mridenour

I can get by with 10% of the stuff I have.

What rig do you throw those with?

That is pretty cool. What conditions do you fish it in?

+1

Amazing fish! I don't think I have ever caught such an beautiful fish!

I gotta try this. I am getting ready to catch some catfish for our big 4th of July fish fry and redneck fireworks show!

Wow! I'll have to think about that. I have one box full of flies that a friend gave me. I have two boxes I take with me whenever I go fishing. I have two boxes that I keep on my tying bench to hold my latest creations. I have one old aluminum box chock full of streamers that I tied when I was twelve or thirteen years old...forty years ago. There may be others I have forgotten but that covers most of it.

Hey Ed! Welcome. Mike

I love bug stories...reminds me of being a kid collecting praying manti (mantises?)!

I wear polarized bi-focal prescription lenses in high quality sunglass frames. They are big enough to cover my eyes and block a lot of sun from the sides and not so curved that the prescription gets all distorted. They run about $350.

Wow! If someone can actually point out what they don't like about this gorgeous set-up I am never posting pics of mine! I'm just going to say this is an awesome bench! Enjoy it.

I think you should do it and let us know how it goes. I am always trying new things and I fish with modified versions of established patterns all the time. That way no one can say I tied it wrong! I did it on purpose...lol!

What are those materials you used on that fly?

That is too funny. My winter cap looks especially hilarious on me. No one will even fish with me when I wear it!

Best advice yet!

Going to be fishing in some Wyoming bear country next month. What bear spray do you carry? Have you ever had to use it?

If you get too frustrated tying these flies...tie a few scuds and you will feel like an awesome tyer again. Even if they get messed up they catch trout!

A 6WT will cover most freshwater fishing. It is a great start. You may want something lighter and/or heavier to supplement it if you plan to fish smaller fish or salmon. They can wait until you actually need them. As for different "types" of rods...the average joe won't ever need them.

people whose ties like mine that aren't up to the quality of real tiers like Nate's might get a bit bent out of shape if their flies didn't get shown I don't really understand this either. If someone knows that they're not at the skill level of another tier(s)-- and, by the way, every single person on this forum could say that about someone, I'd be willing to bet--why would they be bothered if no one posted their pattern saying it was "Best In Swap"? Even if I entered a swap and was convinced that my pattern was "the best one", it would be silly for me to get bent out of shape if everyone else didn't think so, too. Everybody likes what they like for their own reasons. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what the issue is; if so, I'm sure someone will (gently, please) set me straight. For the record, I do think it would be nice if Swapmeisters would post photos of the swap flies--either a group photo or individuals--AFTER the swap is completed. I completely agree with Piker - I don't think anyone should see the flies from a swap before the swappers themselves see them. That being said, It is nice for those of us who, for whatever reasons, don't participate in the swaps to see what's being produced. I have to think that it would only be an incentive for more people to join swaps if they saw the flies people were exchanging. For my part, I'm forever trying to find an open swap but they're always full by the time I find them because I don't get that many chances each day to log on here and see what's going on. If a swapper was opposed to having his or her fly's photo posted, (s)he would only need to let the Swapmeister know. I think there is one opening left in the beginner's swap right now.

I would rather have one good all-around rod than fifteen specialty rods. I like to travel light and if I had a different rod for everything I think I would go nuts. Well, more nuts than I already am...

that's another cool pic!

Great pics...again!!!

I'm in. This will be my first swap.

laughing until sometime next week...at least! you are my hero!

I like them all but I really like the second one. It is full of texture and has a great look!