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bowfin47

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Posts posted by bowfin47

  1. Posted · Report reply

    Nice fly... but the originator was Walt Holman of the Tennessee Valley Fly Fishers of Huntsville, Alabama...

     

    I first saw Walt's foil covered pencil poppers in 1984 at the FFF Southern Council Conclave in Mt. Home, Arkansas, and they were not new then. Walt has tyed these at FFF Conclaves for more than 27 years...

     

    Oh, and he originated the scaled effect by using the handle of a socket wrench.

     

     

    Please understand, I'm not knocking Charlie - he's a great guy who I'm sure would be quick to tell you that he did not originate these. Heck I've got a bunch of his Cypert's Minnows in my panfish box, but Walt Holman is "Mr. Pencil Popper".

     

    If you contact he Tennessee Valley Fly Fishers, they might be willing to send you a copy of Walt's booklet on making these and other neat balsa poppers, "Bugs and Poppers -Information Paper No. 2". I'm holding a signed copy right now. They charge $5.00 plus shipping... the best money that you'll send in tying.

     

    Bowfin47

     

    PS

     

    FFF Conclaves and EXPO's are the best way possible to learn new patterns and gain expertise in tying. The Gulf Coast Council of the FFF will hold it's 2011 EXPO May6/7th in San Antonio, TX.

     

    If you've can make it you should go!! The headliner will be Bob Popovics and there will be a host of other excellent tyers from across the South... Heck, I'm driving 500 miles to attend!

     

    Here is the GCC web site:

     

    http://www.gulfcoastfff.org/index.php?page=expo-2011

     

     

    and here is their latest 23 page newsletter: http://www.gulfcoastfff.org/uploads/Newsle...reamer_1102.pdf

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Gulf Coast Council 2011 EXPO - San Antonio May 6/7th!!

     

     

    If you've never been to a Gulf Coast Council EXPO or a any other Federation of Fly Fishers EXPO's or Conclaves, you are in for a real treat! If you have been lucky enough to attend one or more in the past, like last year's GCC EXPO in New Braunfels, then you know why we do this, how much fun it is, and you'll need to plan on attending this show!

     

    This year's headliner will be renown tyer, Bob Popovic's. come an learn from a master tyer!

     

    The EXPO Electronic Registration Form, information of classes, and a link to register at the Crown Plaza on the Riverwalk in San Antonio can be found on our EXPO webpage.

     

    http://www.gulfcoastfff.org/index.php?page=expo-2011

     

     

    Hotel rooms at the special show rate (about a $40-50/day savings!) are going fast, and April 14th is the final day to get the reduced rate. So make your reservations today!

     

    Yeah, you can bring your significant other and make a real vacation out of this weekend! I am.

     

    Here is the latest issue of the GCC's 23 page newsletter,The Gulf Streamer:

    http://www.gulfcoastfff.org/uploads/...eamer_1102.pdf

     

    This issue of The Gulf Streamer contains a number of articles written by folks who will be giving some of the nearly 40 programs/talks about our upcoming 2011 GCC EXPO in San Antonio coming up on May 6/7th. It also includes articles on our TWO MAJOR TRIPS: the High Lonesome Ranch in Colorado and Deep Water Cay in the Bahamas, and information on our special Buz Buszek Fly Plate, which contains flies from 22 of the living Buz Buszek Recipients (the 23rd is living in a retirement home). Yes, it even contains flies from all three of Texas's own Buszek recipients, Billy Munn, Judy Lehmberg, and Jimmy Nix! This is the first time in many years that such a Buz Buszek Plate has been made and the very first time one has ever been available at a Council show!

     

     

    Oh, and ya' don't have to be a member of the GCC to attend.. and you'll want to attend 'cuz, we'll have a great selection of the best tyers in Texas and across the Gulf South, along with a host of certified Master Casting Instructors (MCI's) and Certified Casting Instructors (CCI's) - who'll spend all the time that you want or need to improve your casting - again at no extra charge!

     

    There will also be a bunch of vendors (over twice as many as last year!) and lots of raffles and auctions for cool stuff... including 2 high end trips, fabulous fly plates, kayaks (not the cheap ones!), rods, flies, and a bunch more cool stuff!

     

    You'll come back home a better caster, a better tyer, and have a bunch of great new patterns, and most likely a few "pattern" flies tyed by great tyers who will have tyed those flies just for YOU!

     

    It's going to be great EXPO!

     

    See you there!!

     

    Bowfin47

  3. Posted · Report reply

    Brian,

     

    Will you have a booth at the upcoming Gulf Coast Council EXPO May6/7 in San Antonio?

     

     

    I wish I could say yes... But in their amazing wisdom that falls on the day before Mother's Day. ALL FLY TYERS... This is your public service announcement MOTHERS DAY is MAY 8th Dont forget to get a card or whatever.

     

    Always up for traveling for shows but family first.

     

    Brian,

     

    It was the best of a series of poorer choices for a date. You'd be shocked at how hard it was to obtain a venue in central Texas that would accommodate this group on a reasonable date at a reasonable time at a reasonable cost. if anyone has suggestions for a venue for next year's GCC EXPO, please p.m. me.

     

    Please rest assured that we did the very best that we could.

     

    Bowfin47

     

  8. Posted · Report reply

    A couple of years ago, my club had a speaker, who was Rio Grand Cichlid researcher from New Orleans, where invasive 'Rios" can be found everywhere.

     

    He told us that Rio populations started in ditches and bayous adjacent to/behind the two branches of one particular aquarium store... One on the east bank and one on the west bank of the Mississippi River... Funny how that works...

  12. Posted · Report reply

    When ever I hear this question, I always wonder how much hair you're putting on the bug? Or said another way, is your bug "tightly" packed? Most folks don't put enough hair onto their bugs, and as such they bugs are "loosely" packed and cannot hold up to much usage...

     

    Can you easily trim and shape your bug with a razor blade or are scissors necessary to cut it? On a well-packed bug, you can easily "sculpt" it without moving the hair...

     

    Also, honestly - What it the quality of your hair? Did ya' purchase your hair from Chris Helms at Whitetail, http://www.whitetailflytieing.com/, or use Waspi Primo Deerhair Strips, http://www.wapsifly.com/ ?

     

    There is a whole bunch of lousy, low quality hair out there, especially when you look at dyed hair. No matter how good a tyer you are, utilization of poor quality hair can't result in a high quality, durable bug.

     

    Bowfin47

     

  13. Posted · Report reply

    ... I believe Chris Helms sells several tyoes of bucktail for fairly cheap, but I cannot vouch for the quality since I have never bought from him.

     

    Chris is a great guy who has made his reputation by supplying quality hair to tyers. I don't believe that you'd ever go wrong in purchasing any hair/ails from Chris.

     

    Bowfin47

  14. Posted · Report reply

    March 17-19 the annual Sowbug Roundup will be held in Mountain Home Arkansas near the White River. There'll be over 100 fly tyers and about a dozen different vendors. If you're in the area stop by. Admission is $5 good for all 3 days.

     

     

    Mike

     

    I heard that Royce Dam and Bill Heckle will both be there... Is that true?

  16. Posted · Report reply

    While understanding John's emotional sentiments, I have spent too many hours in toxicology classes, to disagree with with Eric...

     

    With that said, I checked to find that:

     

    "Toluene is listed by California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a reproductive toxin that may cause harm to the developing fetus. Pregnant women should certainly not use products containing toluene".... and that "xylene, a suspected reproductive toxin that has shown reproductive harm in laboratory experiments. It is also a neurotoxicant that can cause memory loss on repeated exposure." http://www.leas.ca/toxins-in-household-products.htm

     

    But, since I don't live in California, and as there's absolutely zero chance for this 58 year old male to become pregnant, I still use toluene to thin my GOOP!

     

    But when I am going to use very much, I do take the precaution of turning on the fan and opening the door... i.e. ventilate the room well... refer back to my opening line! Ha! :hyst:

     

    PS

     

    Ventilated room or not, I totally agree with the caution to stay the hell away from MEK... now that's some nasty stuff, besides it "kicks" my asthma every time!

  20. Posted · Report reply

    Question on Q Tip tubes ?

     

    I recently took some "Q Tip" style tubes out of my tying kit that I stored several years ago , and these tubes were so brittle that they fell apart. Now, they were fine when I stored them (in my house at room temp.s).

     

    I do not remember which brand they were, but I do know they are blue tubes.

     

    Has anyone else experienced this?

     

    Bowfin47

  21. Posted · Report reply

    The question about steel versus ceramic tubes is moot as far as I am concerned. It must be remembered that steel tubes have been around since the day the first bobbins were made; whereas, ceramic tubes have been around for less than 50 years. Yes, there are those tiers who have ultimately cut grooves in the end of the metal tube with their tying thread; but,I would venture that those who have had this experience were commercial tiers who tied dozens of flies a day; day-in-day-out. Unless you plan on tying flies in comparable quantities, I doubt you will ever notice a difference between the two. And yes, I have both, as well as some with the ceramic inserts in the very tips and I can't see any difference of any kind. What is more important to me is the tube length; shorter for small flies; longer for large flies.

     

    As it is your nickle, buy whatever floats your boat; not what will necessarily float any one else's.

     

    Cheers,

    perchjerker

    I have some Matarelli bobbins (non-ceramic tubes) that I've been using since the early 1980's. So, far I've only cut a groove in one of these and that was done with kevlar thread (which I no longer use). This groove was quickly and easily polished out with a small piece of emery cloth.

  24. Posted · Report reply

    I like the flat faced poppers, hit in the front with hard as nails....My preference is for divers though....

     

    You obviously do a lot of spinning....May I ask what type of thread you use?

    I recently started using G.S.P. thread for spinning. I am having a difficult time locking it to the hook shank.

    Only thing that sort of works is several sets of whip wraps but even that is not reliable.

    This thread is incredibly strong but real slippery.

    Wasting a lot of good belly hair.

    Any suggestions?

     

    I'm old school, I still use Flat Waxed monocord

  25. Posted · Report reply

    If you focus on just buying a few styles, ... (e.g. one dry fly hook style and one wet hook style)

     

    Now THAT is funny!! :clapping:

     

    just like EVERYTHING else in fly fishing, we've been told so many times, until we believe it, that our hooks are no good unless they come from a jewelry boutique. Now it has come full circle, a majority of us bought into it, and the hook makers reacted by raising prices and "quality", and packaging retail hooks in baggies of 25. Many of us who have been tying for a LOOOOONG time lose sight of the dude just starting out, or the kid with very little money to spend. Six bucks for 25 hooks IS expensive. I like to tie on nice hooks too, don't get me wrong, but the 12 inch trout doesn't care if whatever fly is tied on a 1965 Mustad, or a 2011 gama-go-dik-hu.

     

    Sadly, like $700 waders, $1000 rods, and $100 fly lines, this crap probably makes some folks feel as if they are unable to take up fly fishing effectively.

     

    Bingo!!! As one who's been tying for almost 30 years and currently has hooks in well over 100 styles and sizes, I couldn't have said it any better!!

     

    Bowfin47

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