snow_bound26

I have watched a few from that series. My thought wasn't so much about using weight to overcome wind resistance, but more to get an evenly balanced pattern while it's sinking. I'm not a huge fan of jig type presentation so my thought was spreading out the weight so that it sinks more level and has the same/similar control while stripping as unweighted. I do understand the concept of using weight to overcome wind resistance in theory, but adding the proper amount of weight to benefit from it is still going to require a higher line weight. Otherwise, it's still going to cast like crap because the rod is beyond its efficiency range. One of the things I want to learn with tying is how to create the illusion of size. I read a few things years ago where Larry Dahlberg talked about using the proper materials in the right way and create that effect without making the fly too large and wind resistant. It's one of the reasons I started fishing with his version of a deer hair diver.

I'm in Lake Placid from May-mid Sept and then spend my winters in UT. I haven't met him but have heard his name around quite a bit as he has a reputation for getting large muskies. When I was a kid I mostly fished in the Potsdam area where my family is from originally.

Started watching Gunnar's videos and the first one I came across was for weight balancing which was one of the biggest questions I've been thinking about. One thing I'm not seeing much of is discussion on shank length for balancing the fly fore/aft so it stays more level in the water. Anyone play around with that concept much?

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and tips. I'm planning on taking the summer to start acquiring tools and start tying in the fall. I will definitely be looking through the forum and posting questions, pics, and ideas as they arise. Bimini, I looked at the Peak vise and it's priced great and has good features what what I can tell. Definitely adding it to the list. Kim, I grew up fishing the St Lawrence watershed. Bass, pike and walleye were the name of the game. I didn't catch my first trout until I was 15 or 16. Back then I didn't understand why trout were so popular. Once I got older I really started to notice their colors and patterns. I'm not a big fan of zonker strips. They hold a lot of water and get chewed up pretty fast. They definitely have a great presentation in the water though. Eventually I want to learn to tie articulated flies for that motion in the water. What part of central NY are you in?

Thanks for the info. I will look up his videos. the expense is something I'm taking into consideration. It's no different than rod building. The initial expense is what it is. But the final product is worth the expense and effort. And if not, then at least I learn something along the way. Based on what I'm spending on flies currently, I should be able to break even in about 2 years. Especially if I can get a couple friends to help with materials in exchange for tying some flies for them. I have been looking at the Renzetti salt water traveler or traveler 2000 vises. Any other suggestions?

Hello everyone. Thinking about getting started in tying and am looking for recommendations on where to begin. Mostly I'm throwing a 9wt (which I am about to start building once the rest of my components arrive) for essox species and with how expensive these flies have become in recent years I feel like it makes sense to start tying my own. I also enjoy being creative and wouldn't mind learning how to adapt certain patterns to my preferences. I do fish trout some but don't mind buying those flies since then are still relatively inexpensive and last longer than my pike flies. I am hoping to start doing some steelhead and salmon this fall as well. I'd like my kit to be versatile enough to tie steelhead to large pike patterns. Lastly and most important, guides or videos on how to start tying would be incredibly appreciated. Mostly I've been using Dahlberg Divers since the early 2000s and various Striper patterns that I have kicking around. Am interested in patterns like Chip's Northern Magic, bang tails and fat heads. I have never fished those patterns but they have me curious. Thanks for the help.