bugcam

Thanks for sharing, Graham! I will add this to my "to try" list. I am really excited about these instructions, anyone can try it, adapt it and succeed within their own skill level and abilities. Your openness, positive feedback and willingness to share are mirrored by so many on this website, I really appreciate it. Thanks again for sharing and demystifying the dragonfly.

My eyes give me trouble no matter what hobby I take a crack at. So far I have been using fairly big to medium sized hooks, so not a great issue but if I spend too much time on a fly it becomes a factor. On all of the pics of desk setups I've seen on this site no one shows a background to help the fly stand out from the desk. I tried a piece of paper under the vise and that helped but I can see that bright white would eventually cause eyestrain too, do you guys generally use anything or is proper illumination the key? Magnifier? I don't even know if I could handle working on a small fly!

Never been! I know that you have a lot of spectacular parks and unique geography there! It is on my families top dream vacation sites to go to though along with alaska! Have you travelled off the Rock much?

Your family and Grandmother are still in my thoughts. Hope all is going well.

Unconditional love, Simple pleasures and Mans best friend. Truer words never spoken. It always amazes me how we get to be guardians of these unique and individual souls for their time on this earth. Having to make that tough decision that we know is right for them is ultimately worth the price of their devoted attention. I am sorry for your pain and loss,Stony. You could show us a pic of Radar if you care to.

Wow, Graham! You have a real knack for composition. Bird pic was exquisite! That close-up was spectacular! . Those wings are like stained glass windows, gorgeous! Flytime was right, definitely print worthy! You could submit to a lot of diff. magazines and those pics are begging to be entered into photo contests. What camera were you using?

Thanks for setting this one up, Duckydoty. This is officically my first contest/swap/send something in action. I am taking two boys and the dog camping this week. Going to tie some flies including one for this contest, take some nature pics, commune with the campsite squirrels, read a bit and FLY FISH (first time by myself). Hope that I don't have too much trouble, I can cast o.k. and I have a two small flyboxes that I won with a good crossection of (never-seen-water) nymphs, leeches, scuds, buggers, stoneflys who knows only what else! I will probably try out my "swamp witch" too (going to tie another version with ice yarn) Maybe an osprey will drop a rainbow for me and I will have something to eat for supper. ! Going to fish off a small penninsula that has enough room to cast, and a lot of different environments to try out. One side has deep water, dead fall logs by the shore and reeds in shallow water that follow the line of the penninusula out into the lake, and the other side has shallower water, and a patch of lilypads. I will take a picture and post later. Wish me luck!

I am going to try using some garnet beads and dyed freshwater pearls and pearls (olive, pale yellow, grey, etc.) and other semi-precious stones that I have lying around. I saw a pattern for a red colored bead scud or nymph lately, that would be cool with the blood colored garnets that I have. Quite inexpensive at the rock and gem shops, depending on the quality or grade. Has anyone here played with this before, what results?

Happy 216th ! DFIX, Do you know of any good websites re: history of U.S. Coast Guard ?

Good idea, Mike. I do have a med. sized wood topped desk/metal base with wheels that I can keep in my bedroom and wheel it out to the livingroom to tie on. I will have to navigate between two cats and my dog to get there but it will work great. Thanks for the idea.

Thanks for the pic, flytime. I've seen a couple of benches and organizational pics on this site and they really help a newbie like me out. Lighting, magnification and working against a light colored background are big factors for me. Not so important with the big patterns but I know eyestrain will be a factor with the fancy work, any suggestions. So far I don't have a light or Mag and I just put a white piece of paper under my vice! Any one that wants to show off their workstations could put in some pics for me! You would laugh if you could see where I keep my stuff. Expandable zipper binder, vice and bobbins in a big pencil case, cards of yarn in plastic hockey card sheets and feathers in ziploc baggies. That has got to change!!

I'm in. Jan. 8th, 07 oh, lets say 5:45. Thanks. That's also my prediction for brittney and KFed to break up & a new species of fish to be discovered off the coast of Africa.!

Thanks for the good wishes, I am really glad that I joined up, sure feel welcome here. I am soaking up the knowledge, experience and positive 'tude that everyone shares. Luv everybodies attitude, sense of humor and advice! Kudos to all moderators, as well. Will jump into a swap soon. Thanks again, Bugcam P.S. My respect and best wishes to our Peacekeepers and valiant troops on all fronts.

Whew! That leech gave me the heebie jeebies! Really! I am still heebing! Awesome job! Looks like it would really fool fish! Have you fished with it much?

I wasn't quite ready to enter a swap just yet but I was itching to, especially terrestrials! Thanks, Atroutbum2, for answering a few specifics re: swapping process. I am going to make up a couple of sets of flies, (probably chernobyl ants) in my free time to make it easy on myself then I'll dive in. Swap ya later, Bugcam.

I wonder how many people think its real when they first look at it? I did!! Spectacular salamander! Good job.

I lo-o-o-ve the colors, nicely done on the hackle. Wooly buggers are one of my favorites, especially "Crazy Buggers", multiple colors of marabou, bright yarn and different color of hackle, Try one out! You might catch a clown fish!!! Great job! Keep posting pics of that good work for us!!

Hey, Graham. Wow, nice work! I hope to get to that level of skill and artistry in realistics, I love bugs. Thats what drew me into fly tying. I have two kinds of spiders in my yard. Goldenrod spiders (yellow or white) that hide in my irises and a really cool spider called a jewel spider, the j.s's are huge tan colored with a cats face on the back of their abdomens. We had a record 13 adults in our yard a few years ago. In the spring I have about 300-500 redish mini babies in a cluster on my front door, they all drop like parachutists if they are disturbed. I move them into the garden. I have also seen a blue and a green fishing spider at a nature bog near home! Off topic a bit, I know, I just love talking ' bout spiders!

Thanks for the replies! Any idea what catagory of fly that might be? Dry, wet, terrestrial, freekin' odd and what kind of fish might think its good eatin? That foam was pretty thick to work with!

I have tied a few flies, mostly wooly buggers and a few fun flies. Spiders, ants and a Swamp Witch. The time has come to get 'em wet! I have practiced (wet and dry land) casting, had fun, no problems casting! This weekend I am going to go fishing a few hours north of Edmonton, Alberta. I borrowed a fly rod and reel from work. How do I put the fly on the line? How do I reel in? How do I let im go? Does anyone have any web site suggestions? They have Rainbows and some kind of suckers there, I would love to eat a fish that I catch!

I just logged in yesterday, I love everyones pictures and advice! I like the laid back open positive attitude here. Here is a pic of a fly that I tyed last weekend. I used screen window foam, black thread, 4 ply yarn (split) and some Lulu (black lab) hair and some Round Rubber Legs (Superfly) RRL-09-M, and a misc. black hook. Inspired by a chernobly ant and a parachute humpy and the pirates of the carribean movie. Looks like it bites! What catagory might this be in and what fish might be attracted to it? Oh, should I burn the ends of the yarn so it won't lose its shape? I hope the pic shows up, if not ooops, I will try again! Bugcam P.S. Contests and swaps look awesome!