Bimini15

I sat down at the bench with no particular objective. Put a hook on the vise, was going through the bins... and this happened. Not sure if it is a mantis shrimp or a carp fly. Where would you go from here?

The topic came up some time ago about such type of action. The Pole Dancer I think was a fly that mimicked it.

I am finding out that the really cheap stuff, 50 half sheets for $5, is not the same as the old single full sheets I have from a long time ago. Same Darice brand, same thickness, one from Walmart one from Michaels, so I do not know if they have different quality points for different stores or if they have cheapened the product over time.

Dan, Is the colorful stuff the squirmito, or are the flies happy to see you?

I have tied them from size 6 to 1/0 for both freshwater and inshore. I prefer the marabou tail and I normally use ice chenille instead of palmered hackle. Sometimes I use legs as well. For the bigger sizes you can do a double layer of foam and slip the lower one over the eye, for a little extra surface splash. I think they call that a Hot Lips. Simple, quick and effective. My kind of fly.

Another foam favorite is the Gartside's Gurgler: http://www.jackgartside.com/step_gurgler.htm

Hahaha...! Shear laziness... Poop, I always knew you were a cut up... Mike, table saw? ...So 20th century! We cool tech kidz now use cnc laser cutters... I also use scissors and do well as long as it is a straight line.

This bird is scientifically named Buteo buteo everywhere, also called common buzzard in Europe, if you are speaking Brittish English. It is confusing because buzzard, in American English, is another word for vulture. In British English it is another word for hawk. So, In the US this bird is called a hawk. Now, it really gets weird when you are speaking Spanish to name the bird, because we don't use the Spanish words for vulture (buitre) or hawk (halcón), but the word águila, which commonly translates into all kinds of English as eagle. This going back and forth between languages reminds me of a time growing up in Spain, watching Western movies in Spanish. A frontier man would run into a Native American Indian and ask "Do you speak English?". The Indian normally answered "Yes". And the two of them would carry on... STILL in Spanish. WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THAT QUESTION!!!???

In Spain the Common Buzzard is actually called an eagle, a "mouse hunting eagle" , or águila ratonera If you thought that tyer vs tier was confusing, don't even start going across languages...

I confess that since this thread started I have not looked at my badger hair shaving brush with the same eyes. Plus I grow a beard, so it is not like I use it a lot...

So, I took to Google for further review of your suggestions, and I am pretty sure FIN-ITE has it right. The Common Buzzard (buteo buteo) is found in Europe and Asia and the pictures of feathers I found match exactly what I have. I also read somewhere that it should be ok by the US Feather Police as it is a non native, non endangered species, and did not bring scavengers (wink, wink, you know who you are) onboard.

Perhaps muddler minnows?

Sorry, it really was a bit of a trick question without any extra info. It is 10 inches long. Can't be a turkey because there are no turkeys where I found it. I found it hiking in Spain. Based on the wildlife I observed, I am thinking it may be some kind of bird of prey, but I don't know enough to tell. Vic, I thought about that but I could not find one.

I was hiking this mid July and found this feather on the trail. I would appreciate it if anyone could tell me what it is and possible uses for it. Thanks.

Aha! Interesting year on both Mersey sides...

What size bass do you realistically think that you can handle on a 1 wt rig?

Welcome! Now, here is the real question... Manchester United or Manchester City?

He may be referring to current day bachelor degrees. And if he does, I agree to a degree. It kind of reminds me of when people used to put down a driver's license as a qualification when applying for a job. Even when it actually mattered, I am sure there were drivers and there were drivers.

No competition. Certainly not on my part. Just admiration expressed semi humorously. Speaking of humor... What do you call THIS...

So, if you have figured that a Winston is your dream rod, don't spend money on a TFO Mangrove. Make due with what you have while you save enough for the ONE. And for the nice reel that must compliment it.

Not only are guys tying beautiful flies, you are also taking amazing pictures of them. How is the rest of us supposed to keep up?

Mike, Never meant to imply it is an expensive thrill. Quite the opposite, its affordability is what lures us all in. I play sometimes too. Ironically, I tend to play when there is a huge jackpot, which is exactly when the odds are the worse. I know it... But $1 is all it takes....

So Adam, and others... You need to estimate how much you are going to spend in lottery tickets for the rest of your life and weigh that against the chances of winning more than that. If I make it to 80, I would spend roughly $1800 by playing once a week. Do I think I am going to win that much? Hmmmm..... On the other hand you could use that money to get some nice stuff for sure. Food for thought...

Maybe they have parasites?...

Down right impressive to me. My poppers are either quick jobs with shaped soft foam, much like Capt. Lemay's, or even quicker jobs with plain soft foam cylinders, a la Bob's Bangers. So, just the time you put in the finish makes you a true craftsman in my book.