TheCream

Weighting is the key. Toss a conventional walk-the-dog lure in the sink and look at how it rests. It sits slightly tail-down. Sam Looper (Looper Flies) is selling a foam version. I worked with Sam, providing him some samples of my deer hair versions. I'm sure it could be done with balsa, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP3mdcJKVxg&t=1s

A thin strip of Cohen's Fly Suede and a little bit of marabou.

It's just the latest fly fishing/tying tool that gets people up in arms over the cost. I know people who use it and love it (I have Petitjean clamps, so I don't really have a need for it). Does it seem expensive for what it is? Sure. But look around what we do. You can spend $50 for fly tying scissors or $5 at a craft store. Want to spend $300+ for a tying vise? You can, or you can spend a fraction of that. $80 nippers or a $2 pair of fingernail clippers at WalMart? Do you need $300 Abel pliers? People buy them every day. Are you a $900 fly rod person or a $150 fly rod person? Yeti bucket or Lowe's bucket? My personal stance, if a certain product is worth it to you, then buy it. If not, don't. From what I know of the CDC clamp, it is very good for what it is designed to do.

A little freestyle panfish bug. Size 14 Daiichi 1730.

I finally got my hands on some of Juan Ramirez's Slim Rib material. Pretty cool stuff.

Jeff, Have to agree with you there and the reason why I tie. During the fishing season is when I come up with some of my best ideas. I am always tinkering with my existing patterns trying to solve a problem either with the use of materials, technique or just out of curiosity. Some of the best tyers I know are always trying to figure out the puzzle while others just want to catch fish and aren't interested in the why so much as the what. I also happen to think that that is where innovation comes from. Kimo Agreed 100%!

Fly tying is problem solving (IMO). Last weekend, fishing high gradient mountain streams, I felt like this nymph pattern wasn't getting down as quickly as I'd like. I took a page out of Charlie Craven's playbook and added a second tungsten bead.

Kimo, outstanding, as always.

It's a sculpin pattern. My only real Ohio trout stream has a lot of them and the brown trout like to eat them. Hook: Daiichi 1730 size 6 Underbody: cream colored Diamond Dub Wing: zonker strip Pec Fins: olive deer body hair Hot Spot: red schlappen Collar: Bruiser Blend dubbing in barf brown Head: Sculpin Helmet painted with ProTec powder paint in "Watermelon Flake"

It's tricky getting the Ice Dub sparse enough on the little guys. Size 20's.

DIY is the way to go, but it doesn't sound like an option for you. Mine isn't motor driven, it's me-driven via a wooden wheel mounted on a roller blade bearing. Turns nice and smooth on the bearing. Mine is making brushes about 12-13" long. No durability issues whatsoever. Use the right wire and I don't think you'll have durability issues. Uni stainless steel brush wire is awesome stuff. If you're using something like Ultrawire, don't expect it to hold up well. The stuff is too weak and soft to spin up tight.

Nice looking fly- what material did you use for the body? Olive/brown micro tubing wrapped over yellow UTC 70 thread.

Size 18 starling soft hackle