Current Angler

This is exactly what I was looking for! So far the best I've found are Fulling Mill, so I'm a little surprised he put them so low on the list. Has anyone tried Driftstone beads?

I've noticed a distinct difference between the sizes and densities of slotted tungsten beads from different companies labeled with the same size. For example, a 7/64" or 2.8 mm bead from one company might be noticeably smaller than that of another company. I've heard of people comparing the densities/sizes of beads from different companies using a gram scale. Has anyone done this? Or alternatively, does anyone have a favorite brand of slotted tungsten beads?

That did it. Tightening the knot until it was almost snug, then pulling it down to the ring with my fingers, not by pulling on the main line, was the solution. I tried it with fluoro, and you're right; unfortunately, I don't have any fluoro in the right size for the leader I was building.

Anyone that uses tippet rings find a way to avoid kinks in the line after tying the knot to the ring? I've been told this only happens with inexpensive tippet rings (which I found to be true), but have also experienced it with Rio and Hanak rings now as well. My guess is it's not the ring, but the way my knot is tightening. I'm using a duncan loop/uni knot, tying the knot and tightening it before snugging it down tight. I moisten the knot before pulling it as well. I'm sure the kinks straighten when fishing a fly, but it makes me a heck of a lot less confident.

Dark Knight Jig Hook: wide gap jig hook sz. 14 Bead: 2.8 mm silver slotted tungsten Thread: black 12/0 Tail: grizzly hackle fibers Body: black Krystal Flash Rib: small silver Ultra Wire Hot spot: purple Ice Dub

I wrote a review on my Regal Medallion Series last year. While I've only had mine for a couple years, I've heard of tyers using them for decades without any signs of aging.

Ended up figuring it out - forgot to adjust the exposure 🤦‍♂️ After I did the image came out pretty decent, although I'm sure there are still a bunch of settings I could mess around with. Admittedly the white background probably wasn't the best idea either.

After shooting with a jerry-rigged lighting setup for quite some time now, I was elated to receive a lightbox for Christmas. The box has 112 light beads, each with a brightness of 24-26 lm and an overall temperature of 5,500 K. My camera is a Canon EOS 80D with a macro lens. The settings I was using are shown in this picture: Aperture priority mode F-stop 6.3 Auto ISO Daylight White Balance As you can see in the picture, I set up the lightbox with nearly the highest light level, put a parachute adams with a classic light gray body in the box, and began shooting away. In the viewfinder, the pictures looked clear and bright. When I actually took the pictures, however, the fly and the background were much darker than in real life, or even in the view finder. Does anyone know why this might have happened, and how I can fix it? I tried adjusting the F-stop, ISO, white balance, setting the camera to automatic mode, shining a light on the fly from the front, turning out all the lights except the lightbox, adjusting the light level in the box, adding and removing the light diffuser, and raising the fly up by hooking it in a foam cup. Happy holidays to all!

I almost always base my choice on water clarity and daylight. If the water is clear, I use a natural color, most often olive or a natural variation of brown. If the water is stained, I switch to something with a little more pop, like chartreuse or white. A hotspot can work well no matter the water conditions, so sometimes I'll add a small red or orange collar. As far as daylight goes, the old saying usually holds true: dark day, dark fly, bright day, light fly. Sometimes season can have an impact as well. For example, brook trout are making their way to spawn now, and orange can be a real trigger. Do some experimenting and I'm sure you'll find your own color preferences.

Not entirely sure about either, but a quick google Lens search is usually helpful if nobody else can ID them. Google now lets you search a picture from your camera role, and it is typically pretty accurate.

If you do use a synthetic, consider tapering it very slightly towards the tips. Since you can’t stack calf tail, it often ends up being slightly tapered, which I think lends itself to the fly’s appeal. Great fly, just tied a whole bunch the other day.

I have a Quarrow one. It's decent, but I've seen better quality. I've used it for three years now, and the only issue I have is that the batteries have a tendency to pop out of their compartment. I solved this by duct taping the cover shut. Other than that, it's accurate, and has both metric and American units. Unfortunately, it just comes with a hook to weigh the fish with, so you'll want to get some fish grips to protect their gills. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/quarrow-digital-fishing-scale

Haha, just a good picture. Probably the smallest striper I’ve caught, but the difference between my smallest and my largest still isn’t much 😉

Collins hackle! They aren't as well known as some of the other brands, but they produce some of the highest quality hackle for their prices. Plus, when you buy a cape, you get the matching saddle for free. I have a coachman brown pair, and have been nothing but pleased. For $35, you really can't beat it, although you won't get nearly as many smaller feather (<16) as you would with say a Whiting bronze grade.

Sounds like some sort of caddis to me. Try tying an elk hair caddis with bleached deer or elk hair as the wing and light ginger or watery dun hackle.