rstaight

Bugsy, That post was interesting. When I first started tying the first thing we were told in class was that brand A 6/0 and 8/0 thread was not the same as brand B. The same was also true for hooks. They may be close but not the same. The pictures you have show the differences between hook manufacturers though they are packaged as the same size. It would be interesting to how hooks "measured" up in a metrology lab. Thanks again.

I have to check that out.

According to the cross reference chart from Hook & Hackle the Tiemco 3769 would be a direct replacement for the Mustad 3906B. But the Daiichi conversion chart shows their 1560 may be a better choice

The good ole lump of coal. That's what I usually desreve.

I was a good boy this year. I posted a review for the Greencaddis Ruby River 7' 8" 4wt that was under the tree. This will be a great dry fly rod. About a week ago my fly fishing club had our annual Dirty Santa gift exchange. I was fortunate enough to bring home a new Fenwick Eagle 8' 6" 5wt. While I was outside playing with the Greencaddis I also grabbed a reel for the Fenwick. This moderate action rod fits my casting stroke to a "T". It may be replacing my St Croix Avid on trips. Sometimes life treats you right. I also got a watch and a $25 Cabela's card that will put a small dent in the cost of 2 new reels and lines. Since I have an hours drive to work my son got me a travel coffee mug that plugs into the power port (cigarette lighter, yes I'm that old) to keep it hot.

Not sure about the 1x or 2x designation but I used the 9602 larger nymphs and like SBPatt I use a 9671 for buggers.

For Christmas I was a good boy. I had a Greencaddis Ruby River 7' 8" 4wt under the tree. Since the temprature was on the mid 40's I grabbed the reel for my 4wt bamboo and went out to play in the yard. This fiberglass rod is full flex but yet has enough backbone to shoot a respectful amount of line. I have the feeling this will be a real nice dry fly rod on the trout streams I fish. It will also do nicley for bluegill. Not sure about smallmouth, we will have to give it a go.

That looks like it would be an awesome smallmouth fly tied on size 6 or 4.

Merry Christmas to everyone. Hope everyone has been good boys and girls and gets the fly tying and fishing goodies they are hoping for.

If I could only have one saddle or cape it would have to be a grizzly cape. If you want to spend a bit more I would prefer rooster saddles in grizzly, brown and dunn. I would also have the same colors in hen capes. I think a hen cape makes for a much better dry fly wing than a rooster cape.

A gentlemen I worked with got a call from his sons junior high principal. Seems his son and his buddies got caught drinking hand sanitizer.

I have heard lure and fly used interchangeably in some discussions. I think if it has hardware like blades, metal or wood bodies it is a lure. ​If it is made out of what was mostly natural materials like hair and feathers it is a fly. But some of the arguments made have me scratching a bald spot. That's what is great about forums like this.

I remember in freshman biology class in high school we had to make an insect collection. They were all terrestrials so we stuck them in a glass jar with an alcohol soaked patch to "put them to sleep". Even in the 70's we had to be politically correct. We then stuck pins through them to mount. Mine was simply a cigar box with paraffin in the bottom. Though they were delicate you could take them out and look at them. But this hand sanitizer method is awesome.

I designed a rotary vise about five years ago with a motor. It was for a college class I was taking. Just never had the time to get it made. Maybe one of these days.

I use 12/0 thread on anything smaller than #20. Where we fish in Driftless Area in Wisconsion sometimes we see some tiny little things we call #50 dandruff.

Looked at the pictures and those are some awesome looking flies. Is there any chance of some recipes getting posted? I think they will all work on gills.

When I purchased my 4wt I put an Okuma Sierra 4/5 on the rod. Just until I good get something better. That was around 10 years ago. It's still on the rod, it's great. Inexpensive, disc drag, I have had smallmouth make it scream. Still going strong. I even put an Okuma SLV 8/9 on the 8wt I built. I use it for salmon and saltwater. That reel will hold 200yds of gel spun backing. I also have a Cabela's Prestige mid arbor on my Redington 3wt. Can't gripe about that one either. I will even put it on my Sage. Around our area we have the philosophy of put your money in the rod and spend a little less on the reel if you want to save a few bucks.

Nice job. Next time you get the machine for government work some engraving would set it off even more. I have been involved with CNC machining for 35+ years. Just never been able to get time to do something like this. I am jealous.

Oh yea, I reccomend getting a kit for the first rod you build. It gets you familer with the basic components and techniques with out having to worry about all the other stuff. Mudhole.com is a good place for instructions and supplies.

When I build a rod I use narrow strips of masking tape to put them on first. Then I set up the reel and line I am going to use on it. String it up and put the rod in a working arc, like fighting a fish to see if the pressure on the blank is even and make any needed adjustment to spacing. I then go outside and cast it. If I am happy with it I already have the guides taped in place and it easy to start wrapping. The only time I have ever used more then one layer of wraps was for an under layer. This helps protect the blank from the guide feet but does cut down on the sensativity of the rod. And I prefer single foot guides. The stripper is a double foot. I also like to use an oversize tip if I can get one that fits the blank.

Nice first attempts, I'd fish both of them. They will catch fish. The tails on the nymph, make them the length of the hook shank. On the caddis, try starting a little further back on the hook to keep from crowding the eye, but not to much your pretty close. The head on an elk hair will come over the eye a bit. These flies are on the larger end for me, it's rare I tie larger than a size 10. Keep tying these smaller sizes, it will help with your larger saltwater flies. Again, nice work. If you don't want them send them my way.

That fly looks like it would be killer on smallmouth. Nice job.

I know a gentleman who has broken 2 8wt TFO rods. They have always replaced them without question. Always thought it was him. Hmmmm. TFO's are good rods from what I have seen, Except for his 8wt. Hmmmm. Who cares how good they backup their warranty if it's in the back of the truck/car broken when you need it.

The jig I built I added some legs to it so I could stand it up on end. Here is what I do. 1) With the jig laying flat I loop my material around the hooks and pegs per the required recipe for each leg. I have 2 legs on my jig much like what is shown above. 2) With a cup hook in a cordless drill I twist each leg of the leader until they shorten 10%. Both legs must be twisted in the same direction. No matter which, just the same. 3) I have another peg at the length for the 10% reduction. After each leg is twisted it is placed on a cup hook at that peg. While you are twisting the legs you have about 3oz of weight hanging at the end of the leader. This keeps the leader straight for the next step. 4) Now I set my jig in end with the legs I added at slight angle. Since the legs are now on the same hook I pull the leader off the bottom peg and let go. Because of the twisting each leg will want to untwist. This will cause the 2 legs to twist onto each other creating the furled leader. If the legs are not twisted the same direction this will not work. No need to use a drill to make the final twist. I have seen some other instructions for a twisted leader. I think the ones you make without the jig are called a Bimini Twist.

In Indiana we will see sub zero temps in the winter for days. In the dog days of summer the temps will 100+ for days. I always wear poly pro when I'm in my waders. It keeps me warm when it's cold. And in the summer my pants are still dry.