chugbug27

Here's a tying manual from the time your father in law was a boy https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b68572 Probably better off learning from more modern sources today, but the 1949 manual is surprisingly current and in time you might find it useful when you get more familiar with the stuff in that kit.

Welcome to the forum. You've got yourself a really nice fly tying kit box there. Well designed and lots of goodies that will still hunt. I personally can't say anything helpful re tying stations I'm afraid, but welcome regardless and ask away. Some fun tidbits re the pics you posted... (Not an exhaustive list Red - your father in law bought wood duck flank at 29 cents! They've gone up Purple - is that jungle cock? Green - is that polar bear or just good looking calf tail? These hooks are made in England, probably good quality and maybe special depending The old mustad 94840's are nice hooks (I think), and the spools there are Pearsall's Stout, a nice and hard to find silk for old style flies Anyway, just enjoyed looking, have fun with it!

Too funny

Yup, that's where I'm getting the leader formulas I'm trying out. And if squatch thinks I'm insufferably annoying, imagine how my family feels...

👍 yes, definitely would simplify things. And that's a very appropriate, New Englander (?) (Midwesterner, too?), approach let's call it? But being that it's scatterbrained me, I'm trying Borger out along with a bunch of other stuff, too. 🙄 (Kinda defeats the purpose, I know) I'm starting with my local ww stuff, so I've got one 6.5' setup for #10-18 nymphs, wets & dries (mostly 12-14), another set for a variety of popper sizes. I've got another 5' set for some versileader sink tips that I haven't been using enough and want to try on an extra thick fly line (.058" tip) that I bought a while back being too cheap to buy a proper fly line (and learning another lesson). Been tying so many knots! It's soothing, somehow. The weather here is just starting to cool down from deadly, so I'm looking forward to the fall. Won't be long now. And all this for panfish! Sheesh. Makes me miss the mountains.

Ah, yes. I am trying out tying my own leaders to see how I like it. Trying different formulas, a few leaders for each formula... Ah, I remember the posts... And I wouldn't want to bet on which one of us is the cheaper... Before this I probably only bought four packs in several years, and with one of them the rings spilled into the river. (Learned the hard way to tie them on the pin / clip.) Tying my own leaders is probably not saving money, after tippet rings I go through leaders much less often. But it's something I've wanted to try and my last little adventure with tricos left me wanting to figure out a better leader. And thank you niveker and Bryon, and flytire, I'm gonna get those stainless jump rings from Fire Mountain Gems. I might buy some Miyuki beads from them while I'm at it.

Anyone actually use jeweler's jump rings? Looks like the ones to try would be closed and soldered, stainless steel. Fire Mountain Gems sells them $9 for 50, 2.4mm inner diameter.... but are they the washer type or round cross section?... (Will I never learn, poopdeck? Probably not.)

I'm coming to the same conclusion

Went on Amazon to see if I could find something else without having to buy brand name tippet rings.... I found reviews on the same and similar products commenting on the sharp edges anyone have a good source for low cost but good quality tippet rings?

Hm. Still happening. Maybe it's the tippet ring, a sharp inner edge Here's what they look like on eBay. Close-up shows the inner edge, which I'm now thinking the tippet must move across as the knot is tightened: Same tippet ties perfectly on my smooth bodkin needle, no problem whatsoever

You know what?!... problem solved. Turns out it was user error. I was tying on tippet rings that are smaller than I'm used to, so much so that when I used my bodkin to tighten the knot (inserting it into the tippet ring), the tippet was getting caught and rubbing between the bodkin and the tippet ring -- causing the crimpage. Not the knot tightening, but the nut who was tightening it. Phew. Thought the world was changing on me. Turns out it's just me. Again.

I've been using Rio tippet forever just out of habit, and bought some Powerflex Plus recently that seems to be crumpling up on me when I tie a clinch knot. Lots of spit, and I've tried nudging the knot down as I pull. Nudging helps but still get that crumbled result where the knot moves over the tippet on its way to tightening. Is this me, the knot, or maybe I'm thinking now it's the "plus" tippet? Been tying up leaders with 0x, 1x, 2x... maybe it's just the larger diameters? Doesn't happen with Maxima, just with the tippet, and it's never been this pronounced and bothersome before... Anyone else run into this with Powerflex Plus, or have any insight? I'm stumped.

Awesome, welcome to the site! Gunnar Brammer has a great series of streamer related tying videos, soup to nuts.

I liked it so much I ordered some blue squirmy wormy

Oh man!