Stippled Popper

Thanks! Close up images show you things not so apparent when looking at them in real life.

My vise sits clamped to the left side of my multipurpose desk at a height very close to Mikechell's and DarrellP's. Yesterday I tied at an expo in New Orleans. The vise was sitting about 6 inches higher. It didn't seem to make a difference.

The bottom one . . . wow! thanks for the image.

I won a tub of used and unused poppers and wet flies at my fly fishing clubs latest conclave. Among the wet flies were these two woven flies. I am most interested in the green and yellow one. My questions are do any of you recognize these bugs and know their names? Thanks!

Sorry for the loss. It always hurts to lose a furry companion.

Nicely done!

I guess I am fairly fortunate with my case of tinnitus. Most of the time I basically tune it out. It immediately comes to my attention for a while though if someone mentions tinnitus.

I donate my surplus flies to my local club for our annual conclave for the raffles and to other fly fishing clubs and other fly events where I am invited to tie. Individual flies are generally handed to people watching you tie at tying events.

Scott: You somehow keep finding a new slant on this fly. Do you know how many there are so far?

I sometimes use a metallic paint as a base coat and then stipple over it and get something a slight bit like the shiny effect glitter provides. I'd do it more often if it was as easy on my eyes to paint over something that shiny as it is easy for me to paint over a matte finish.

Indeed! A stiff clear coat with a soft flexible body is not a good combination.

I have used Devcon 30 minute epoxy and Bob Smith Industries(BSI) 30 minute epoxy. Now I am using Flex Coat Gel Lurecoat epoxy. It costs more than the other two but comes in a kit with reusable marked syringes which make getting an exact 50/50 mix of hardener and resin. I haven't had any epoxy failures to cure properly using the Flex Coat. That didn't happen often with the other two. But never is much better. By cooling the Devcon and BSI I was able to consistently coat 10 popper bodies while taking the time to make sure there were no fish eyes on any of the bodies. With the Flex Coat I can consistently clear coat 18 to 20 poppers with no cooling, just spreading thin on aluminum foil. I could probably do even more if my setup could handle more. Flex coat does have an odor so I use a fan to blow the smell away. Being a thinner product, the Flex Coat does take much longer before you can stop turning your poppers(as much as 3 hours). It seems to be completely solid after 12 hours. But I generally give it 24 hours since I am not a production tier. It also has a UV inhibitor which should delay the discoloration epoxy commonly develops over time. See images. BSI, Devcon, Flex Coat - Excess from batches placed in medicine caps to a depth of about a centimeter. Tip: All epoxies are more viscous than water. Stirring the epoxy to thoroughly mix the hardener and resin together will introduce bubbles. This is particulary true if you use something like the paddle stirrer that comes with the Devcon 30 minute double syringe system or a popsicle stick.. A narrow diameter round stirrer introduces fewer bubbles.

I am fairly certain Mustad quit making the CK52S hook in sizes 12 and 14 years ago. I've personally never seen anyone carry those sizes since I bought the few I was able to find then.

I had carpal tunnel syndrome from too much typing at work and play and other repetitive activities so it was in both hands. It didn't impact tying that much but I couldn't hold a fly rod for more than a couple of minutes. One hand was registered as 7 of 10 in severity in the left and 8 of 10 in the right plus trigger finger in one. Sometime having a high pain threshold isn't helpful. The surgery I had under local anesthesia wasn''t that big a deal except that I had to go in twice. . . you need to have a hand free to wipe yourself(sorry couldn't resist).

Excellent idea! Even for polite, positive, well intentioned comments.

Just a thought. If no more are to be found, you might try taking a board, placing your lone existing hook on the board and driving nails along the shank near the eye and also where the bend is . . . a jig of sorts so you can bend a similar down eye streamer hook to make your own.

Those colors all work at different times as well as black , brown, blue and chartreuse. StippledPoppers2012.pdf

Polyurethane is very adequate for coating poppers if you are going to be using them for the current season. In my experience, over the short run it can last better than 30 minute epoxy. If you don't keep a bunch around for long periods before using them as I have, it should be fine. Note the crack through the eye of this popper that sat inside in one of my boxes for several years before I added the dressing this year to finally fish it. The poly and the paint came off before long when I fished it for Bluegill.

Back when the GI Joe with Fung Fu grip came out I jokingly told my daughter she was getting one from me for Christmas. When I opened my gift from her on Christmas Day I found a Mr. T doll complete with weapons and tools. . . joke turns around!

It is certainly not doing any good for anyone involved in any way in the restaurant business.

What do you think of "Once Upon A Time In The West" which is my favorite Western?

Superb work!

If you get superglue on your hand and try to wash it off, it will certainly turn white, opaque, and pretty much instantly cure. Are you applying it to something that is wet?

Nice! But seriously, the subject of your having attended the North Toledo Bend Rendezvous several years ago came up in our discussions. Hope your schedule puts you in the area sometime in future the first weekend in November so you might be able to attend again.