utyer

My fishing goals for this year, are to stay healthy enough to keep on fishing, and get back out west for some Trout fishing.  Had to skip last year.  A larger Tarpon (over 30#,) would be nice, but any thing larger that the juvies I have been catching.  

Welcome to the site.  Born and learned to fish in New York.  Fished the Adirondacks (Indian Lake,) as a kid in the early 50s.  Now I fish rivers in Idaho, in summer, and Florida most of the year.  

You can get very good pricing from Sierra Trading on-line for Rio, Cortland Scientific Angler CLOSEOUT lines.  Not all lines in all sizes, but less than $30 buck on some.  For the past three years I have been using lines from Maxxon Outfitters both in fresh and saltwater.  They are working out very well, and prices at half what premium lines go for.

Here are a few more of the places I have put foam to work for me.  I have about 25 fly boxes that use recycled foam.   All the canisters are recycled plastic containers.  The two foam cup cozies, were found in a yard sale for 25 cents.

Some people may not remember my previous post about my tying area and setup.  While the desk has gone through several revisions over the last few years, the space is still the same.  I am a "Closeted" Fly Tyer.  Started out with a lot less storage, as you can see from the last image.  I have improved the lighting and made the tying desk transportable.

One half of my New Year's Resolution is completed.  The cleanup and adjustments to the layout, took me most of 2 days.   Now if I can only keep it this way.  I have new lighting ordered from Amazon which will remove the clutter of all the different small lamps.  Even got a fly tied after I was done with the re-organization.  

When I worked in IT, I had an endless supply of those foam blocks.  I put them into various configurations as tool holders, and fly dryers Right now my desk is in flux, as soon as I am finished re-organizing and cleaning up, I will post a few pictures.  I also use the thinner sheets and make liners for fly boxes.   

I find used for almost every feather on a Pheasant skin. The tail feathers can simply be clipped off at the base, and then washed and smoothed out to dry.   A full skin would need to be scraped, salted or boraxed, and dried.  I alway keep my "game" feathers in ziplock bags with a couple of mothballs for a few weeks before putting any of that material in with my other feathers.  

I was just about to say that the package arrived today.  Six days two of which were Sunday and a Holliday, is pretty fast.  I did get a few cards that were mailed on the 16th of last month, and that for first class mail was pretty slow.

I linked fine, and downloaded the article without any problem.  Thanks for sharing.

In the last 8 years, I have tied thousands of Saltwater flies.  I use 3 different vises, a Nor-vise, a Dyan-King, and a Regal.  These are listed in order of preference (to me,) age, and price.  They are OLD, which means they have withstood the test of time.  To me a vise should last at minimum 10 years.  My Nor-vies is now 30 years old, the Dyna-King Sidewinder is 20 years or more, and the Regal is about 10 years old.  They all hold hook in the ranges of sizes up to 5/0.  

In the price range you are looking at the Regal is closest.  The currant crop of Regal Medallion vises are about 220 to 320 depending on the jaws and vases you select.  I have done some tying on the Peak vises, and they seem to be another good option as well.  

I have a hard back copy if that Book, but I don't see the quoted line anywhere in the first 23 pages.  Page 24 starts with a chapter heading of "The Principal Stream Insects."  See if you have that chapter, and I can copy you the pages up to the start of that chapter.

You might want a LARGE hair stacker, for bigger Saltwater flies.  I would also get some heavier scissors, like the Wescotts pictured below.   I tie most of my Saltwater flies (several hundred a year,) with heavy threads or mono line.  I buy 2# mono in 1000 yard spools which last me 3 or 4 years. For thread at I use Gutermann Bulky Nylon from Joann Fabrics,  its similar to Big fly thread, but much less expensive.  I use only white and color it with markers if necessary. 

As for Bobbins, its best to have at least 2.   I have 15, but usually only use my three  Nor-vise Auto bobbins.  Which ever bobbin you get should have a ceramic insert in the post or a full ceramic post.  For a bobbin threader, use the dental floss pullers found at Walmart.  

You did well with a Regal, great vise.  Mine is older than my 25 year old Nor-vise and is part of my travel kit.  When your getting hair, tails, and skins from hunters, make sure you get it cleaned and dried well, before putting those in with your other tying materials.  

Get a decent (not expensive,) vise American Made if your budget will handle it.  This is the most important tool and a price range from $55.00 to $150.00 they will outlast any Asian made vise, and if you decide to stop tying, there will be some good resale value.  Scissors, and whip finish tool and a ceramic thread bobbin and your good to go for starting tools.  Your first material or supply purchase can be simply hooks and thread.  You can tie a LOT of patterns using just thread.  Add copper wire salvaged from old computer ribbon cables, or electrical cords, and you have ribbing material.  YARN is where most dubbing comes from and you can find LOTS of yarn you can use CHEAP.  If you hunt there a lot of materials you can harvest Feathers, and hides from many different birds and animals.  If there is a hunting season on it you can tie with it.  NEVER collect or possess NON game bird feathers, you can get in serious trouble collecting songbird shore bird and other protected bird feathers.  

Concentrate on techniques at first.  As you look at YouTube, don't get hung up of specific product names .  Donnies Dandy Dubbing is the same as  Sammies Super Stuff, just find something that ether will float (if treated,) or sinks and is close in color.  There very few products sold as "fly tying materials," that started out that way they are almost all re-imagined from something else.  The only exception is DRY FLY HACKLE feathers.  These Genetically bread birds  are raised for the qualities of their feathers for fly tying.  They are one of the few things that I buy from a "fly shop."  And I always want to shop for these IN PERSON, at my local shop, or at the local shops when I am fishing away from my home waters.  

I call it Purina Trout Chow.  

Trout pellets will work well, there should also be larger midges and scuds in the pond.

I have been using these lines for over 2 years, and the work out well for me.  The link is to a double taper, which means you can turn it around and use the back end when the front gets worn down.

Amazon has quite a few, but I know nothing about any of these.

You have given and excellent list of great tiers.  I have books from most of these tiers.  I would add Charlie Craven to the list in at least 5th place.  I personally rate his book as number 1 

I alternate sizes and stick with even numbered rods, from size 4 to 12.  Currently I have a 9' #6, and 3 9' #8 rods.  My witch rod is a 5 weight, but that number doesn't represent the same thing.

I am in the same OLD guy pool.  I have fished with lots of "high end" lines all through the years I was working in the tackle industry.  I got good value from them since they were free most of the time.   I now use inexpensive lines that are closeouts, or from less well known brands.  I see no difference in these lines.  I can destroy a line in lots of different ways that are MY fault, not the line's.  There is a lot of marketing in lines that is unnecessary in my view.  No body needs a different line for every water temperature, or species.  I catch every thing that swims with the same lines.  Matching the line to the rod is the first consideration and then the presentation depth second.  That's all I care about.  

Leechburg isn't what I would call southwester PA, its 25 miles north east of Pittsburgh.   The Pa Boat and Fish commission overrules me as they do say those counties north of Pittsburgh are in the the SW maps.  The map lists all the streams that are stocked,  have special regulations, and trophy trout.  This link might help:  To the SW information might help.  I have fished Elk and Walnut Creeks up west of Erie at this time of year, and there is a good run of Steelhead from the lakes. Yes it will be "Combat" fishing.  If you lucky enough to find a snowy day, that will limit the crowds somewhat.  

Yes, that was it.  I don't remember the exact size, either 240 or 270 cm.

When I got my Nucanoe, I also got a "transformer" paddle.  It was much longer than most paddles, and by switching one or two of the sections can be converted to a push pole, or a stake out pole.  I use the push pole on the flats all the time.  Often, I leave one blade on the paddle when I am using the push pole to paddle across deeper areas while standing.

Byron,  is that a custom made front casting deck, ort can you get one from Nucanoe?