Kirk Dietrich

A little Rabid Dog, Baby Bass. The stripe marker bled a little but I don't think the fish will care. Kirk

Looks like there is more brass than I thought and its not all created equal. From that table flytire posted, it appears only one kind of brass contains lead - Leaded Brass. That's just my take, I'm no metallergist though. Kirk

Thanks fellas, I figured the stem was to thick to wrap sparsely. Danville's Flymaster Plus is my favorite for split thread dubbing. Mike, don't hold your breath, I've got a bunch of spoons to do for customers on top of other things; just thought I would pick this up while I was ordering some other stuff. Thanks, Kirk

Got a Rhea Intruder Feather and wondering how to use it. First inclination is to cut strands off and put in dubbing loop. Kirk

If your wife asks about the TuTu, just tell her you're going to use it to make a scale pattern on your next popper; that's what I do.

AGN, those look good. I'm glad the felt worked for you but you can only deny your inner self for so long before you'll find yourself in the beauty supply store picking up more than sponge mascara applicators! Kirk

Jam, you're mentioning lipstick is on the right track but dismissing it, you may be missing out on all those male fish that aren't hungry and sill jump on anything with lipstick! AGN, you didn't realize PJ invented Garanimals for Sears back in the 1970's. Kirk

I use black, white and red. I use white on light colored flies, black on darker flies and red, when the mood strikes. If I'm using white on a light colored fly, I may color the thread like Cream mentions. I use red because I like red and it would be to many flies at times to use a marker on those heads when I can just use red thread. Kirk

Exquisite looking little fly Flytire. Tobias, that is insane looking! You must have used every material in your tying desk! Beautiful fish. Kirk

Hey ditz, you're right, I use beadchain alot as well and even the solid brass non-toxic eyes that Pat over at Cascade sells when I want to go lighter than lead dumbells. What I was talking about is using a single #8 shotshell lead bb. I use various shotshell sized bbs in many of my topwater minnows to give them balast, works great. Although the shells are harder to find these days but I just get a few of different sizes from hunter friends. Kirk

Flysmallie, that is some great airbrush work and shaping. I'm assuming you made that out of balsa? I make bugs very similar and just call then Flures (Fly/Lure). Looks great!

Nice box Jeff, I like the way you used the paper label that came off the cover as a template to cut out your green foam! That's thinking. Kirk

Pike, the Bendback is a hook point up fly, you should find some good examples if you google. Also, on your Clousers, if you use beadchain, or even the tiney beadchain, it won't dive as fast. Kirk

Mike, with the poweful UV laser I got from Silver Creek, it dries it tack free in a comparable time. I'm waiting on some CCG Hydro and Brushable and some Deer Creek that I'll be able to do a comparison but for one fourth the price, even if it takes a minute longer, it may be worth it. Thanks Crack, I'm really not going anywhere with this other than making a somewhat deepbodied minnow that I can pull over the weed mats of my fishing area. I'm still interested in what you're talking about though. Thanks, Kirk

Pike, I reverse tied in some white Congo, pulled it back and tied off for a tail and pulled it up to make a loop and act as the form for the UV to make the belly. I saturated with some thin Solarez and came in and filled it with some Thick/gel Solarez and sprinkled with fine glitter and came back with another coat of thin; tied the wing, put eyes and used a couple coats of resin to formt he head. It tracks nicely, hook point up, when ticked along slowly, a fast strip will make it roll and rock a little. I may try putting a little bb in under the eyes to see if I can remedy that.te it here. Kirk

I tied this for the bass in my local park that feed on little minnows, I know its on a SS hook but I just like that hook in case I want to use it in the salt. This is the first one, I'm sure I'll find a way to embelish it markers on the next one. It tracks hookpoint up with a slow ticking strip but rolls and rocks a little with a faster strip, I think I may try putting a tiny bb in under the eyes to try and remedy that.

Damn Ben and Crack, those are some great looking flies. Here is one I tied up last night, the UV Beerbelly. Kirk I reverse tied in some white Congo, pulled it back and tied off for a tail and pulled it up to make a loop and act as the form for the UV to make the belly. I saturated with some thin Solarez and came in and filled it with some Thick/gel Solarez and sprinkled with fine glitter and came back with another coat of thin; tied the wing, put eyes and used a couple coats of resin to formt he head. It tracks nicely, hook point up, when ticked along slowly, a fast strip will make it roll and rock a little. I may try putting a little bb in under the eyes to see if I can remedy that.

Lost, I just read your whole post, don't know how I missed it the first time. You're talking about Stu Thompson? If so, I've got a bunch of his dubbing and on two occasions, he sent me a box of flies to photograph. Stu is very prolific and talented, you were lucky to have learned from him. Kirk

Of course. ...but there's a little orange for good measure! Congrats Jeff, good looking fish.

Those are looking good! I like the little bass one. What did you coat the foam with? Looks like a glossy coat of some kind, is it flexible? Kirk

Ooops, it used to work for me Piker, looks like it doesn't now. Kirk

Go to the Fly Tying Data Base here and click on your material and fly patterns tied with it will be displayed. http://www.flytyingforum.com/materials Remember as Flytire said, trout patterns are good for the fish you mention you target. Kirk

I'll do that sometimes with bead head flies. I use a strip lead that is about 3/16" wide and about .020" thick and tie it to the top of the hook to help turnover or add extra weight without having to use extra large, grass catching dumbell eyes. I feel that tying the lead on that one side helps better than wrapping around the shank, which I don't think changes the center of gravity as well. Kirk

Excessive...Hell yeah! But practical for the fish you're throwing for. Nice looking! When you reverse it to dive, you might have to knock a little off of that bump (doesn't have to be as drastic as a Dahlberg is trimmed, just reduce some of the floatation and create a little slope) or you may wound up with a slider it the front rides to high but that would be ideal for fishing on a sink tip. Kirk

Very tasty looking! If they don't turn over hook point up, trim some of the material from the bottom - the side with the eyes that is, I guess in your vise, that would be the top. Good fishy looking flies that will no doubt catch fish, nice ties. Kirk