WindKnotFlies

Fabric paint? That's a pretty cool idea that I've never heard of before. What brand of fabric paints do you use because I want to give that a try. As far as flexible coatings, I've started using Softex for my saltwater flies instead of epoxy. The only real drawbacks I've encountered are a slight haziness when I coat eyes, and it's a little harder to build up layers with. Oh, whoever it was that said it didn't have an odor must have dead nerve endings in their nose or work on a skunk farm. Harris

That's an idea I haven't tried. Thanks Fred. Harris

Hey that's a pretty cool use of the silli skin......which I'm still having problems handling. I'm thinkingof tying some tubes for use in saltwater down here along the TX gulf coast. Your pattern gave me some ideas. Nice tie, man. Screaming Reels... H.P. Ashley

Since getting out of the Army I've been trying to get my fly tying business and guide service off the ground.

Yeah, I just checked out the link SmallieHunter sent me Red. That's what I love about this site....ask and ye shall recieve. :headbang: Harris

Hey Smalliehunter, yeah, I'm using two different colors for them. I just picked up two jars of softex that I haven't had a chance to use yet. Ya think that'll work?

Hey, that sounds like a good idea. I've got 25-30lb hard mason, I figure that should work. Thanks! Yeah, I started using zonker strips because the redfish down here have been chewing the bucktail clousers to pieces.......plus I've got so much chartruese colored zonker strips, I needed something to use them on. Got 'em on sale, bought the whole lot.......you know how it goes. Thanks again. Harris :headbang:

I was tying some Brown & Root Divers the other day to fish the very same flats the fly is named after. Well, after stacking and trimming the deer hair on my fifth diver (you know what kind of a mess that can result in) I got a little tired....or lazy is more like it. I was trying to figure out a way to make this great red fish producing pattern more durable and faster to tie. Well, I remembered I had some size 4 popper bodies somewhere so I dug them out. Well to make an already long story short, I tied the tail section as the original Ray Chapa recipe called for. However instead of taking the 10 minutes to stack and trim the deer hair head, I just epoxied the popper head on backwards and wa-la! I used marker to two tone the head and just put a layer of clear nail polish over it. I fished it and it worked like a charm, stood up to fish after fish, and didn't cast like a wet cotton ball after 20 minutes. I'm sure someone else has done this, but for me it was a nice little revelation. I can't post a pic (which I will when I can find my dang cable to recharge my digital camera). Just wanted to share the idea. Screaming Reels... Harris aka Windknot

I figure SOMEONE out there has already done this and has the fix for my problem. I'm tying clousers substituting the bucktail for zonker strips. They work fine and have great action in the water, but the darn zonker strips foul around the hook. BTW, the zonker strips are secured to the hook shank, the problem is with the part that extends beyond the hook bend. Any ideas how to keep that from happening without affecting the action of the strips? Thanks in advance... Harris

Nice fish and nice fly. I'm going to have to tie a few of those up myself. I'm fishing the Ocean Kayak Masters tournament on May 6th and I think that fly would be a great addition to my box. There's nothing like throwing flies at tailing reds and being rewarded with the sound of line peeling off the reel! Harris :headbang:

Just wanted to know if anyone could suggest some fly patterns to use for Jacks and Pompano. I've moved back to Corpus Christi TX and will be hitting the surf to key in on these two species......problem is I don't know what the heck to throw at 'em. Thank in advance and screaming reels to all. Harris

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll try those patterns out you pictured in your post, Philly. Hey Ted, thanks for the "Howdy back to Texas, it's great to bed pack. I blew a shot at some tailing reds yesterday.....they popped up not 25 feet away from me. I didn't even seem 'em until I turned around and started heading back to shore. Anyways, thanks again everyone. Remember the Alamo, and Remember the Oriskany (my Dad's old boat during the Korean War). Screaming Reels.... Harris

Just wanted to know if anyone could recommend some patterns using silicon. I've recently moved back to Corpus Christi Texas and have started getting my saltwater boxes together. I started trying my hand at using silicon in my patterns, but have developed a case of "tyers block"...if you know what I mean. Anyways, if anyone out there knows of a site or even some patterns I can try I'd appreciate the info. Thanks in advance. Screaming reels.... -Harris

Hey my buddy just told me this one...thought it was funny: PETA stands for People Eating Tasty Animals. screaming reels~ harris

Good point guys....didn't think of it like that. Redleg- what you said about legalizing dope had me rollin... :hyst: :hyst: screaming reels~ Harris

Here is the web address to a copy of this "comic". Sorry I don't know how to post a link: http://www.fishinghurts.com/pdfs/DaddyKillsAnimals.pdf

Hey Gregor, I'd like to see some of those PETA people up here in the north country handing those comics out......I'm sure they'd be reeaaallll popular. Even though I've spent 16 years of my life supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States of America, and the right to free speech........sometimes I just have to shake my head and take a nice deep breath when I think about these morons. -Harris

Here's a picture of the cover I just found. Is this ridiculous or what?!?!

Just wondering if anyone has checked out the Fox News site and read the article about PETA's new comic book. Their newest jewel is entitled "Your Daddy Kills Animals!". According to the article it warns kids to "hide their puppies and kittens because Daddy is addicted to killing". I just don't get it. Just wondering if anyone has seen this new comic for themselves or has read the article. -Harris

Hey, you might try this, because the same thing happened to me. The first thing I did was lay it all out in my lawn and let the sun heat up for a while. Afterwards, I just stretched it out by hand before putting it back on my reel. I had some cortland 555 saltwater stuff that coiled up up no matter what I did to it. I ended up putting in a bucket of hot water for about 15 minutes and then stretching it out by hand. It worked a little bit, but it still ended up looking like a slinky after it was back on the reel for more than a night. Worse case scenario, just get a new line (my solution to my cortland 555 saltwater problem). -Harris

I know what that is.......that's nasty! Hope you washed your hands. :sick:

Never mind....just read the article. ~Harris

This is a stupid question and all, but what the hell is Giant Hogweed?

The way I see it, synthetics do nothing but expand the tyers creativity and open doors to new patterns. I use lots of craft foam, packing material, etc when I tie. However, where I think it ceases to become "artful" or creative is when I can just buy somthing, stick it on a hook, and I'm done....that's not fly tying in my opinion. Yeah, the premade popper bodies are great and those minnow tails are pretty neat as well. However, creating something, building it from just raw materials, and fooling a fish with it is what it's all about. That's my 2 cents. ~Harris

Well, here's a picture of my first king of the season. I caught this beauty last week while fishing with my friend and fellow Texan, Matt (he took the picture). Ms. King decided she liked my #2 chartruese Spanker enough to take a bite at it. My other buddy Josh and I hit the river this past weekend but didn't get any legal hook ups. He did however, lose loop connection, leader and fly to a very large, VERY DEAD salmon carcass (don't ask....but it was funny as hell). I ended up breaking my own rule by getting in there, shoulder to shoulder, with the crowd. Hey, sometimes you have to go where the fish are, and they happened to be holding in a popular deep pool in the lower fly zone. Anyways, I saw bunches of people hooking up, however, 90 percent of them were foul hooks. I can't wait to head out again this weekend.....got them salmon jitters you know. Even though Ft. Drum is only about 40 miles from Pulaski, I'm planning on staying up there friday and saturday night so I can get a jump on the crowds. Well, to all my fellow Great Lakes fly fisherman enjoying the beginning of the salmon run, Good Luck and hope to see ya'll on the river. ~Harris :bait