Al Beatty

Hi dbracertaylor85, I watched this tread with interest and the answers you received were right on. I use all the techniques mentioned and make the decision which I'll use depending on what I'm trying to accomplish. If I'm in a hurry to go fishing my trusty Wiss clips will get me a bug ready for the water in real short order. On the other hand if I'm concerned what the fly looks like (for framing or a customer) I rough the shape with my Wiss clips and smooth it up with the razor blade method. Regarding trimming muddler heads: You can easily do a fast trim on a muddler head with ONE clip of your scissors. First stack the hair to even the tips, then identify the length the hair needed to form the collar, and place that amount of hair between your left thumb, forefinger, and second finger (the butt ends are now sticking out from the fingers). Use your scissor/clips to cut the butt ends off almost even with (about 1/8" away from them) your three finger tips. Mount the hair on the hook by "squirmming" it partically around the hook, take three snug but not tight turns around the hair (very near the ends of the trimmed butts), and pull the thread tight at the same time you let go of the stacked hair with your left hand. You end up with a perfectly formed/rounded muddler head; no additional trimming is needed. The principle is very similar to the rounded form you get when you trim yarn close to the hook when tying an egg pattern. It take a little practice to get your thread close enough to the end of the trimmed butts and to allow the right amount of space on the hook for the hair you want to apply but once you get it you will like the results. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi zip, Go with caution. I've not had real good luck with African fly companies. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi mayt31373, That is a great looking parachute. Keep up the good work. Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Steven, Welcome to the group and don't be afraid to ask questions. The people here are very knowledgeable and willing to help. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi gespliesste, Go to the Federation of Fly Fishers web site (http://www.fedflyfishers.org/), click on the button that takes you to their catalog, and purchase the "Introduction to Fly Tying" booklet for $2.00. Yes, I know I'm one of the authors but it cover six easy to tie fly STYLES - I said styles rather than flies because each fly style open the door to many other patterns following the general fly style. OR you can check out the Basic Fly Tying videos Will put on the sight recently. That video is a mirror image of the booklet. We produced both because we've learned over the years teaching the art of fly tying that different people learn from different stimulus. I know I have to see/read/write something to learn it. If I hear the same information it goes through my brain like a strainer and is imediately gone. The booklet and the video together may cover the learning method you need. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi SwampHunter, Tyvek is a great wing material for caddis and stoneflies. It accept color from a felt tip marker well and is easy to cut to shape. It is readily available at construction sights or in Priority Mail envelopes. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Josh, If you get to the western part of the state check out the Gunnison River east of Delta. Go to Gunnison River Pleasure Park, park in the state provided parking lots, wade across the river and go up stream. The further you go the better the fishing but quite frankly it's all good - a few browns and plenty of rainbows 8 to 18 inches. While you are in Delta you should treat yourself to a visit to Whiting Farms (the producers of Whiting, Hebert, and American hackle). Go west on 5th street and at the edge of town it becomes G Road - 4 miles later you'll find the farm on the left with the office in the last building from the road. Also, while in Delta treat yourself to some great Mexican food at Leon's on Main Street and in the late summer/early fall the Olathe sweet corn is the best I've ever tasted; give it a try as well. Good luck on your trip & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Will, Congratulations. It is amazing what you and your people have accomplished. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Kiwi, I work with a company based in Singapore that is honest and ties beautiful flies. Also, in the USA I highly recommend the good folks at Spirit River - good flies and great service. If you want contact information email me. Over the years, I checked out several African factories and some were good and others were not AND they are constantly changing. Fulling Mill in the UK get their flies tied in Kenya. You may want to contact them. I don't know if they would share source information or not. I've been out of the African factory loop for a number of years since finding the source in Singapore so I can't recomend any particular organization. I see several such factories selling on eBay. You may want to contact them through that company. Regarding "local flies" and "import flies:" Every shop I've worked at charged different prices for different patterns. EX: a steelhead fly was more expensive than a Hare's Ear Nymph. They also charged more for flies dressed by local tiers AND those patterns were not available from import sources so the fly fishers didn't have an option. If they wanted a Saint Joe Special (north Idaho pattern) they paid the price for a local tier to dress it. A Hare's Ear/Adams/Black Gnat were good flies to stock from an importer. Good luck & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Steven, Many people start with a woolly bugger which is made from marabou (color of choice probably black is most used), chenille (color of choice OR substitute with yarn), and hackle (color of choice, again black seem to be a favorite). I caught a bunch of fish this past weekend on a woolly bugger so it is effective on fish AND easy to tie. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Jim, Sorry to learn about your "addition" to the tying supplies. I suggest you "bomb" your complete house. By that I mean, go to ACE hardware and get several bug bombs and scatter them through out the house and set them off. Open all tying materials containers, drawer, closets,etc. Set off twice as many bombs as recommended and don't forget the garage or the car you brought the little critters home in. Then take your wife shopping for about six hours or whatever the time frame is mentioned on the bomb. This may sound like overkill but your tying materials and many of your clothes are in jeopardy (been there, done that!). Good luck & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Will, Let me know if you want my Fly Tying Basics video. You can cut/copy what ever you need. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi dbracertaylor85, I was not able to view your picture of the fly so will provide a generic hair wing answer. Typically the hair for wings/tails is located on the animal along the back bone, over the shoulder and rump. The hair on the rib, flank, and belly is better for spinning. I suspect you may have been using the wrong hair for the job at hand. Go to my web site, click on Tips & Tricks, then go to item 5 which explains how to select hair based on the type of fly you are tying. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Jeff, On my crayfish patterns I tie on the carapace material so it will force the claw material to remain separated. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi fcflyguy, I usually start fishing with the fly left on the rod from the previous trip. Most of the time that will be a Renegade in some form or another. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Hooked, I use a double Uni knot jammed together. I look similar to a blood knot but tends to fail less for me than the blood knot does. I tie tippet to the leader using a figure 8 knot. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi swinks 1966, The dubbing is Montana Fly Company's "Phoenix Dubbing." The dubbing color could be #615 Peacock, #466 Light Peacock, or #071 Blue-eyed Peacock - its a little had to be sure from the photo. The reason I have the information at hand is a couple of years ago I wrote an article that featured some of their products. A couple weeks after publication Adam Trina (one Montana Fly's owners) sent me sample of every product they produce. It took two very large boxes to hold all the stuff. As a result my fly tying room looks like a fly shop that is well stocked with Montana Fly products! Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi flyfish2002, First you need to stroke the feather's fibers out making them stick out at an angle near 90 degrees. Tie the feather on the back of the hook (by the tip) then tie on the chenille as well, store the chenille temporarily in a materials keeper spring. Now pull the feather up straight and wrap the bobbin forward a couple of turns. Bring the feather back to the hook shank and use the right hand to stroke/separate the fibers directly above the bobbin. Use the left hand to make a turn (or two if you wish) of thread. Pull the feather back up and place a couple of thread turns around the hook shank. Again stroke/separate the fibers and bind the feather to the hook shank. Keep repeating this process until the feather is bound to the top of the complete hook shank. Many fly tiers find doing this next step easier with the bobbin removed from the hook so I recommend whip-finishing and removing it temporarily form the hook. Remove the chenille from the materials keeper and hold it in the right hand - never let go of it. Place a bodkin in your left hand. Let's assume you tied the chenille to the bottom of the hook shank. Bring the chenille toward you stopping just before mashing the hackle barbs and use the bodkin to separate the hackle fibers so the chenille can pass between them. Wrap a half turn so the right hand is on the off side of the hook and ready to mash the hackle fibers. Again use the bodkin to separate the fibers so the chenille can pass between them. Repeat the process until you reach the front of the hook. Attach a hackle pliers to the chenille to keep it from unwrapping while tying the thread back on the hook. Tie off and finish the fly. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Guys, I'm really curious what each of you (and significant other if you wish) do for a living. I like to get to know people and this is one way to take the first step. I'll go first: Al Beatty - self employed writer, photographer (video & still), commercial fly tier, and fly fishing product distributor. Gretchen Beatty - all of the above plus Human Resorces Specialist for the state of Idaho Transportation Department. Tight Lines - Al Beatty

Hi Anselmo, You alread have some good answers. The only thing I could add is: Sometimes you can use a needle/bodkin to "nurse" out the bubbles before allowing the epoxy to set up. I don't know about the rest of the folks on the forum but I've had better luck with a slower setting epoxy and using a fly turner to get an even set on an application. It also allows more time to work the bubbles out. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi yodafly, I use backer rod (round insulation used around windows in the construction/building trade) for my popper heads. Where you place the thread turns determines whether the fly is a slider or popper. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Nicholas, Good Job! You'll be competing with Chris Helm before you know it. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Will, When I looked at the forums this morning I said to myself, "How did I miss the 'Beginner's Corner?" I've had a cold for the last few days and according to Gretchen I miss a lot - like morning, noon, and night. But anyway I read further and see it is fairly new addition to the site. GREAT idea! I for one an very pleased to see the postitive things you (and your team) are doing on this site! Keep it up. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi Mike, Welcome to the group. I'm sure you'll find some real good information here; I know I have. Regarding the wife: You could do what I did, marry a woman who loves to tie. The only problem is she is as much of a feather/materials junky as I am. The problem: No one to rein us in on material spending!!!! Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com

Hi vises, I too am looking forward to the instructions. That is a good looking crayfish pattern. Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com