pretty good especially if you're on a budget.

 

Nice flys Mark, that bottom one looks like it would be killer.

I will let you know if it's a killer this weekend, for ice fishing anyway, the ice is just about thick enough to walk on safely.

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