bowfin47

Sorry dude, but a 2 0z.lure don't even begin to qualify as a "fly"!

Well, it's obvious that Panama is an LSU fan! HA!

Yes! I've read historical records from earlier periods of history when glaciers were growing and people were concerned about the survival of towns that had developed in a glacier's path. Also glacial retreat has unearthed remains of ancient mines where ancient Europeans searched for minerals and metals. What... that would mean that those glaciers only covered those areas in "historical" times... Why that would mean that those same glaciers have "melted" before... Say it 'aint so...

Ron, What do ya' mean? Like the fact that the glaciers in the Alps have been receding since they were first measured in the 1780's? Kyle

Just a half dozen??? Heck, I've got a lot more than just six! HA!

I'm old school and still like the denser foam found in flip flops. Craft foam is much lighter than flip flop foam, but flip flop foam will never absorb water... FYI I was first shown how to tie with flip flop foam by the late Doug Christian in 1984. Doug was a member of the Ozark Fly Fishers of St Louis, Mo. An accomplished fly tier and twice the recipient of the Southern Council’s Fly Tyer of the Year Award (1993 & 2001). Doug was a true gentleman, a tremendous educator, and a consummate fly tyer and fisherman. Doug became well know for his pioneering work with craft foam. Although, he'd have laughed at that "pioneering statement. Here is one of Doug's patterns: Doug's Craw - http://www.ozarkflyfishers.org/fly/dougcryfish.html

Try Michael Hogue at Badger Creek Fly Tying - http://www.eflytyer.com/index.html Michael always has a good selection of furs, both on and off the hide. I find his site a little tough to navigate, so here is the "Materials" page that contains the furs: http://www.eflytyer.com/order_info/oi_bmaterial.html And here is the general materials page: http://www.eflytyer.com/order_info/order_info.html Bowfin47

JSzymczyk, Good posting, especial about multiple freeze thaws (and microwaving). However most tyers don't understand the true potential for "multiple pests" to invest their precious feathers, furs, and raw hides/skins. For instance, there is always the potential for more than a single species of dermestid beetles (larder beetle; black larder beetle; hide beetle; black carpet beetle; varied carpet beetle; fur beetles, and furniture carpet beetles) and cloths moths (i.e. Tinea and Tineola species). In addition, Drugstore Beetles, House Crickets, Silverfish/Firebrats, and other insects can cause also tyers grief. Like JSzymczyk stated these pest of stored product, not the pest of the live animals, i.e. fleas, ticks, lice, mites. The first point in in prevention/control should always be cleanliness/sanitation. Folks keep you materials as clean and oil free as you can.

Also go into your kitchen and look in EVERY box of foodstuffs and check them for bugs! The source of your problem may be there. This means check your rice, cereals, flour, breadcrumbs, yada, yada, yada... Yes even open the sealed boxes... Ya' can always tape back up! Oh, and at this time of year (i.e. hot weather) also be very aware of MOTHS in your woolens - coats, sweaters, hunting socks, blankets, and etc.!! These same moths can easily migrate into your feathers/skins!!! I too firmly believe in freezing, but I also thaw, wait a few days and re-freeze. Then there's the microwave and chemicals, but cleanliness and ruthlessly disposing of infested materials can not be over emphasized... When ya' have $100 in materials, this is not as important (and you tend to take more chances), but when your material replacement cost reach into the thousands (and it can easily reach that point), then you need to be more vigilant...

Buy a box of 100 hooks and a quarter of a northern deer hide... I. Tie up 100 bugs (you don't need to tie on the tails)... Use your razor to trim 100 bugs... Cut all the air off those 100 hooks... Repeat... Do this four or five times and you'll be amazed at how much you'll learn. II. Purchase Billy Munn's DVD... Chris Helm's is a fantastic tyer (and a great guy!) and his DVD is great - a wise investment, but for over 20 years, I attended/tyed at Southern Council Conclave and sat across from or next to Billy Munn at virtually every one of those conclaves. Billy is THE Master of Deer Hair, and his wonderful DVD was shot by a tyer. It is like sitting down with Billy. His DVD is still my favorite tying DVD of all time... You will not regret purchasing a copy!

CoachBob knows of what he speaks! Great advice...

Ditto... you can't go wrong with Chris Helm's materials...

Yeah, they're bad for the dog... you're going to have the shoot that dog! Ha! That's what I wanted to do when my neighbor's dog tore up three of my best saddles....but my wife's a more forgiving sort... especially with my stuff!

While its been a while since I purchased any, the different sized bungie cord material from West Marine, used to have different sized rubber and occasionally black rubber. The nice thing is that their bungie material can be purchased by the inch and it is cheap!

More almost thirty years, I've blended my own dubbings in the blender... Just an ordinary blender, like ya' find an most any kitchen. Just fill the blender about 1/3 - 1/2 full with water, add one or two drops of liquid dish washing liquid, i.e. Dawn, Joy or etc., and put in your furs, hairs, carpet fibers*, and then blend for about 30 seconds. Dump the contents of the blender into a strainer and rinse with tap water. Blot semi-dry with paper towels and leave to air dry. * You can take Antron carpet sample books (these are neat as you can end up with a bunch of different colored Antron dubbing from each little carpet sample book) or you can take larger sample sections of Antron carpet. Most carpet showrooms with give you the little sample books or even the large samples - in many neat colors! Using shears (not your GOOD tying scissors!), trim the carpet fibers/yarn into a bowl and then blend as described above. However, I usually blend these Antron yarns for about a minute rather than just 30 seconds. The yarns will make better dubbings, if you spend a few minutes unwrapping these "yarns" before blending them. I usually blend each color separately separately, and then I have them to mix into my fur blends. In a few minutes of time, you'll have all the Antron dubbing, in a host of colors, that you can ever use and for virtually no cost! Speaking of dubbings... there is no need to skin or even to keep wild collected squirrel or rabbit skins. When you have the animal in hand, just take trim the fur off the skin into a bowl... Then make your dubbings from those cutting! You then don't have to fool around with the drying or storing the "skins". By the way, I always do this before skinning my squirrels for the pot! Bowfin47

No luck in finding 30 Minute Epoxy at three fly fishing shops, Micheal's, or Hobby Lobby, but the local model shop (i.e. They sell model planes, cars, trains, and etc.) had it right behind the register!!

I've bought a lot of The Scientist's materials, including the legs, large and small, and have never been disappointed. You can't match his prices anywhere, anytime, anyway, but if you wait for him to contact you, you'll grow old and gray. Order from him; we all do. You spend very little money and get a lot of goods; you can't go wrong, unless you don't order. I agree with Ray... Bowfin47

Ron. Could ya' bring it to the RSFF meeting next week, so that I can check it out? Tidewater... I too have tried black plastic bags, but I didn't like 'em. Whatfly.... I think I'll give thin skin a try. I actually think that I'v got some in the file cabinet. Thanks everyone, Bowfin47

Do ya' have a suggestion for a synthetic (i.e. tougher/longer lasting) substitute for Swiss straw or raffia? I don't like Swiss straw. I want to tie up some of Michael Verduin's Mighty Hellgrammites, as shown in the Winter 2011 issue of The Gulf Streamer, the newsletter of the Gulf Coast Council of the Federation of Fly Fisher, http://www.gulfcoastfff.org/index.php?page=communications .

Kirk, Where are ya' buying your 30 min. epoxy? I've having trouble finding any here in B.R. Kyle

Peanuts don't go in Coke, they belong in root beer! Or so I was taught over fifty years ago...

if you attend the FFF Southern Council Conclave in October, you can usually "tour" Waspi. It is a really neat tour and well worth your time!

The GCC Auction: Gulf Coast Council – FFF Buz Buszek 2011 Fly Plate – A fly plate collectors dream; Individual Fly Plates and Two Fabulous Fly Fishing Trips! It has been a number of years since a Buz Buszek Recipients Fly Plate has been put together, and so we did just that! As you can imagine, the Gulf Coast Council – FFF Buz Buszek 2011 Fly Plate is spectacular! Through the great generosity of all these wonderful folks, all but one of the living Buz Buszek Award Recipients are represented in this plate! You will never see such a collection by these masters in one plate again! At the GCC’s EPXO Auction in San Antonio on May 6, the GCC will be auctioning this Gulf Coast Council – FFF Buz Buszek 2011 Fly Plate, as well a number of other great individual collectible fly plates. The show piece of the evening will be a quality, professional grade plate some 30 by 36 inches containing flies from the 22 of the 23 living Buz Buszek Award Recipients. Included are: Dave Whitlock (1972); Darwin Atkins (1982); Frank Johnson (1984); Bill Blackstone (1985); Billy Munn (1986); Jimmy Nix (1989); Wayne Luallen (1991); Chuck Echer (1993); Royce Dam (1994); Marvin Nolte (1995); Judy Lehmberg (1997); Jeff" Bear" Andrews (1998); Al Beatty (1999); Bob Jacklin (2000); Bruce Staples (2001); Bill Heckel (2003); Chris Helm (2004); Gary Borger (2006); John Van der Hoof (2007); Henry Hoffman (2008); John Newbury (2009); and Scott Sanchez (2010). In addition, we will have individual fly plates containing: an Arctic Shrew by Royce Dam; a pair of Al Beatty’s gorgeous dry flies; a selection of beautiful flies by Bob Jacklin; a Calcasieu Pig Boat by the late, Tom Nixon; a wool-head by international tyer, Marc Pincel; a Stippled Popper by Louisiana’s own, Ron Braud; and all the way from Thailand, a Zonker by Dan Byford. We plan to add a few other individual fly plates by more Buz Buszek Recipients in the coming days! Yes, this auction is a fly plate collectors, or want-to-be fly plate collector’s dream. As photographs and more complete descriptions of these and other fabulous fly plates come available, they will be posted on the GCC website: http://gulfcoastfff.org/ We will also be auctioning two fabulous trips: the K-T High Lonesome Ranch and to the Deep Water Cay, Bahamas. Please read about these trips in our latest newsletter: http://www.gulfcoastfff.org/uploads/Newsle...reamer_1102.pdf If you cannot attend the auction but would like an opportunity to obtain any of these plates or trips, please contact the Kyle Moppert – President GCC: [email protected];

Great job!

The hotel will be taking reservations at the "discounted event price" ( a savings of more than $40/day) for another week... make your reservations now!