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Fly Tying
j8000

New to the hobby

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Good morning. I received a fly kit for Christmas last year and after about 6 or 7 trips out finally caught my first trout. After that I got the hang of it and kept on catching some. However, I still get out beat by a spoon lure every time but once. Anyways, to the point. Realizing I enjoy fly fishing more than with a spinner reel, I gave it great thought and decided to jump into the fly tying hobby. I've been reading up on it at several sites and places, including this place.

 

So I finally got my order placed. Have about a week and a half until it arrives. I have about five patterns that I got the materials for: EZ nymph, wooly bugger/worm, pheasant tail, mayfly and dragon fly. Plus others that take the same materials, but those are the five I want to start out with and maybe use this fall. Maybe by spring I'll get some different materials and work on some dry flies. Anyways, figure this would be a nice winter time hobby will post my first couple in a few weeks when I get into it.

 

Jeff

 

Added some pictures of some samples on page two.

Edited by j8000

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Are you sure you want to do this? It is not too late to get out. You can still put that tying materials package down, walk away, nobody gets hurt...

 

Welcome to the hobby! :D

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Welcome to the site, j8000.

Since you've started this thread ... just post your flies here. That will give you a running history of your progress in this site.

You could post a new thread with each fly, but that gets confusing after a while ... needing to jump from thread to thread to see what people have said about your work.

 

Welcome to the hobby. You've mentioned some great flies to start with ... and a couple that are more "complicated". Work on the simple techniques and work up the scale as your abilities increase.

 

Good luck.

 

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Welcome to your new home!

-Steve

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Who has time to tie flies in the winter with all the great ice fishing available? I think you may find it to also be a great rainy day, balls hot out, football game day, and pretty much any time hobby. Enjoy.

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Well there are times that hardware fishing does beat out fly fishing. After trout are first stocked is a good example of that, there is about a1-2 week period where they just love a small spoon more than anything else. Then then they key to the naturals and you can't get a fish to save your life on a spoon, or 1 fish to ten caught on a good rendition of the natural . Course sometimes the natural is best replicated by a spoon too. I went into fly fishing as a way to expand the possibilities, fly fishing is not my only means of fishing though. Mostly I got into not even knowing that it was going to be my pathway to beat fish that were keyed on #20 midges. Before I took up fly fishing I had no clue that was going to be the case. But I soon found myself tying midges for that falls fishing season ( it's when chironamids are abundant beyond any reasonable belief system around here ). No wonder hardware wasn't getting the fall trout here, I was going about it the hard way LOL.

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That's my basic plan Mike. My goal for the winter is to have a nice variety of flies to help see what works when. I realize I will not save money, but plan on keeping this a reasonable hobby. Figured I've gone through about 20 flies since July. Got a lot to learn on my favorite lake. For example, I have tried Wooly buggers green and brown. Had no luck for 6 tries, about 1/2 to an hour each. Would get a bite or two, but couldn't hook em. So then I cut the tail down a bit and last two times I caught a couple with them.

 

But I have really enjoyed using the fly rod. Used a spinner reel my whole life and this really changes it up for me. I haven't ice fished yet. Although I have given it plenty of thought. The lake I fish at now freezes over well, but you need a four wheeler or snowmobile to get there. Got a four wheeler, just haven't given it the final push to get out there. It doesn't bother me getting beat by a spoon. My competition is my wife and children, so good for them. Either way it's all fun.

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This is the best forum board on the internet. But you should ...

 

 

 

For some great basic tutorials by Al Campbell.

 

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And google YouTube for patterns and techniques. As many have stated on this site, try to learn techniques, such as but not limited too - thread control, the "pinch" method of holding and applying materials, etc...

 

A specific pattern may use many techniques or just a few - thus best to master techniques - these are usually used on many patterns.

 

Good luck and just have fun with it.

 

BCT

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yup, I have three sites saved for tutorials. weened it down to two for now. Really helps out to clear it up some. Now I just have to wait for the mail to come.....

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Got my stuff this weekend and have tied about 15 flies so far. Pretty much 4 basic designs of nymphs/wet flies/ wooly bugger. after a couple screw up, think I got the hang of the basic designs. Should post a couple pictures later. Having a hard time with the wooly bugger, but I think using a bigger hook will help. Using a 12 now, going to try it on a 3x long 10 when I get it (on back order). Although, I thought I tied a decent wooly worm. Anyways, using sizes 12 and 10 1x long and 2x long. Figure I'll build up on stock on these easier ones and try a new design every so often. Plan on trying some out Saturday morning on a quick fishing trip. The desings are: EZ nymph, pheasant tail, Griffiths gnat, nyerges nymph with shell back added, and the failed attempt at wooly bugger. Plus one that I screwed up on and salvaged by throwing something together to make a bug looking hook.

 

Anyways, this site has been well informative along with others. Looking forward to a nice relaxing time tying.

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Well there are two or three different ways to tie woolly buggers for one thing. Which method are you thing ?

 

My very first woolly buggers were tied on #8 nymph hooks as I recall ( about 2-1/2 decades ago now). I then changed to streamer hooks and quickly determined I like nymph hooks better. I even tie some for Maine on bait hooks ( i use them as nymphs in the pattern I tie, materials I use, for big black stone flies and have caught some corker salmon on them). Oh, you want to to learn how to tie woolly buggers and I'm sure we can help you get it right, some one on the forum can ! I tie them from size 14 to size 4 in different color combinations and various body materials.

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I just finished a video on tying a bugger and I'm certain I'm using too much marabou feather material. on the video, he strips about a third of material off one side of the feather to use. I have been using almost the whole thing and trimming when done.

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