Streamside

I hear ya, I agree the Norlander is much cheaper. I used to use the Norelnder bobbins before I found the Ekich and was quite satisfied with their performance. At that time I thought it was the best bobbin out there, until I tried the Ekich. I found the Ekich bobbin felt so much more natural in my hand and was an all around better design. I hate having to spool bobbins. I go through thread so fast I was spooling all the time. I know $100.00 for a bobbin sounds like a lot, but Feruk actually doesn't make hardly any profit off his bobbins. The Ekich bobbin is quite intricate and the machining is quit extensive. Feruk farms out the machining to a company in Shelburn Ontario if I remember correctly and he then assembles the parts at home. It cost almost $100.00 dollars each per unit just to manufacture them. I wish I had a dozen. Feruk also guarantees his bobbins and will replace it if it ever breaks.

Nope, never had that problem. Keep it coming. I say the more the better! Just got a new order in from China today. Spent the day pluckin feathers wrist deep in borax and salt. My biggest problem is storage. 1 set of Wasatch tools 7 tools and leather travel case + bought 3 extra tools 2 small parrots {1 yellow 1 green} 2 royal blue king fishers 2 Blue horn bills 2 Silver pheasants 1 Reeves pheasant 4 Pheasant crest & tippets {2 Amherst 2 golden} A friend of mine stopped in and gave me 1 blue jay 2 full wild turkey fans 1 set of mallard drake wings 1 full set drake wood duck feathers 1 bag full ringneck pheasant feathers 1 bag pheasant church window feathers 1 set of rough grouse wings 3 bag termagant feathers 4 huge white buck tails 5 small bags mist..... bird feathers I also stopped by my bird coup tonight picked up 3 molted pheasant tail feathers and 4 peacock feathers and that's just one day! Next week have coming in 1 full badger pelt 1 full otter pelt 1 black fisher pelt 2 AAA jungle cock capes Fine Winder II tying machine and my Kalax if it ever gets here.

I tie primarily trout flies ranging from size # 12 - 32 micro. For streamers I try to stick to sizes # 6 - 8. For speed, perfect tension control getting the job done with threads #3/0 - 8/0. You can't beat the standard Rite ceramic adjustable bobbins. The spool tension setting is an accurate click setting that is under coiled spring load. They come with 2 sets of Delran washers that run on the ends of the spools that make them run smooth as butter. They fit all standard spools. I keep them loaded with the natural nymph colors I use most often. For spinning deer hair using Kevlar thread and others heavier than #03 and for tying heavy larger pike streamers or salt water flies I like the Rite magnum long reach and the Rite ceramic magnum long reach. For fine threads like Uni #17/0 I only use a high quality stainless bobbin. Ekich Automatic bobbin. The Ekich is expensive, but worth every penny. Unlike the Norlander auto bobbin, it fits all standard spools and you don't have to wind special bobbins all the time. It also gives you much smoother control than the Norlander and fits way better in your hand. I only own the one right now but I plan on buying more this winter The rest of my bobbins are a mixmatch of different companies I have bought over the years.

Here you go . This is a very simple but deadly maggot pattern. I use it mostly for brookies. Hook: size 16- 18 Body: White ostridge hurl Head : Black Micro bead

Hi Troutbum, I use Uni 17/0 a lot. Probably more than any other thread in my arsenal. Like Joe, I use it on classic salmon flies / speys in order to keep my heads as small as possible and to keep bodies smooth and uniform and I get away with more wraps when I need them, but it is very delicate thread. I also tie and fish a lot of micro patterns where tying with 17/ 0 is essential. You really have to get used to using it and you need a high quality steel bobbin. The cheap flanged tin tube bobbins just won't cut the mustard. I was the one that wrote the post about ceramic bobbins being no good for Uni 17/ 0. The problem is not that a ceramic bobbin heats up any more than a steel bobbin, the problem is that ceramic is an insulator and it will not let the friction heat escape or disperse through the length of the tube so the heat builds up faster and is concentrated at the point of friction contact. With a steel bobbin the tube acts as a conductor allowing the heat to be constantly conducted away from the friction point and disperses the escaped heat build up along the length of the steel tube. I know it sounds like a farce, but it's true. Faruk Ekich inventor of the Ekich automatic bobbin actually explained and proved it to me in a demonstration. Under magnification you could actually see that the 17/ 0 thread was indeed melted by the ceramic bobbin tip in just a few turns under normal tension pressure and it doesn't make any difference how well you polish your ceramic. Same goes for the Renzetti ruby tip bobbin, I tried it too with the same results. I use one of the Ekech Auto all steel bobbins with a fairly long tube for all my 17/0 tying because it tensions the thread automatically and I never have to worry about pulling too hard and breaking the thread, or worry about it melting, but that doesn't mean you need to buy a $100.00 bobbin to tie with 17/0 . there are a few good all steel bobbins out there, just make sure you stay away from ceramics. Micro patterns tied with 17/0 Uni thread

Beautiful Terry nice ties. :yahoo: Well done! Now try a size #32 fully dressed feather wing Royal Coachman.

I save all my old tapered leader butts for most of my smaller mono eyes. Because they are tapered, they will do a number of different size flies. For larger flies like pike I use weedeater line. I like the chartruce green or bright blue better than the clear. If you hold the flame just close enough to melt it into a ball without burning or blackening it, it will hold it's color.

I use a soft gum white drafting eraser. Strips them right off clean in a couple strokes.

Awsome page, thanks for the link! That's one I missed.

Nice ebay score! Last week, after a bit of a search, I just ordered a couple of nice AAA JC capes from a guy near where I live. Then I saw these two beauties on ebay and I couldn't resist. Paid less than $100.00 each. They have really nice coloring, and lots of small nails with very few splits, nice for my cane rod inlays.

I majored in business, so I could tell you right to the very penny what I have invested because it's all inventoried on Business Visions and I get a quarterly report, but I'm not going to. LOL My cane rod, guiding and my fly tying businesses are all limited registered companies, so everything that has anything at all to do with fishing is a potential write-off source and I usually milk it for everything it's worth. rods, reels, vices, tools, boats, rafts, gas / travel / fishing trips you name it. If I take a couple fellas on a fishing trip it gets filed under entertaining clients/ business associates. ..... :hyst: I don't care if they make me money, I have a number of other residual incomes so as long as they are each showing a little profit on the books, I'm happy. I can fish seven days a week if I want to and my fishing and fishing toys don't cost me anything.... Right now I'm just trying to figure out how I can squeeze in a brand new Jeep Rubicon......travel / guiding perhaps :hyst: :hyst: :hyst: :hyst: :hyst:

Hi Fatman, whenever I am coating feathers I use "Bugzz" clear bug lac rather than using flexible head cement. It dries almost instantly and it's completely impervious when it's dry It stands up a lot better than head cement. To dry them, I cut the end of the quill on a sharp angle and just poke the quill into a block or sheet of Styrofoam. It works great and it's easy to keep big lots of feathers organized by size and color etc....

Thanks Alex but I found a seller only a few miles from home. Thanks anyway

I cure all my own animal hides / bird skins, and I do them all the same way for more than 20 years . 1/3rd 20 Mule Team Borax, 1/3rd large crystal salt, {either sea salts or Epsom salts} Don't use fine salts like pickeling salt because it will just cake and becomes hard to get off. 1/3rd crushed moth balls. this will keep the pests away for years.

If you can find a fly shop in Nufi Land that doesn't have some, Ill eat my shorts. Moose are more common in Nufi than cattle :hyst:

Troutbum thanks! Just what I was looking for. Much better pricing.

Nice lookin stuff, but his retail prices are whacked! $239.25 . He only shows one general pic on the site and that's not nessasarily the cape you get. Jungle Cock I really like to inspect first hand before I buy. He's in Alberta. I'm really looking for Ontario supplier little closer to home. Thanks

Those of you that tie Classic Salmon flies and the like, Who is the best source available for Grade A & Super Grade full Jungle capes. I am having trouble finding presentation quality capes in Canada. I used to get half decent capes on ebay a few years ago from England, but the last one I bought was lousy. Advertised as A grade, More like B Grade and full of splits.

Lazzeri Orion 3 rotary vise Features Not much larger than the Renzetti Traveler in size Flawless machining, made of stainless steel and brass. Flat black mat finish base with hook pockets Beautiful embossed Lazzeri logo on top of brass head stock and pewter style logo on the base. Large well spaced strait knurled knobs for easy adjustment. The small adjustment ring tightens against a crowned spring washer recessed into the larger adjustment ring for a fine easy adjustment that doesn't move. Spindle turned rotary handle helps finger not to slip off the end well turning. Two sets of Timkin needle bearings for super smooth operation. Fullly adjustable/ removable head. Heavy duty case hardened cam locks against another crowned spring washer for a bulldog grip with minimum wear. Comes with two sets of jaws. Small # 32 - #12 Magnum pocketed jaw # 12 # 4/0 Hook alligning tool. You use this to allign the rotation axis of your first hook, then remove it. Once set every corosponding hook of the same size is perfectly alligned. Whenever I go somewhere on a fishing vacation, I always take my Renzetti Traveler. I have many other high quality vices to choose from, but I'm so comfortable and familiar to tying with it. We all have that one piece of equipment we won't part with, mine is my traveler. I've had mine since they first came out. Lately the Renzetti is getting pretty old and junky looking so I bought a new travel vise. After looking at just about every bent knee rotary vise on the market, and reading all kinds of reviews, I finally decided on the Morsetto Orion 3, Lazerri's newest bent knee rotary. I'm glad I did because it is one beautiful little vise. At home, I don't generally tie on a bent knee rotary. I find because of my own unique style of tying I am much better suited to an inline rotary / stationary vise. Although I chose the Orion as my travel vise, it would make anyone a beautiful presentation vise or every day vise . The thing I like most about it is it's size. It is not much bigger than the Renzetti traveler and with the exception of the unique head / jaws, it is just about as simple. . I thoroughly enjoyed my break in period with my new Orion 3 . It is extremely smooth to operate , easy to adjust and it took very little getting used to. I was totally comfortable with it in a matter of a few short minutes after I started tying. As steelie season is in, I started with a few egg sucking leaches, wooly worms, streamers and wigglers. I did not have a bobbin hanger with it, so used the old one off my traveler which worked fine. Rotary tying went very well. The vise worked flawless. I have never had any problem aligning hooks for rotary tying, and at first I thought the hook alignment tool was a bit of a gimmick, but when I started using it in conjunction with the pocketed magnum jaw, It worked extremely well and fast when I was changing hook sizes and hook types. The large hook pocket worked excellent for big streamer hooks limericks all sizes and styles of salmon hooks. I even used the small hook pocket to tie up some # 6 - 8 Moe's Sperm Eggs, that I had snelled on leads earlier and it worked great. I did however spray coat the inside of the jaw pockets with rubber guard so as not to damage my salmon hooks. I then went on to try the smaller non pocketed jaw on some small buggers and streamers and drys for next seasons trout. I found the three hook dishes in the base very useful for smaller sizes. I usually tie five flies in three different sizes of each pattern I put in my chest box, so that worked out perfect. Coincidently it's the only vise I own that has hook dishes in the base and I like them very much. {No stray hooks. } The base is also nice and heavy making the Orion very stable. Overall I did not find any faults with the Lazzeri Orion. It's pretty simple and that I like. There is not a whole lot of unnecessary adjustments on it to come loose all the time. As far as machining and quality goes, it doesn't get any better. The Lazzeri Orion3 made in Italy is one classy looking little vise with loads of eye appeal, machined of stainless steel and a non tarnishing mat finish brass alloy with a mat black base. The Lazzeri Orion is so........ smooth, so well engineered, and so user / hand friendly it is like comparing a Ferrari to a farm tractor when comparing it to other bent knee rotary vises.The entire vise can be taken down and maintenance with one Allen key in a matter of seconds and switches easily from left to right hand. Although I am not a big fan of bent knee rotaries, and it will never replace my inline rotary Pamolas I am very happy with the Orion and it's going to make a great little travel vise.

Hello Olaf Sorry for the delay. I've been steelheading. I like the Orion very much Olaf. I've tied quite a few doz flies on it already. Really there is not one bad thing I can say about it . I've have used a lot of different rotary vices. Hammerhead, Dyna King, Renzetti, Law, Thompson, Right now for vices I have Lazzeri Orion, Regal statioary, Renzetti Traveler, Thompson Vision, Thompson SLT, a few Thompson A's and two Pamola Fly Lathes one clamp one pedestal. I'll post my report on Orion tonight.

Does anyone know where I can get a supply of oval or flat monofiliment as used on George Grant woven hair hackle flies? Any help is appreciated.

If you are serious about getting rid of some, PM me, let me know what you have and we can put a deal together.

For the most part for the last three or four years I have been into catching trophy browns using ultralight equiptment. Micro flies 18- 32 using ultralight tackle 1-3wt hand made short 6-7 foot cane rods and ultralight 7x 8x 9x tippits. It's a hell of a lot of fun and extreemely challenging. So 18-32 is the majority of the sizes I tie, but with that said, I also tie realistic fishable flies, streamers in all sizes , {speys and Classic salmon flies without vise} up to size 0/7

Isn't anyone going to answer poor Ray? Hi Ray, I always do step by step when I submit a pattern, but it takes a lot of time and work. Sometimes the photography is harder than tying the "gall-darn" fly. I would submit more patterns, if I had more time to spend on the net. If you look, you will see we have a step by step pattern feature on the forum.

It's gotta be. It only very rarely happened to me when I used "normal" hooks. Soon as I started getting the hooks that cost a little more, I get stabbed almost daily. :ripped: That's weird. Do you stab yourself when it's in the vise when your tying, or when your getting the hooks out of the box? I honestly coulden't tell you when the last time I picked myself with a hook point, but I'll bet you it has to be at least 10 years. I use TMC all the time and I tie almost every day. Everthing from Claccic Salmon to micro # 32 No- See- ems. Small hooks I shake out of the box into a hook bowl or base of my vise and pick them up on a wet finger tip, larger hooks I've never found to be a problem. I'm just really careful. I'm more apt to let one get away every now and then and find it in my sock a week or so later.