deeky

Hey Riff, if you walk off with that rod, he's totally going to know it was you. I'll hide it for you - he'll never think to look in South Dakota and you'll have plausible deniability when he asks you if you have it.

Steve - beautiful! How is the grip with the smooth finish vs. cork with a little texture to it? I'd hate to see that thing flipping out into the water if my hands were a little wet.

Deeky

I just happened to see a JS add and thought I might add. My opinion for what it's worth - considering the types of flies they use, I wonder if they aren't going for an 'old school' look between the fly and tippet that they use in their print adds.

That does help, thanks.

And I would love to see a pic of the all-wood grip when you get there. Don't get me wrong, it's tough to beat EVA foam....

Deeky

I'll second Crotalus' post. He has it all about the crosscut vs. regular or Zonker cut. Picture it as the strips are cut along the length of the hide for regular or Zonker strips, while they are cut crossways across the hide for crosscut strips. I think I own one package of crosscuts that I bought to try. Everything since then has been regular strips that I can either use as a wing or wrapped. You do have to be a little more careful wrapping them, but with the tendency for the hair to stick straight out while at rest in the water, movement will then push them back, causing the fly to breath a lot more.

As far as width, trout or regular size is usually 1/8th of an inch wide, while the magnums are about 1/4 inch wide. If you are going to be tying large stuff and are limited, buy the magnums and split a piece with a razor blade when you want the narrower strips. Hold them tight and cut from the hide side.

Deeky

Steve - curiosity question for you:

I've built a couple of rods and in reading, everybody likes to talk about keeping the weight of the rod down for the sake of preserving the casting dynamics of the rod. I'm guessing the wood on the grips of your rods add more weight than a solid cork grip. Is it really a noticeable weight difference? Is the extra weight negated being in-hand rather than 4 feet down the rod? Along the same lines, I haven't seen any agate strippers on your rods, but they are further down the rod. Do you have any experience with them and do they affect the casting of the rod?

Again - just curious.

Deeky

Very nice. In the pattern info, you list a bead chain body and something is attached to the bead chain. Can you describe this better?

Deeky

Try Hydrostop. You can buy it by the 5 gallon bucket. I was thrown when I first searched for it and found out you were using a roof sealer (probably the same product, just packaged differently).

I'm curious why you use the polyester vs. mono. You mentioned mono doesn't do what you want. I'm just curious what differences you've noticed. I've always used a Trilene extra limp (marketed as ice fishing line) in 1 and 2 pound test. But then I haven't done much that requires super-delicate presentation either.

Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever tried waterproofing with mink oil? It waterproofs boots quite well and comes in a paste similar to Mucilin.

Deeky

In considering the Fish Skulls, I think you need to consider the action more than the looks of the fly. Adding the weight of the Fish Skull will change the action of the fly in the water from a suspend and glide to a sink and jig action. It all depends on how you want it to fish. For example, I am converting my Black Sampson and Delilah patterns to conehead patterns. They were originally tied for stillwater fishing. With the prospect of fishing some faster water, I want a fly that will get down deep faster. Hence the conehead.

It's that classic debate of form vs. function.

Deeky

Why do you need a water sealer for your leaders? Mono doesn't absorb water and will float all day long if kept clean. What are you using to make your leaders? The only time you may need a sealer is if you are using thread. But if you are looking for a floating leader, a different material may be in order.

Deeky

I also picked up one of those mits in chartruese. I tied it in right behind the hook eye, glued it to the shank, and the wrapped a hackle at the front of it all.

Gills and crappies are definitely at the front of my mind.

Deeky

When it comes to materials, I think it depends on your personal preference and style of tying. I will make an order when I have a shopping list put together. Then I shop for whichever place has all of the items I am looking for. I think beginning tyers are shopping general enough that most places will have what you want. But get further into it and you will be looking for specific items that are a little more difficult to find, especially all in the same place. I've got the places listed here as well a few trusted others all in a folder in my Favorites. I start at the top with my shopping list in hand and note who has the most.

Probably not the exact answer you were looking for, but advice - start a Favorites folder with all of the shops.

Deeky

Depending on what method of furling you are using to make a leader, you use it rather than the mono. If you are using a jig with pegs in it, just do the exact same thing as with the mono.

Beautiful cork! Where do you buy those grips? J/K

Don't know that I've seen the checker look before, at least not that big in the center of the grip. But really, could you just get the tank done? I just want to see it with fish in it!!!

Nice work.

Deeky

Middle of Nebraska - I can sympathize. I'm up in Sioux Falls. Even mention fly fishing here and everyone assumes I am driving 5 hours across the state on weekends to flyfish.

Your setup is just fine. I use a furled leader in the 5-6 foot range with another 2 feet of tippet. Any mono will work. I use 4 lbs. As far as length, it's already been said that gills and bass aren't particularly line shy. I would say adjust your leader/tippet length according to fishing depth if you are using a floating line. Deeper water = longer leader. It will help the fly stay down a little better than a short leader that is hanging straight down. Also, when you are fishing deeper, have a leader or two made out of Uni Thread, 6/0. It sinks better and you won't have to spend quite as much time waiting for it to sink.

Deeky

And worm hooks will usually naturally ride point up without any weight to flip them - they are a sort of premaid bendback. Weedless and better hooking.

I use Aberdeen hooks regularly for panfish flies (Clousers, buggers, streamers). I have also used them in larger sizes (up to size 2) and have caught fish on them. I have had a little trouble with them straightening a little in a fight. With the light wire you can bend them back. Just don't go with the eye-crossing hookset on a bass. Personally, for bass, I would find a forged hook that I don't have to worry about leaning in to. I've been using a Mustad 9674 that has almost identical proportions to an Aberdeen hook, but is forged.

That's my opinion.

Deeky

Feathercraft has 8 colors.

Anglers Workshop also has them, only 6 colors. I just ordered some other stuff from Anglers Worshop and was very pleased.

I too like Hare's foot. I just don't tie that many dries. I even was spinning it for a while as a head on a grasshopper pattern.

Deeky

I'm going to go out of the box a little here. For my warmwater, I use a Palomar to a quick-snap. I've even had a tug of war with a northern over a sunny with this set up and I got the fly back while he got the sunny.

Deeky

Or try a beadwork shop. I haven't tried it, but I know people that bead and if I recall, they make wires for earings that should be stiff enough to tie on.

Best thing I've found BY FAR - Udder Balm. If you have any sort of farm supply store or large animal vet nearby, they should have it. It is a cream that was developed to keep cows udders from getting chapped, and you can imagine the abuse that milkers take. I have also seen tubes marketed more for human use, but I haven't found them to work as well as the real stuff. It has a slight medicinal smell, but is totally safe for humans. My knuckles can be cracking open. One application before bed, maybe two, and I'm good to go.

Deeky

I like a length of 50# PowerPro for a tippet. I've found it to be really strong and very abrassion resistant for those teeth. I also like the suppleness of it over heavy mono. I use it on my conventional gear, so it is easy enough to come up with a length off the end of those rods.

Deeky

I haven't ever gotten a popup on those screens. Just checked and still nothing. Make sure your popup blocker is on (not always effective), and then run a scan like Malware or CCleaner. Might be some spyware in there.

Deeky

I think it could be a fun diversion for a grouop of guys on a trip - Smallest Fish Day. Just a little diversion for kicks and giggles. Watch all of your buddies work all day for the tiny guys and then throw the game at the end of the day with a monster and watch their faces.

Deeky

In that size, I just use a standard Aberdeen style bait hook. They are a little lighter weight, so I can ensure they flip without quite as much weight on them, and using these small sizes for panfish, I don't have to worry about the lighter wire straightening (although I've had them survive a tug-of-war with a good pike that wanted the gill I had hooked). I also like the longer shank as it puts the point further back in the fly for the short biters and gives me more room to move the eyes further back depending on the amount of glide vs. jigging action that I want in the fly.

Deeky

ThreeJ - great machine. I've never put anything that formal together becuase, as long as they last and the fact I don't produce to sell, I haven't needed to make that involved of an item. I've gotten so far as to buy a little battery powered winder that is made for winding rubberband airplanes. It's fairly quick and has a counter in it so both legs get teh same twists.

As far as floatant, I don't use any. But, whether it was here or other places, Mucilin paste seemed to be the favorite. Although there was a difference between the red and green tins. Maybe someone else that uses it can throw in.

Deeky