Broadsword

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I haven't tried fishing with any that small yet. Still in the "trying to tie" stage. Hard part is getting the proportions down so it looks realistic. But they are fun to try and tie! And so little material is used that you don't wince when you have to cut it all off and try again

Yea these guys know their stuff! I am always amazed at how good they are.

ROFL! :hyst: Good one Jeff!

The FlyShack shouldnt be too far from you: [email protected] Phone 1-800-801-2318 Postal Mail The Fly Shack 15 West Fulton St. Gloversville, NY, 12078 And Western New York Fly Shop is out by Cortland. If you get down to Roscoe, there's a guide shop on main street that ties their own flies and has supplies. It's on the right side as you face the bridge. If you get to the grocery store, you went too far.

I had a hard time getting the hang of the Thompson (spelling?) whip finisher also. The old fashioned way was several double half hitches. I used them while I tried to learn how to use the whip finishing tool (without getting frustrated and sending it sailing out the window). Here's a link to Cammiss' videos. He teaches the knot on the video. Try this link as well. It may help. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/beginners/part6.php

Nice. I've never done a quill body. How long do you soak them in water to soften them for tying?

The insect I'm looking to replicate is a Wood Gnat. These swarm in very large groups here, and I've watched the fish (both trout and bass) feed on them daily in the pond and stream on my property. They are very small but the fish just go crazy for them. I thought maybe an Adams would be a close match. They don't seem to want anything else once they start feeding on these bugs. I've attached a fair approximation of what they look like.

Yes, it's not only common but recommended and, in fact, a number of fly tying books will actually point out that you should be doing that. For example, if you were to, say, tie up a Western Adams and use 18 - 24 individual moose hairs on a size 12 and then turn around and use the same number of individual hairs on a size 24, I would imagine you'd end up with a stub of a tail. Like you said, it absolutely does make sense. The other thing a lot of tiers often do as they move into the really small flies is to start dropping off fly parts. For example, on a size 20 nymph, they might omit the wingcase that they would normally tie on, say, a size 14. -- Mike Makes sense. At what point have you altered the pattern to the point that it is no longer a "Western Adams" for example?

Good point. I went out and bought a few small flies, size 18,20,24. It appears that the tyers have substituted items. For example, if a pattern called for wood duck hackle tips, it looks like a few strands where used. Everything was done very sparce. Is this common? Honestly it makes sense, I dont know how a person can fit full size tips for example on a fly that small.

Thank you for the link Futzer. Very interesting. It seems counterintuitive to flatten the thread but when you think about it, it makes sense. I have actually been twisting my thread to keep it from flattening. I'll stop doing that for sure and see how it works. As for the thinner threads, I haven't seen then yet. There aren't any fly shops nearby. I buy most of my materials from TheFlyShop, an online company. I will look for the thinner diameters. I find it interesting you only wrap 2 or 3 turns. I've been wrapping with many more wraps. That may be part of my problem. I thought if I wrapped them more, they might stop popping out of the thread. When the sizes get that small, how do you wrap wool or yarn? Or do you switch to dubbing?

Anyone have any pointers on how to tie smaller flies? I'm new to tying and self taught (with the help of Youtube videos). I can tie larger flies decent enough, but I cant get the hang of smaller flies. When I get below size 14 or so, I either run out of room or the material seems to pop lose. Any advice?

That's doable. And the most productive. I can expand my materials when I want to try new patterns. Thank you again!

LOL Bad Fish! I'm already addicted and it's only been about a month! I am hoping all this practice with sewing thread and makeshift materials will help make me better when the "real thread and materials" come in. You guys have been great. I really appreciate the help figuring out what to get.

Good point Wellman. I am in Upstate NY, near the Adirondacks. I am about 3 hours from the Catskills, where most of the fishermen from NYC, Long Island, and New Jersey go. Fly fishing never seemed to take off up here, but the streams are loaded with Browns, Brooks, and Rainbows. There are also many small ponds loaded with small Largemouth, Smallmouth, Perch, etc. My main interest is in trout. I am self tought at fly fishing (read not very good at it), and trying to teach myself fly tying. What I have purchesed so far is: "The Basic Manual of Fly-Tying", a AA vise, and tying tools. The material I have so far is some deer hair, some elk hair, rabbit fur, a small Pheasant tail, black, white, and olive Marabou, a brown "Goose Biot" (no idea what that's for), some peacock herl, a Daiichi hook assortment, and thread I've pilfered from the wife. I know the thread isnt right, but I have black and white Danville on order.