billb

Fred H.: Compliments are always welcome -- thanks! I like passing along recipes, just in case somebody sees something they'd like to try. One of the fun things about swaps is seeing how other folks do things differently, and trying out their techniques or materials. Bill

Bill, I use this fly to catch Coho and Chinook in the fall (spawning) run. Do you think it will work for the salmon in Maine? Perhapse you had ice-out type flies in mind? Here is an image of the fly: ESTAZ COMET Tom Tom: Might work on our landlocks -- never tried pink on them! We use some marabou, as in the Wooly Buggers I'm tying for this swap, but I've not yet used Estaz for anything other than salt water flies. One of the things I like about swaps is that looking at what other folks tie and use helps get me out the rut of tying and fishing the same old things! Bill

MAWitter: Welcome! Always glad to have a new tier/swapper joining in. Are those two flies you're tying, or one? tdeyette: Tom, is that a steelhead or landlocked salmon fly? The Estaz and location lead me to think steelhead, but I figured I'd check. Bill

FC: Mine arrived yesterday. Thanks. Good job, everybody! Bill

Tom: I originally was thinking of "casting flies," but if you'd like to come in with a trolling fly, please feel free! Bill

MAWitter: Sorry you have to pass on this -- see you next time. RDL: Welcome. Bill

Why not? STEELHEADERS WELCOME! Bill

UPDATE: SETS OF FLIES DISTRIBUTED -- THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING! STEELHEAD FLIES WELCOME! I’m back at the tying bench, ready to host my first swap of the season. Something a little different this time! Let’s swap our favorite flies for landlocked salmon or steelhead: streamers, nymphs, wets, dries, classics, or just simple things that work. In a subsequent post I’ll share where and under what conditions I rely on my pattern, and encourage you to do the same. We’ll go with the first 12 people to reply with “I’m in.” Tell us the pattern you’re tying and where you count on it (if you can’t bear to divulge a river name, give us a geographic area). I’ll regularly update this initial post with who has signed on with what, and whose flies I have received. Everybody will send in 12 flies and will receive one of their own and everybody else’s at the swap’s conclusion. PARTICIPANTS, PATTERNS, and WATERS 1. billb: olive cone-head Crystal Wooly Bugger; landlocked salmon, Grand Lake Stream, Maine-----RECEIVED 2. RDL: Estaz Eggs; steelhead, Lake Superior-----RECEIVED 3. sukhoidave: Caddis Hornberg; landlocked salmon, Big Eddy, West Branch Penobscot River, Maine-----RECEIVED 4. tdeyette: Estaz Comet; steelhead, Salmon River, NY-----RECEIVED 5. MAWitter: black stonefly nymph/superior x legs hybrid; steelhead, Brule River, Wisconsin-----RECEIVED 6. Moushka: Marabou Darter variation, Southcentral Alaska-----RECEIVED 7. Addie: Black Ghost; landlocked salmon, Grand Lake Stream, Maine-----RECEIVED 8. the weekend fisher: Wooly Bugger; Manistee River, Michigan-----RECEIVED I encourage folks who haven’t yet participated in swaps, including new tiers, to join us. This isn’t a competition, but an opportunity to have fun, learn from each other, share local knowledge, and help fill our fly boxes for the upcoming season. The deadline for flies to reach me is April 19th. I’ll send my mailing address to participants in PMs (private messages) as we get closer to the deadline. In fairness to other folks, please don’t sign up if you aren’t sure you’ll be able to deliver your flies on time -- you can always catch another swap when you have more time. That said, life isn’t always predictable, so if you run into a problem and won’t be able to complete the swap, please just tell me in a PM. No hard feelings if anyone has to back out and has the courtesy to communicate with me about it as soon as possible. If you’re unfamiliar with the standard FTF.com swap procedure (toe tags, return postage, and the like), look at the pinned topics at the top of the “Fly Swaps & Contests” page. If all your questions aren’t answered, post them in this thread (other tiers might be wondering the same thing) or send me a PM. Let's have fun! Bill

Thanks, FC. Sounds like things haven't been easy lately -- hope they'e settling down. I appreciate your getting the flies out. Bill

Kerry and company: Mine went into today's mail. Bill

If a swapmeister wants to run a swap with a large number of participants (however "large" might be defined) and clearly communicates the number up front, and tyers are willing to tie lots of flies, that's fine by me. I don't sign on for large swaps because I usually choose to tie in swaps in which I'll tie flies that I want to have in my own boxes, so I tie an extra dozen for myself. Two dozen total is about my limit, so I usually go for swaps with 10-12 participants. As an aside: I don't fish the flies I get from other folks in swaps, but keep them for reference and copy those that appeal to me (and, I hope, fish). Bill

Landlocked salmon, although smallmouth bass are a close second. Bill

I'm in (looks like I'm number 11) -- color TBD. Bill

2liner: Thanks. FC: They're going in the mail today. Bill

Fellow Clouser tiers: I've been unable to reach FC to confirm his address I used for earlier swaps, and am headed for the woods early tomorrow a.m. Would one of you please send me a PM with his address so I can be sure that I get my flies out to him today? Thanks! Might be a good idea to post here that you've sent the PM, just so a dozen people don't all take the time to send PMs. Looking forward to seeing everybody's minnows! Bill

FC : Address, please. Will get them into tomorrow's mail. Bill

Kerry and fellow Challenge victims: Kerry's package with the materials arrived today, of course, just hours after I'd sent him a PM that they'd not yet shown up. This is going to be fun! Bill

Kerry: Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that you've said this many times before? Bill

I'm in. Do your worst, Kerry! Bill

FC: Mine will be natural brown and white. Bill

FC: I'm in -- color to be determined. Bill

Nice looking fly and popper -- will look forward to seeing the rest of the set. Wish I'd gotten in on this swap! Bill

Scott: Very nice first dry fly! I don't pluck and sort feathers by size ahead of time, because they store best left on the cape. If I'm at the bench about to tie a dozen flies of a particular size, however, I'll pull off what I'll need to tie that batch, to save time. Keep having fun! Bill

joeking: After painfully expensive and demoralizing experience with dermestid beetles (not the lice that desert freshly killed game in favor of your forearms, but the critters that infest and devour capes, saddles, and hair patches), I decided some time ago to keep all my feathers, skins, and various animal parts sealed up in ziplock bags. After you get your processing done and your materials are absolutely dry, it's cheap insurance to isolate everything in bags, because even stuff that is absolutely free of critters but out in the open can get attacked. Regarding the pesticide Sevin: The manufacturer has registered it for outdoor usage only, and says not to use it indoors. It's supposed to be harmless to humans when it's dry, but they say to keep it out of kids' hands. Personally, I'd not use it on fly tying materials. Bill

Kerry: Will watch for the sign-up. Thanks! Bill