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Blackwater Virgil

Hi, I'm Blackwater Virgil, and I'm an addict, too

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Saw this and since it looks like I'll be coming here regularly now, I thought I'd introduce myself. I'm 66, retired, and have fly fished since my late teens, and tied flies even before I had a fly rod. Used to read Field & Stream and Outdoor Life and other magazines regularly, and seeing how flies were tied just fascinated me. In my early teens, I took a catfish hook, a pipe cleaner, some hair from the tail of my red setter (I don't think she ever forgave me for that one!), and some of Mom's thread, and tied up my first primitive fly - a streamer of course. Had no idea what it might represent. Just used what materials I could find (or steal from my dog) and tried to put them on the hook like I'd seen it done in the magazines. Not having a fly rod, I didn't even get to test them out to see if they'd catch anything. Not having a vise, I was pretty well limited to larger size hooks, too. Worked all summer between 10th and 11th grade and got myself a Garcia 8.5' #8 wt. rod and a Pflueger 1495 Medalist reel, and a Cortland WF-8-F line. Tied my leaders from mono that was on hand, and got started tying bass bugs, mostly. Still no vise, and those itty bitty hooks were awfully problematic for my rather large hands and fingers. No matter. I considered myself a Bass Man back then anyway. Made my bugs from bottle type corks, mostly, and developed a pretty keen eye for scrounging stuff that might make something to fool those wily bass. I think the first small flies I made were with some peacock herl I got from a peacock feather I got from a dime store. Mom gave in to my begging, but didn't have a clue what I wanted it for, even after I explained it was to tie flies for bream. Something just didn't compute with her, but her warm heart gave me the reins, and I tied up some nymph/wet fly items that actually caught fish pretty well. Again, had to raid her sewing kit for the thread, and her clear fingernail polish to boot.

 

I can't recall when I got my first vise, but it was a long time ago. Probably 40 years ago at least? It was a true revelation, though. NOW I could tie even the smallest flies, but still being a Bassin' Man, it was the big streamers and bugs that I wanted to tie. I don't know how long it was before I discovered that big bass like big flies and bugs, but it wasn't long. I never quite understood deerhair bugs until significantly later, but WOW! They sure did work! Experience showed me that about 2/0 was as big as I wanted to throw, especially if there's any wind blowing. Those big bugs, especially the deer hair ones, sure do attract big bass. 4-8 pounders are fairly common here, with 10+ hitting a lot more than they're landed, but providing some heart-stopping action whether they're brought to net or not. Had one I am sure would have gone 12+ hit my bug in a buddy's pond back in high school. I saw it in slow motion as it rose rather leisurely and that great maw just sort of encircled that big 1/0 Orvis bug, and I was so dumbstruck I froze, and didn't set the hook! Never hooked that one, but my jaw hung around my belly for days afterward! I guess you could say I had a great youth.

 

I've never really gotten more serious about my fly tying until lately. I tied up a fly for shad that seems to work as well or better than anything else I or anyone else I know has come up with, but mostly, it's been foam, cork and balsa bugs, and those magical deerhair ones. I've tied simple streamers for crappie, and all manner of stuff for bream. Most caught fish, but that's really damning with faint praise because these species can be rather "unfinicky" much of the time. It was just such a pleasure to catch them on stuff I'd "made" that I really never sought to get to be what I'd consider a "REAL" fly tyer.

 

But that's why I'm here now. I DO want to get better and more versatile. I began teaching an older buddy who expressed interest in learning, and he's taken to it like a duck takes to water. I told him when we started that trying to teach him would make me a better tyer, but he sloughed it off as "political correctness," but he's proven exactly what I said was true. I AM getting "better," at least, and he's been a large part of that motivation I needed to do so. He took to dubbing immediately, largely with the help of youtube. I was never much good at it, and now, just as I predicted, HE is teaching ME! And I couldn't be happier, either! Fly tying isn't a very good place for big or picky egos, IMHO. I'm aware that if a man set out at an early age and did nothing but tie flies for life, he'd NEVER be able to tie them all, but we don't have to. All we need to do is tie enough of enough sizes and types and colors to catch some fish. Some, I know, tie for the sheer artfulness of it, and I marvel at and envy the skills of these giants among us. I think (?) I'll always be more of the "practical" type of tier, but one never really knows.

 

So gentlemen, when I learn to post pics here, and ask for your comments, I don't expect PC praise - I'll be looking for good, honest criticism from YOUR perspective and experience. I tend to like my big bass bugs a bit on the "thickly tied" side, compared to what I know some like, but I do at least have my reasons there, and in fact DO tie up some more thinly just for comparison from time to time. I've never been averse to experimenting, and plan to do more as time now allows.

 

Thanks for the opportunity to introduce myself and to let you know the perspective I'm coming from, and I hope to learn a LOT from you guys. There's so much TO learn here!

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Hey virg.... I read your story (above) then got sidetracked and answered you on a completely different thread (Duh!!!). Anyway I PM'd you. Anyway, welcome (again)

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We've already been conversing on another part of the site ... so I'll just say re-welcome to the site, Virgil.

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Oh ... I meant to comment on your topic header ...

 

"Hi, I'm Blackwater Virgil, and I'm an addict, too"

 

... If your thinking this is some kind of "anonymous" intervention site ... whooooo did you come to the wrong place !!!

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Oh ... I meant to comment on your topic header ...

 

"Hi, I'm Blackwater Virgil, and I'm an addict, too"

 

... If your thinking this is some kind of "anonymous" intervention site ... whooooo did you come to the wrong place !!!

Yeah, we are "enablers"....

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Hello...I too am an addict! Been one for a year now and this site keeps fueling the addiction!!!!

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