BoSmith

I didn't think of that, that's a good idea for sure.

Started playing around with the Crawbody, they work well if you get a solid base under them. Looking forward to giving them a try once the ice melts. I have always had decent luck with crayfish patterns. I used burlap in a way to make both the underbodies for the stone and the crayfish to be flat so that I could get a nice realistic profile without filling the hook gap. If interested you can see the step-by-step here. https://tieflycast.wordpress.com/2017/03/17/underbody-building/

Finally got around to giving these frogs a go on the vise. Found these skip gap hooks and had some fun playing with belly profiles. Can't wait for the ice to melt to give them a cast.

Very nice flies. The spruce is such a handsome pattern. I have had some good luck with it for brookies as well. Duck mountains in the fall, the brooks can't resist that colour combo.

I have found that in tailwaters skinny flies work better most of the time. I have also found the best luck in Stillwater situations with the fatter bodied version.

Not using snaps and remove the beads from the wire changes the action very little. Like hatchet jack said, it's a small trade off for not losing the fly and fish.

Now that's a slick pattern! I'm definetly making some of those tied on the worm hook this winter. Well tied.

Yeah it's a good system. I'm surprised more people don't use it. Too many people risking their trophy fish to a snap swivel. The beads also add a lot of action to the fly by adding weight way out in front and getting the nose of the fly to dip in a hurry. If you have not tried them, give it a shot. The added rattle doesn't hurt either.

I am also very interested to see what these do in the water. As for the paint jobs, its more for the fisherman I think. The livetarget frogs in the hardware department have gotten intensely realistic. Eye candy for the lure enthusiast. Don't get me wrong, I also love to put the time in making them look good on the top side. It is a lot of fun. A very accomplished fly tyer and fisher once told me that the bottom can be any colour so long as it's white. That said, I do like black and yellow, but I have had the best luck with white bellies. This is an older video of mine that you may have seen already. I did some underwater profile shots in the bathtub. 'fish eye view' https://tieflycast.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/bass-popper-faster-stronger-better/

Great photos and SBS. Really like that PDF and hi-vis. Thanks

I have added an updated video to my musky fly tying section. It's a method of using wire tippet in a manner that makes it quick change and reliable. This system has not let me down yet. https://tieflycast.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/gear-musky-leaders-and-tippets/

I thought ghost as soon as I saw it.. Ghost Yeti? I also liked Chew's Ghost.

That's a handsome bit of feather and iron!

I resisted social media from back in 2008 when I started blogging, continuing all the way to 2015.... the ol' 20/20 hind sight says i probably shouldn't have.... I'm now getting some of the best inspiration from Instagram photos. It's a gold mind of good ideas and positive vibes. #flytying ... check it out.