flyty1

When I was with United Fly Tyers in Boston, I always taught at the beginners tables. I don't recall any one person who was a standout pupil, but I will say that I picked up many tricks and methods just by tying with other people - no matter what their skill level was. I did find it facinating to see the range of ages tying their very first fly at the Marlboro fly fishing show. I have had children from 4 years old up to people in their 90's...all had a great time!!

Hey all of you fly fishing fathers out there. Are there any gifts you would suggest for fly fishing dads? Many of your family members would love to pick up a nice gift for you - but they wander into a fly shop not knowing what you would like...let's hear some suggestions for your perplexed family!

Hey Greg - you may want to include fly tyers in Canada, Europe, and Japan. The total may be similar to US tyers. If you need really acurate estimates, you may want to consult with an industry specialist or, one of the biggest suppliers like Whiting Hackle, Keough, or Metz. Good luck with your business venture.

Just out of curiosity, why do you want to know?

I would either weight the soft hackle (under the body) or add a bead as a thorax instead of dubbing a thorax. My most productive times fishing soft hackles are imitating emergers - so, they can be productive anywhere from the bottom to just under the surface film.

The first thing that comes to mind are Wooly Buggers and Wooly Worms.

Welcome to the site! I too am a die hard Yankees fan! There are many people on this site with lots of practical experience in the world of fly tying. However, two things I have observed after tying flies for more than 50 years. The first is if you ask 10 fly tyers a question (especially about which is the best vise) you will probably receive 25 different answers - meaning that there is no "right" answer. The second thing is the best way to learn new techniques is to tie flies with other people - you can always learn new things from people who have a different perspective. Welcome to this funny, sometines perplexing hobby which is a combination of materials collecting and creativity behind the vise!

Thanks to both Mike and Steve! I lost my mother at a very early age primarilly due to smoking. My father, although heartborken, was with us for more years - I am sure because he quit smoking after seeing Bob Newhart do his "Sir Walter Raliegh" routine...check it out if you want to feel crazy about smoking!

If you are tying flies for fishing, don't worry about it - fish don't read fly tying books! If you are tying for wall hangers, keep experimenting! I for one will keep my fly in the water - which is the only way I know to catch fish on my fly!!!!!!!

Don't get caught with illegal fur or feathers - the penalties can be very stiff.

I think it all revolves around your expectations. If you are using a freshwater outfit because you can't find the same outfit built for saltwater service, you can't expect the useful lifetime to be too many years. Of course, maticulous cleaning will help extend lifetime. I look at saltwater gear in two ways - spend the money for high quality (and of course take care of your equipment) and you will have many years of service. Or, don't spend a lot and know it will need to be replaced. Much of the decision will be based on the amount of usage each type of equipment is expected to deliver.

Sending prayers and wishes for her speedy recovery.

I have been tying a wingless, tail-less, wet fly since the early 1990's. I use a wet fly hook, various colors of stretch nylon for the body, x-small wire to rib the body, suprefine dubbing in a contrasting color for an abdomen, and finally juvinile grizzly hen for a hackle. I tie these in sizes 20 to 12. They work great as an emerger or as a grenral searching pattern.

I love, love, love using juvinile grizzly hen necks for wet flies. I would really like to find these in different colors (black, brown, ginger, cree, etc).

I have used the 444 Peach for a long time. It is great for older graphite rods.

If you are speaking about the type of video where the tyer goes on and on pontificating and not getting down to business and completing the fly...then a subtitled version in some language other than english would be enough to blow my brains out! Definitely NO!

If you are talking about quill wings, I had the same problem until I gave up and learned to tie parachute dry flies. My leader never twists and the fly lands properly with more of the abdomen in the water.

My theory is that you can never design a car that costs too much (seems to apply to fly tying vises too). Some idiot will buy one with more money than brains - and then his neighbor will have to have one too!

As always, Henry has a very authoratative and scholarly answer...better living through chemistry!!!

I happen to like a very large flat surface with a pull-out "shelf" below to attach my clamp for my vise. I keep my most used tools in a small caddy on the "shelf" as well. I can re-arrange the items on the surface of the table and I don't have drawers that become inaccesible due to items on the table or my body in front of a center drawer. What I would keep in drawers I have in plastic totes - this provides flexability should I need extra room in the future.

+++1 on Uni Stretch

There are a number of one fly kits available as the previous posts have mentioned. The alternative is to buy very select items that will produce many patterns with a minimal investment. You can focus on a couple of sizes of hooks (14 and 16) for dry and wet flies (light wire and elongate heavy wire). The rooster and hen feathers for each fly and maybe some dubbing. This will tie quite a few different imitations without an extrodinary investment.

I have caught many shad (american) in the streams of New England in the spring. Many of these were taken on simple craft fur streamers in white or yellow with an oversized flourescent red yarn head (my simulation of a shad dart) on small (size 14 to 10) streamer hooks - no additional weight)M

Just in case someone honest did find your rig, you might try the local fishing stores or the police. If I found someone's stuff those are the two places I would think to try and reunite the stuff with the rightful owner.

I like the fast curing time of the thick UV epoxies, I am not in love with the prices - but can't beat positioning everything where you want and 3 seconds later, your fly is finished.