skeet3t

We don't have a Cabela's locally. It was swallowed by BPS. $25 is more than $20. Plus the time and gas to get to BPS. I only shop the big box stores when in Chattanooga for doctor's appointments which is about three times a year.

Update: HL had the light but light and very small bottle of resin would be a bit over $20. Will do without and find something else.

Check with a cabinet shop. They have sink cutouts, laminate and synthetic, that are just tossed in the dumpster. Might find one in a white or light color. I have the laminate ones and have made a bunch of things from them and they are free! Good idea as my tying/rod building table is painted white.

How much are they? 🤣

IMHO, any fly can be tied in anything from 4/0 to 32. Just depends on your eyesight and how much material you have. My favorite is the brown hackle peacock: #12 hook (obviously), black thread base, red yarn tail, three strands of peacock herl wrapped around the thread for durability (how about that big word?), two or three wraps of brown or ginger or grey hackle. I tie it in 12, 14, 16 for local trout waters but it is good for bluegill, etc. A friend fishes the grey hackle as a dry fly with great success.

Mike, get an electric blanket and put it on simmer. lol

My kit had a needle and a handle with a taper and a hole in the end. Half hitch around the end, put the hook eye in the hole and slide the thread off.

I was in grad school with a guy who was a native of Ocala, Florida. 55 degrees and he wore a heavy coat and fur hat!

Not everyone has the manual dexterity of Lee Wulff. Saw him tie a Royal Wulff once on a TV show. I don't have a ton of $$$$ in tools and get along fine with what I have.

Silver Creek, cold weather has never bothered me. After I developed asthma, I lived in Ohio and KY when it was below zero for days.

upnorthtier, you might watch the news and you would change your mind. A close friend was in the Miami area for 34 years. Moved back here about 22 years ago. People are moving out. Born and raised in Ohio, cold and snow never bothered me. I also have asthma. The cold helps as the air has more oxygen and less humidity.

Great idea. I took a picture of a fish that was so big, the picture weighed two pounds!

DFoster, I don't use an indicator now, just watch the line. One technique I use is to cast downstream, stop the rod at 12 o'clock and let the fly and line float with the current by lowering the rod tip. As for catching more fish by one technique or another is subject to a lot of variables. I have fished for about 68 years and found what works one day does't work the next day. Consider bass anglers who fish different lures and techniques. Checked at Hobby Lobby and will be getting UV resin and light later this week. Out of the light right now.

Coffee filter and acetone. Coffee filters don't leave lint and they are real cheap (like me). Used it for years while building custom rods and building arrows.

Captain, will look at my tying books to see what is similar to what you show. Thanks.

Your usual nice work. Like the choice of thread colors to go with the blank. Adding: like the mouse pad, too.

I don't thing the hair is long enough for streamers unless the streamers are small.

I agree with flytire.

The wife gave me a fake fur collar from an old vest she was tossing out. Pondering what to tie. Will look through my books to see. Main color is dark brown.

Buffalo are easy to identify, they are slimy critters. Carp are more of a golden color.Buffs are a grey or black, depending on the species.Mouth is also different. Have caught lots of them over the years. Sounds like a great time. There was a local kayak bass tournament this past year. Winner got $50K for first place!

Yes, it's hard to tie a fly with your eyes closed.

Nice fly but try putting some floatant on it.

niveker, only seen that number of guides in a 12 foot feeder/quiver rod. The only dumb queation is the one not asked. Thread should "flow" up the guide and not leave a gap in the thread. Was grinding a guide and got a catch. Flew out of my hand. Fortunately another builder had one. Found the guide six months later...in my workbench drawer! Only place I didn't look. BTW, when I ground the guide feet, I also polished top and bottom to remove burrs and rough spots.

What did I learn? There is so much water and so little time!

15 guides? How long is the blank? Back just after the earth cooled, I used a formula that was on the old rod building forum. It was a spreadsheet that one entered the info and printed it off for the record. I found it to be very, very reliable. Basic formula was one guide for each foot plus one and gave the spacing from the tip top.