utyer

Very nice little stream, and an even nicer net.  Good work.

Mine is a Sage RPLX that I built from a blank  2 days before I went to Mexico for my first Salt Water flats fishing adventure in 1989.  In a hurry, I coated the guide wraps with 5 minute epoxy rather than Flex Coat.  The rod performed perfectly well on the trip to Mexico and l landed a 14# Snook with it, along with almost 100 other fish.  Since it was holding up well, I used it for the next 29 years.  Fished it for landlocked Kings in Michigan, Steelhead in PA, trout in Idaho, Wyoming and Utah,  finally started fishing the Saltwater flats again in 2013, and it was still going strong.  In 2018, I was setting up for another day with it, and notices a lot of cracked coating on the guides.  One dropped off (which I couldn't find.)  I had a second rod that I used that day, and after fishing stopped by Mud Hole on the way back home.  They had the matching Ti Gold replacement guide I needed.  At home I looked through the threads I still had, and I had just 2 spools of the 'rainbow' Herters thread left.  Rewrapped the whole rod, and its set for another 29 years.   

Since I do use the real and drag, I like to slightly oversize my reels.  Using the heavier reels gives me more room for backing on my reels.  I agree that the reel brand isn't that important for most people, but the balance with rods IS.  On my 6 weight rods, I use a 7/8 reel.  On 8 weight rods, I like to sue a 9/10 sized reels.  My only "expensive" reels are Lamsons, and they were gifted to me, and at least 12 years old.  For me, the most important thing is keeping my reels clean.  Fishing is salt water, and leaving that salt on any reel is never good.  In a short time, any real can show the effects of salt corrosion.  After every salt water trip, I clean my reels in HOT water, cold water won't dissolve the sold as well. 

Watch this video from Kelly Galloup:  I agree with most every thing he says.

Having fished the PMD hatches and Idaho and YNP for some 50 to 55 years, I think you nailed these just right.

Materials for a Picket Pin:

The most useful feathers from chickens would be the neck and saddle feathers.  These are usually harvested as a full patches on the skin.  Not something you might want to do, but you can pluck a few saddle or neck feathers from time to time.  

When I looked up the Crown vise at Sportsman's I find a knock off of the Regal.  I have tied (and still have) a Regal vise.  I have not been that impressed with the knock off above, and I have tried similar ones used by some of my students.  This Crown from the Fly Shack is a clamp model for $39.99. I think you would do better to get the Crown from and one of these 3 shops.  just make sure you are getting the rotary version.  Save the $20.00 difference for hooks.

For my personal needs, I rarely use hackle at all.  Most of my mayfly patterns are comparaduns, and all my caddis dries are without hackle.  When I have to use hackle, I always use saddles.

There are no unbreakable rules in tying.  They are called variations.  Any material that is close can be used.  No fish has a "rulebook."  Try it out if it works keep on doing it.  If not find other materials.  Most of mine are tied with white macrame cord for wings.

Kelly Galloup has 2 very good videos on Deer hair and elk hair types and selection. Start with this one, which covers different deer hairs options, and how to tell good hair from bad hair,.  

This second one, covers many other hairs and selection:  These will give you a very comprehensive look at hairs and selection of good hair for your needs .

Very nice job on the bench.  Looks like it will last a long time.  

You should keep right on tying your "ugly" buggers.  The original pattern had longer and softer hackle than what you find in the shop.  The "professional" flies available in shops and on-line are to catch anglers NOT fish.   

Your list of flies is a good start.  Add some Schminnows in White, and your set.  A schminnow is nothing more than a woolly bugger with a pearlescent crystal flash body and a white tail.  Hackle is seldom used.  

Clouser Minnows Tan or Chartreuse over white.  

EP Shrimp: tan is usually good.  

Foam Gurglers in White.  

EP bait fish of some sort Light green, tan and white.  

I would say that 80% of all my flies are white.  or pearlescent.  Since I keep catching every kind of fish on white flies, I really scaled back on colors.  

For peacock bass, flies with orange or chartreuse are popular options.  

I follow Norm's method, and simply use a marker or nail polish to mark the spools.  I don't use that many different threads, and almost all my thread is white or monofilament.  So I have 3 or 4 spools wound with the same sizes.  It then is a long time before reloading the spools.  Currently have 18 spools.  and 4 bobbins.  

My Dyna-King Sidewinder came with standard jaws, and I can go much smaller and larger than your range.  They are a lifetime investment, mine is over 25 years about 27 years old, maybe more, I traded for it used.  Still have no problems with it.   The trick to all the Dyna-King vises is the detend in the clamping arm.  Properly adjusted one of the three grooves in the jaw will hold a large range of hooks firmly.  Learning how to adjust and clamp the jaws is the a little bit different than some other vises.  The first owner didn't learn how to properly close the jaws into the detent, and damaged the forcing collet.  Dyna-King replaced it for me at no charge.  My second favorite vise ever.  

I have "processed" a lot of game bird skins. and even some of the commercial skins and necks I have gotten.  A good washing in soap and water won't hurt the skins,  but it will reduce the fatty oils.  Use Dawn liquid it seems to work well on greasy things.  Just use some salt on the skins place skin down on newspaper,

and dry them in the sun if you can.  

Some of the old "dope" tiers used to use were full of solvents we don't use today.  Like airplane glue, they were enough to get you high if you were not careful.  These days I use water based rod varnish.  No odor and no fumes.  

Many of the side feathers on the tail just don't have long enough barbs to make it easy to use.  The center tail feather will have the longest barbs.  Turkey tails are longer and might be easier to start learning with.  I use Turkey Tail most of the time on larger nymphs.  

I have found a lot of things,  lures, flies, boxes, a full tackle box, the usual assortment of stuff.  I have also given a lot back to the stream, I would still say I am ahead in the lost and found department.  I have found two digital cameras.  The first I was able to track down the owner (it took several months,) the second went unclaimed, and 10 years later I still use it.  

 I stepped into the first trough the first day I was casting in the surf, and lost my glasses.  They were in my shirt pocket.  A couple walking the beach came over to check that I was ok, and I told them about the glasses.  About 30 minutes later they walked back up to me, with a pair of glasses.  Sure enough, they were my glasses.  

I was visiting friends in Wyoming, and one of the neighbors gave me directions to a good spot.  Go exactly 13.7 miles up the road after the pavement ends and there will be a turn out to part,  At first glance, there is a very steep slope to the stream. But if you walk just a few yards to your left.  You will find an old blocked off road right down.  When I got to the bottom, I found a Leatherman multi tool on a rock.  The leather holder was dry, and the tool was in perfect shape.  I of course check with the guy when I got done fishing, and it was NOT his tool, so I still have that.  These directions are accurate, now all you have to do is find the exact road I am referring to.  Fishing was very good, and I have been back a few more times.  

Gunnar's site is a great resource for tying big files for predator species of all kinds.  Start with his Beginner Predator Series.  Then move on into the more complex extended body and weight distribution techniques.  He has a LOT of videos and the Beginner series will get you into the basics.  Learn the basic techniques first. 

I see you spend winters in UT, and from the username, I assume you are a ski bum.  Where do you hang out and what kind of skiing do you do.  I have a friend that does a lot of Backcountry skiing.  I spend my time in Utah in the Spring, and then only long enough to pickup my buddy and head to Idaho for the fishing.

Nice looking layup of the pallet wood.  Looks like you will have a really nice bench when its finished.  

Down eye is the most common. but up-eye, and straight eyed hooks just fine for me.  I prefer an up-eye on soft hackles, and emerger patterns, and straight eye hooks on panfish, warmwater, and Saltwater patterns.  There can be all kinds of reasons why some people like one over another,  personally, I will use whatever I have at any given time.  

The glue itself only appears bluish under the lamp, I have never seen it give off any ultra violet glow underwater.  The name refers to the curing agent (ultra violet light,) which is found in all sunlight.  For a morey professional answer, you would have to ask a fish.

I have caught plenty, but they were all "by catches."  I have not targeted cats with a fly rod.  

I have been tying for more than 55 years, and through that time I have tied a lot of flies.  I started with just the 12 patterns my mentor said would work in the areas we fished,  By the end of the second summer, I was selling flies to co-workers, other guides, and friends.  I was just able to earn enough to support my supply and material purchases.  Five years in, and I was working in tackle stores, and filling the empty fly bins, and custom orders.  Trust me don't ever tie commercially its not worth it.  I stopped doing that after one summer, but kept tying custom orders, for individuals.  I did that for 25 years, and then went back to school and got a real job. I moved east, and started tying a whole new set of patterns.  I was tying only for myself, friends and family.  

Eight years ago, I moved to Florida and started tying warm water, and saltwater patterns for my own use.  Still tie for friends and family, but not much in the way of custom clients.  This year, I did an inventory of my flies.  I counted BOXES not flies.  I only counted the 2000 Saltwater patterns, and the 1000 Shad flies I have tied since moving to FL.   I know I have 35 boxes here full of flies, and many are bigger (8 by 12,) sizes.  At least one of these is full of swap flies. I keep 20 full boxes ready in Utah for when I go out to fish there, and Idaho.  Between now an May, I will full another box with flies to take out west.  My fishing buddy, has full access to whatever he needs or wants from  those boxes.  He tells me if we need anything, and I bring a new supply.

Yes, I have an addiction," but I can change, if I have to I guess."