Olaf-Rigaud

Thanks! I'll post another batch tonight.

Thanks everyone, I'll tell you all how it goes! After your advice, I've decided to stick with a 7 weight line on the Orvis.

So is it realistic to hope to land a Striped Bass on a 7 weight?

I have to ask, what are the "common cents"?

Thank you also for the advice. I have never been one to adhere to orthodoxy for its own sake, so I will experiment with all of these. I am interested in what they are usually used for however, so if anyone has any suggestions, feel free! Olaf

Here is tonight's (first) installment: 02a and 02b are the same piece. It seems to me that 04, 05 and 06 are similar. Thanks again everyone! Olaf

That makes perfect sense, thanks.

I have two rods made for 7 weight line and one for a 4 weight. I want to use the 4 for trout in streams. One of the 7 weights I want to use for Northern Pike and maybe Walleye in a lake near here. Here is where it gets iffy: I would like to mess around a little with the other 7 weight. I have heard that you can put a line one larger or one smaller on most any rod. The rod I want to mess around with is an Orvis all-rounder. What I would like to do is put an 8 weight line on it to be able to go a little bigger in the flies I cast. The reason for this is I want to try for Striped Bass in Maine when I go there in June. Is this absolutely crazy? As you can see, I am a total newbie at this.

Well, my wife is going to think I'm even crazier than she previously thought, but I've ordered your book as well as the Leiser book. (She thinks our library is "fish heavy"). I will also invest in bay leaves, they certainly smell nicer than mothballs. I will post some more pictures tonight, thanks again for all your help. Olaf

On a related subject: how do I store these pieces? I'm thinking about putting them in individual zip-loc type bags and labelling them, is that a good idea? Is there something I need to know about storing little pieces of fur?

Wow, you are all so helpful. I've labeled the contentious one peccary javalina bristles, it looks right to me. If you all have the will to go on, I will post some more pictures tomorrow, we might just get through the box of fur and move on to the feathers!

Four more...

Thank you Brook Trout Angler!

OK, here we go. These are the first four pictures. Would it help to have pictures of the backs of these pieces of fur? The second and third pictures are of the same piece, recto-verso

I am new to fly tying, and I recently inherited a large amount of materials and tools. Some of it identified, most of it not. I have furs, feathers, hackles, dubbing... I wish I could ask the man who owned this stuff before me, but he has passed on to the great trout stream. I have been able to identify a lot of the pieces (hare, peacock eye, badger, polar bear, pheasant tail, and so on), but some pieces are beyond me. Is there a good book on identifying materials? Are there any super patient senior fly-tyers who can hep me out? I'd also like to know what flies I can tie with these materials, for instance, what on earth do you do with Australian opossum? I would be willing to trade some of the materials for some knowledge. I've attached a photo of one of the boxes I got (this one is the one with fur in it). I have 4 more of these boxes. Thanks in advance.