yellafella

Thanks for the kind comments guys. Very much enjoying the art of tying, imo much more satisfying when you nail a fish on one of your own too. Glass minnow and some regular clousers look like the next fly project. Going to play with a gurglers a bit more too, pity it's winter but they don't seem to let up right on the surface where I live.

Hi All, Well it's been just under a month since starting the tying but thought I'd post up a few of the flies I've been working at (feedback welcomed - ** I've made some of my own notes too) - My own little shrimp/crustacean tie (on 3 different hooks): Gurglers (need to combine the carapace with the tail of the non-carapace one, perhaps stick with dubbing for less buoyancy underneath the body): Basic shrimp pattern (nailed a Giant Herring on it first outing): Just wondering what fly patterns to go onto next (mainly targeting light salt) or likewise how to improve on some of these flies. As previous, comments, feedback etc welcomed. Thanks all.

Mudhole bobbin looks like the go: http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=39271 http://www.mudhole.com/Rod-Building/Rod-Wrapping-Aides/Extra-Large-Thread-Bobbin Thanks all for your help.

Thanks for the help. Yeah I think buying on a standard spool will be the go in future but thought there may have been an easier solution given my lack of knowledge and being new to this all. May look at the mudhole bobbin that has been mentioned elsewhere as well as here. In all honesty though, gaining a larger bobbin holder may be handy as the range of threads from a standard craft store like Spotlight (Australia) is amazing and actually quite cheap. Thanks.

Hi All, here's a pic of the spools I'm talking about (same length as standard spools in craft stores, just not as wide). Probably will bend another bobbing holder to hold them. Any other options? Not sure that any standard bobbin would hold these given my standard one doesn't quite without the bending option (unless I'm mistaken and it's a midge bobbin, but they're tiny I thought!? so gotta be a standard)...

Hi all, as per the title. Looking for a large bobbin holder to suit larger / longer spools of thread commonly found in craft and sewing stores. Has anyone come across a product or size of bobbin holder that suits? I may see if I can post a pic up later tonight of the spools of thread I'm looking at.

Thanks all for the input. After much debate I bit the bullet and bought a vice from Jan Tvrdek. Arrived yesterday. I've been waiting on tools to start tying, but they haven't arrived. I ended up using a set of nail clippers, rough scissors and manually held the tying thread and managed the attached as my first fly. For a first tying vice I'm spoilt. I ended up with the Jan Tvrdek as it had a traditional jaw but in the form of a true rotary with an easily adjustable arm, something which I think is quite handy: http://www.jan-tvrdek.cz/rotary-vice-black-386-30 Thanks all again for your help, hope to be drawing on it now as I learn this great and fun craft.

Wow, that's unreal and a very cool application of 3D printing. I didn't realize that 3D printing is so accessible. Kudos for the design mate.

Agree with the above from what I seen. Just unsure if inline true rotary will make the resin behave more uniformly vs a full rotary that doesn't spin around the hook axis. I've made up my mind from the above, and after thinking on the subject for a length of time, that an inline true rotary will be the best for myself to start with given this will be more favourable to learn straight up. Now the battle will be which vise from the true rotary bunch grabs my attention the most.... first world problems.

Thanks for the replies guys. Sounds like a true rotary may have it's merits, I must admit the other 2x vices mentioned are attractive from the point of simplicity and access to the hook. I've looked at the peak also too along with the renzetti, hard to rule them out also, I just felt the mongoose layout worked better for a full rotary from what I saw.... may need to look at this again. Does the true rotary tend to make applying UV products easier and more finished/even than a full rotary?... leaning toward the griffin range from the above comments. Also... Hi Nick (retrocarp), I'm from up Queensland way, Hervey Bay to be exact. I note you are somewhere on the east coast, I'm judging further south of me (NSW?).

Hi All, first time poster... Looking to start up fly tying after a friend showed me the ropes. Can really see myself loving this pursuit. After some advice regarding a vice. I'll be tying mainly sizes around 6 to 2/0, in shrimp and prawn and small baitfish imitations given the fishing I do (sand flats around Australia). Given I'm new to tying I'm unsure where to start (rotary vs true), however I have an overly generous budget of up to $250USD (I don't mind spending on quality). I can see myself using UV products a fair bit for finishes and the flies I'll eventually want to get to (start small but looking at where I eventually hope to be) and unsure if the use of a true rotary vs a full rotary would make much difference. I've come down to a HMH Spartan, Montana Mongoose and as an outside choice a Stonfo Kaiman. Understand these are all top pieces of equipment with differences in setup; I will be using the vice in a pedestal arrangement on my fishing/tackle desk... What are peoples thoughts on the above choices. Thanks in advance.