Newbie from Northern NJ

[Freddo 0]

Hi All,

 

I just found this area after posting in the Beginner's Corner so I'll be brief here...

Here's the other post: http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=80297&p=614789

 

This appears to be "the forum" for learning, gleaning, and sharing fly tying information. I want to jump back into tying flies after stopping as a young teen. That said, it's been over 40 years since then and it's starting from scratch for me (almost). I have nothing from my past tying days except for one little metal fly box with its metal hook clips (probably vintage by today's standards) that is filled with my best attempts at fly tying. My tools and materials were all sold back then but that's fine because these days I've got better choices and more resources. So I begin...

 

I'm here to learn and then share as I learn. Thanks to "all" of you members, new and well-seasoned, that have posted in FlyTyingForum.com so far that led me to want to join this forum. I see that your hearts are in this and that's how good honest information is birthed.

[mikechell 0]

Welcome to the site. It is a great place.

[Freddo 0]

Welcome to the site. It is a great place.

 

Hi and thanks!

 

I have a question for you being an Advanced Member and maybe you'll know... When I try to view "Browse by Material" and then click on a material or a color (e.g., Color > Olive) I get blank pages for most. Is this a work in progress or a bad browser setting. I typicallt use Firefox and tried with Chrome and had same behavior. I'm good with computers so if there's a setting I need or "something" all techy, I'm in.

 

Any ideas?

 

Also - what's your favorite patterns for sunfish and bass?

 

Thanks in advance!

[mikechell 0]

Just above this forum is one called "site help and suggestions." There's been a few threads about the problem with the data base. It's got suggestions about how to get into the data base. There have been issues.

 

These are my flies I hunt sunfish with.

My floating ant. I thought I was being innovative. Turns out, the McMurray Ant was around first, I just didn't know it.

 

 

My Gold Butt Brassie:

 

 

Flip flop foam popper:

 

 

And my first innovative fly, my Panfish Attractor. Turns out, I missed it again, and the Panfish Charlie was already out there.

 

 

For Bass ...

My frog:

 

 

And streamer:

 

 

 

[Freddo 0]

Thanks FlaFly and Mikechell:

Those are great looking. Did you guys come up with these or did you follow patterns?

I don't recall catching many fish at all on the bunch I tied as a kid (see images [i HOPE THEY APPEAR]). But seeing your work has me excited to think of fooling those fish into my frying pan!

Just tying them will be enjoyable, but get fish to take them has got be a real joy!

 

[FlaFly 0]

Well now, Freddo... I told you that you could do it! Those are really nice. I'm guessing only a couple might be dry flies.... most look like wet flies from my POV. If you're after bluegills, you're going to need some floating flies too, and my number one recommendation would be a rubber spider (foam) with rubber/silicone legs. Lots of examples in the database, or you can just google images for foam spider fly pattern, and you'll get gobs of examples. They're really simple and bluegills love them. You can use some of your foam to tie mini-hoppers and other similar flies... just make them any way you like. I tie lots of different flies just because I want to. I've never noticed that it made any difference to the BGs what I fed them. I've done ants, beetles, hoppers, popping bugs, sliders, you name it. They'll all work.

 

The database works well for some people, sometimes, and some parts. I've had trouble with searches by some criteria and no trouble with others. Frankly, I think there are some really nice flies in the DBase, but most of them don't provide much info as to how to tie them... some offer absolutely none. The two sources I've found for really good how-tos are the www.flyanglersonline.com site and youtube videos.... you can just google those.

[FlaFly 0]

One more thing: dry flies (those that rely on hackle to make them float) invariably get wet and start sinking.... then the fisherperson has to either dry them or change to a new fly. If you're trying to match the hatch for trout, that's what you have to do.

 

If you're fishing for panfish, you can save yourself a lot of trouble by just using foam. It always floats. If it's really hot and the BGs are staying in deeper water, then is the time to put on a sinking wooly booger or bully spider (and a strike indicator). Here in Florida, the lakes are shallow, so we, or at least I just use floating line and a simple mono leader, about 8 ft. long. Even for a sinker, you only need it to sink maybe 3 or 4 feet. I don't know what your lakes are like up there.... you'll just have to learn from the locals.

[Freddo 0]

Thanks for all the info FlaFly. I'll start looking for patterns of those you mentioned!

 

Yes - I tied a lot of wets. Mostly because I like the way they look and back then didn't really have much to go on except a book or two. With the web these days, there's so much information at hand.

 

I'll be checking out the www.flyanglersonline.com site too - thanks again for all of your support!

[mikechell 0]

Thanks FlaFly and Mikechell:

 

Those are great looking. Did you guys come up with these or did you follow patterns?

 

 

 

 

The Brassie and the streamer are variations on existing patterns I'd seen.

All the others I figured out on my own ... THEN found out something similar already existed.

[FlaFly 0]

The CGs pattern I got from a guy down here who also is a bluegill nut, and also makes bamboo rods. FYI I got a short length of copper pipe, around half inch diameter, and filed one end sharp. That made a punch that I can use to punch out perfect circles from the 2mm foam. Used chenille for underbody, tied on a tail, and then tied the foam circle on top. Presto! Most of what I tie starts out with a picture of someone else's fly, but then I follow my own path once I get started, mostly because I don't have the particular material the originator used, so I substitute whatever I have.

[Freddo 0]

Hey Guys -

 

This will be a fun and fantastic adventure. I've got a shop and can cobble together some tools (like FlaFly's copper punch). I enjoy tinkering and while following existing patterns may be great, once I get going it's great to know there are no holds barred.

 

@mikechell - So tying an "original" you can call your own seems to be something you seek after.... How on earth can you make something up and then come to find "someone" has done it already? There must be millions of fly images all over the Internet. To be honest, if I tie something and it catches a fish - I'm good! I do hope that you get one or a hundred flies designed that you can name and call your own though! Nothing is stopping you!!

 

Over the weekend I'll try very hard to get to that fly shop that's sort of local (if 20+ minutes door-to-door is considered local).

 

Tight lines guys!

[mikechell 0]

I wasn't trying to come up with my "own" fly, so much, as tying something that would do what I wanted it to. For example ... the Panfish Attractor, I was trying to make a fly that would sink hook point up and be as weedless as possible. After getting to do what I wanted, someone pointed out the Panfish Charlie. Same basic story for the ant.

I don't go looking for patterns online, or I wasn't when I tied that fly. With the frog, I did see a pattern for a frog, but I didn't like the action it had ... so I played around with the pattern to get what I wanted.

 

To me, that's the fun of fly tying. But I don't really tie "just to tie". I tie what I need or want for fishing. I don't have any display flies or "perfect" flies.

[Freddo 0]

I wasn't trying to come up with my "own" fly, so much, as tying something that would do what I wanted it to. For example ... the Panfish Attractor, I was trying to make a fly that would sink hook point up and be as weedless as possible. After getting to do what I wanted, someone pointed out the Panfish Charlie. Same basic story for the ant.

I don't go looking for patterns online, or I wasn't when I tied that fly. With the frog, I did see a pattern for a frog, but I didn't like the action it had ... so I played around with the pattern to get what I wanted.

 

To me, that's the fun of fly tying. But I don't really tie "just to tie". I tie what I need or want for fishing. I don't have any display flies or "perfect" flies.

 

I really lke that frog!!!! Well that sounds like a great way to go. Once the weather breaks, the ice melts, and I have some new flies and a fly rod (or come up with a spinning rod method), I'll be up early and trying it all. I'll need to learn the behaviors of panfish better too. I've caught more fish through the ice this winter than I ever have per trip out so studying up on the subject using the Internet has paid off. I'm sure this forum and guys like you will make this a whole lot more fun!

 

Also - What is a "noodle" of dubbing?

 

Thanks!