MTtyer

You may consider starting off tying some Clousers. It would take a few bucktails in different colors (about $3.00 each), some saltwater hooks, some barbell eyes, some head cement, and maybe a little crystal flash. There are plenty of step by step tying instructions on the web or post any questions and someone will be glad to guide you through. Good luck.

Thanks for pointing that article out Joe. I've been tying clousers for many years and, apparently, have always been tying the eyes too far forward. I've even tyed orders of salt water clousers using the same eye-forward design. This really gives me something to think about. (and a lot of hooks to strip and start over)

Our leaves are changing....hope to get out tomorrow and harass some big browns. This is Rock Creek, in western MT.

I use a Gamakatsu S14S-3H multi-use, 3x strong mostly in size 8. Small barbell eyes in typical clouser style. White belly/grey back makes a good minnow/small baitfish imitation. Combinations of orange/brown can look like small brown trout and white belly/a little pink and dark olive are generally used to imitate small rainbows. I stack the hair, but it doesn't have to be perfect.

Olive and black is hard to beat here in MT....and the browns sometimes will really nail a yellow and white for some reason.

I fished bass tournaments in my 20's and 30's and consider that a sport. I hope that fly fishing never gets reduced to a competitive sport. (although if ESPN had their way, it would) Fly fishing for me is the penacle of the fishing world. Having gone through a childhood of bait fishing, teenage years with a "catch the biggest and the most" attitude, and early adulthood fishing bass tournaments....I now I feel that I have arrived at the "top". I can totally enjoy switching flies and trying not to spook one little picky trout for an hour. When/if I catch him, it is more satisfying than all the trophy bass and huge stringers of fish in the world. Also, when my "prey" does take a fly, he instantly transforms himself into my responsibility...to land him quickly and release him unharmed. There are those who kill their catch, participate in twenty/twenty clubs, etc., and that is their legal right....I've just outgrown it.

Fishing lie ahead...read with caution: I was wade fishing a while back and came across a water snake that had attempted to swallow a frog. The frog was lodged and the snake could not spit him out. I didn't know what to do so I took out my little flask of whiskey and poured a little bit in the snake's mouth. He spit and flopped around but let go of the frog. The frog went his way and the snake went his. I felt pretty good about myself. A little while later, I felt a tugging at my pant's cuff. It was that damn snake with another frog.

Ran fishing dept in a local sporting goods store, assistant manager at a Barnes & Noble store, carpenter, welder, and heavy equipment operator...and that's in the last 10 years. Now, I tie flies and am full time grandpa to a 16 month old.

Buggers are notorious for becoming flat after keeping in a fly box for any length of time. This usually doesn't have much bearing on what they look like when they become wet. If you perceive this to be a problem, one solution that works well is to hang them on a wire clothes hanger. Wire clothes hangers also work well when waterproofing flies with Watershed or the equivalent. Hope this helps.

The job you guys do is appreciated. Thank you and enjoy being home.

Welcome, This is a great place to exchange info and get insight from tiers from all over. You'll like it here.

It is my understanding, (someone please correct me if I'm wrong), that Targus, Kobe, etc. are actually Tiemco hooks sold under different names. You can get these at many locations in the $7.00 - $9.00 per 100 range. Sorry, I don't know of any discount outlets for 1000 packs.

Absolutely gorgeous.....nice job guys.

There are some really nice step-by-step instructions on flyanglersonline.com.

Good point. Rock Creek over here in western MT is gotta be the most slippery streambed that I've ever had the honor of baptising myself in. (happens about once a year) Korkers do seem like a good idea. Maybe I'll try to get the wife to look toward them for my xmas.

I have often felt that way...just not poetic enough to put it in those words.

Here in MT our creekbeds are like walking on greased bowling balls. Felt soles (and even studded) are a must. I learned through the years to buy the cheap Hodgeman wading boots and just replace them every season. I've tried replacing felt but it never works out. A friend has a new set of korkers and loves them but we'll have to see how many seasons that he gets out of them before making a judgement. IMHO the $39.99 - $49.99 Hodgemans are the best bet.

I used a vaccum cleaner bag once...had to punch a jillion little holes in it with a bodkin to allow for circulation but the opening fit over the hair dryer just fine. I kept the dryer on low and shook the bag as the material dried...worked just fine.

Red works well here in western MT. All the earthtones have their place (basicly match the colors of the streambed of course) but we have to watch getting too flashy for picky trout or our nymphs become a whitefish flies.

Very nice. The different wood species together look much better than all one wood like the factory types.

I toss them in a drawer...loose...and have never had a problem. I do put a small piece of a moth ball in with the more expensive stuff. It's good to hear from Waco. I live in Montana but was "borned and raised" in Palestine, TX.

I've had good days, in certain slower currents, fishing woven stone fly nymphs. In the faster water, I usually go with a good ol' Brooks stone.

Hello and welcome from Montana, You'll like it here.....great bunch of folks.

Haven't tried Rain-X. Watershed works well, but you need to let it dry for 24 hours and don't get it on rubber legs. I've heard that Scotchgard works well but have never tried it.

Welcome, Hope you find much happiness in fly fishing and tying. They are wonderful endeavors.