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Any Fly Tyers Out there
- Thread starter Narragansett
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I tried tying flies but their little legs are so tiny, I just swat them instead. 
Protocall_Design
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That is some beautiful work there! I use slightly smaller hooks for the trout flies.
I started tying flies when I was 10. That was in 1965. Still at it, occasionally.
I started tying flies when I was 10. That was in 1965. Still at it, occasionally.
Started tying flies about 50 years ago. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Two of my sons took it up and are much better than I ever was. Theirs are real professional quality.
Our kids started fly fishing when they were around eight years of age. You can just imagine how many flies they broke off and lost. They'd get upset, but I'd always say, "Don't worry about it. You know the guy who ties flies for you and he doesn't charge."
Of course, as they got older, around high school age, I'd go to one of my fly boxes and would find that I'd been cleaned out. It was about then that I started teaching them to tie their own flies.
After I needed trifocals, I realized that discretion was the better part of valor and now I let my sons tie for me. It's great. I just give them a call and tell them what I need and...PRESTO!...I'll get a bunch of custom-tied flies for me in a short while. And, as I said before, they are several times better than the ones I ever tied.
Once, on a trip to Alaska with my oldest son to fish for silver salmon, he presented me with a whole box of salmon flies that he tied.
Yep, life is good.
Our kids started fly fishing when they were around eight years of age. You can just imagine how many flies they broke off and lost. They'd get upset, but I'd always say, "Don't worry about it. You know the guy who ties flies for you and he doesn't charge."
Of course, as they got older, around high school age, I'd go to one of my fly boxes and would find that I'd been cleaned out. It was about then that I started teaching them to tie their own flies.
After I needed trifocals, I realized that discretion was the better part of valor and now I let my sons tie for me. It's great. I just give them a call and tell them what I need and...PRESTO!...I'll get a bunch of custom-tied flies for me in a short while. And, as I said before, they are several times better than the ones I ever tied.
Once, on a trip to Alaska with my oldest son to fish for silver salmon, he presented me with a whole box of salmon flies that he tied.
Yep, life is good.
The peacock bass in Lake Gatun would hit a 2-0 hook with a piece of soda straw on the shaft if you ran out of minnows. Not pretty but it works.
There are a lot of buetiful patters out there on Salmon flies and others,
that I have not tied yet but I have covered the bases pretty well, since I started when I was in High School, bacl in 1962.
My father put a bamboo fly rod in my hand when I was ten and we could go down to a store and buy ten small dry flys for a dollar.
After loosing them to bushes, tree limbs, willows etc. I soon learned as I got older, that buying them might not be the best solution.
I have tied large flys foe King Salmon on the Yuba river, out of Sacramento, Cone head Clousers for Florids waters, Streamers for large Trout in our waters to a small #20, for High Sierra lakes, that hold Golden Trout.
My favorite trout fly on calm waters is the Adams with a Royal Coachman, for when the water has white foam blended in.
At my age I have lots of 20's tied, since a #18 is a lot easier on my old eyes and shaky hands.
However a nymph or "Bug" under a float is a second way to fish on slow days or for warm water pan fish, if you like Crappie and their pals.
Yes I have tied a few in my time.
that I have not tied yet but I have covered the bases pretty well, since I started when I was in High School, bacl in 1962.
My father put a bamboo fly rod in my hand when I was ten and we could go down to a store and buy ten small dry flys for a dollar.
After loosing them to bushes, tree limbs, willows etc. I soon learned as I got older, that buying them might not be the best solution.
I have tied large flys foe King Salmon on the Yuba river, out of Sacramento, Cone head Clousers for Florids waters, Streamers for large Trout in our waters to a small #20, for High Sierra lakes, that hold Golden Trout.
My favorite trout fly on calm waters is the Adams with a Royal Coachman, for when the water has white foam blended in.
At my age I have lots of 20's tied, since a #18 is a lot easier on my old eyes and shaky hands.
However a nymph or "Bug" under a float is a second way to fish on slow days or for warm water pan fish, if you like Crappie and their pals.
Yes I have tied a few in my time.
When I saw the title to the thread, I thought it was a call to a reunion, thinking, "Wow! We have some of those guys here!"
Flying Tigers - Wikipedia
Flying Tigers - Wikipedia
I've been tying for about 30+ years now. But, not so much in the last few years. Mostly Trout, Bluegill, and bass. I got into re-building bamboo rods for awhile. Did about 7 or 8. Last rod I built was a 5 1/2 ft IM6 graphite in 4 wt. It is lots of fun with big bluegill. A 3 lb trout will bend it double, (found out before I switched back to my 6 wt.)
Sorry, I don't have pictures of my fly's.
Here's a couple of bamboo rods I did.
Sorry, I don't have pictures of my fly's.
Here's a couple of bamboo rods I did.
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Bamboo rods were quite the thing, back in the day.
I remember my father's, that came with a spare tip section and
the Red material that was inside the eye, what ever it was ?
My favorite fly rod was a spun glass, made by Fenwick, that I used back in the 80-90's, for trout.
No IM fly rods but I do have several in the new style Spin rods.
Never got into making rods but I do make Salmon to Pan size spinners and Lake Trolls.
I think we all have had that one moment when, all of a sudden the.........
thread breaks !!
Carry on.
I remember my father's, that came with a spare tip section and
the Red material that was inside the eye, what ever it was ?
My favorite fly rod was a spun glass, made by Fenwick, that I used back in the 80-90's, for trout.
No IM fly rods but I do have several in the new style Spin rods.
Never got into making rods but I do make Salmon to Pan size spinners and Lake Trolls.
I think we all have had that one moment when, all of a sudden the.........
thread breaks !!
Carry on.
I have the equipment but have yet to get to it. I love catching bluegills on a little 5 weight rod. Rock bass out of the rivers is great fun too.
People may think I am crazy but if a bluegill grew to be 50lbs I doubt you would ever land one!
I caught a few trout in Yellowstone on an Elk Hair Caddis a local fisherman gave me. The one I bought at the trading post in the park didn't work at all.
I plan to hit some golf course ponds this summer now that I am retired.
People may think I am crazy but if a bluegill grew to be 50lbs I doubt you would ever land one!
I caught a few trout in Yellowstone on an Elk Hair Caddis a local fisherman gave me. The one I bought at the trading post in the park didn't work at all.
I plan to hit some golf course ponds this summer now that I am retired.
Never flyfished or was much of a fisherman at all, but when I was a kid, I used to like to tie flies. I would tie some for my dad and brother to use. We were out in the sticks and, at the time I got into it, didn't have a TV, so it was something to do.
I stopped fly fishing when I discovered with dynamite you get more than one fish at a time.
OP
Learn to tie a wooly bugger. Everything eats them
Don't forget the foam Black Ant or beetle with hackle or rubber legs.
I love to see a top water "Ambush".
However we do have a few small trout ponds, where I set up the kids with a indicator and two wet flys or nymphs, for them to slowly strip in.
Every now and then they pick up a small 4-6" Pumkinseed, which adds to the fun.
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I like the ant's as well they are deadly. I prefer to fish the top water offerings and popping bugs are really fun. The dink bass are a ball to catch on them.
Stripers and Blues on the Chesapeake. But no little dinky flies or rods. I made a good deer hair streamer and another big floater for fishing near grass beds and other cover. One of my paying customers caught a great 32 pound Striper on that floater in yellow. He was to be honest the happiest fisherman I ever saw. After all kinds of pics and measuring/weighing. He turned it loose. His wife had the fight on film. She caught a few smaller fish on my flyrod setup Then went out in the open bay and they caught a few blues of 2 to 4 pounds. They had a fun time
YeshuaIsa53
SWCA Member
Was raised using a 12' cane pole as a fly rod, but we fished smaller rivers. Tried fly fishing and enjoyed it. My favorite "bug" was a firefly shimmy. Started collecting duck feathers for tying, but actually far more enjoyed collecting ducks. Still have some duck feathers from over the years.
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OP
There is not much that will stand up to the teeth of a bluefish. You have to admire a fish that fights pound for pound with the best of them, and then wants to bite the hell out of you once you land it. They are good smoked, but way to dark and oily cooked any other way IMO.
