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[center]Having been dabbling with spinner baits, and spinner/bead harness combos - I thought maybe I'd dig into that box of feathers and fur I got from my dad. I know I've got a LOT to learn, and loads more practicing to do - and as dismal as my very first whooly bugger came out - I think a couple of other experiments might hold some hope.
I'll have to go back to basics and learn the traditional fly patterns - so I can "match the hatch" - rather than throw something so gaudy and attrocious that I'll scare off all the fish! Of course - maybe seeing something different will be just the trigger to strike!
One set is smally wooly styles:
[inline BugoutSet.jpg]
While the other is longer - more streamer like patterns:
[inline ScreamingStreamers.jpg]
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Here's some solo closeups:
[inline FancyFeathers.jpg][inline RedHeadedStripeTail.jpg][inline SparkleNympho.jpg][inline RedHeadedWhipperTail.jpg][inline BrownBuggerTail.jpg][inline BlackLeach.jpg][inline TwistedPair.jpg][inline WingedPreyer.jpg][inline YellowBelliedFleaFly.jpg][inline BeadedSaphire.jpg][inline GrubberBugger.jpg]
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When in doubt Youtube it! no really, youtube has a lot of great videos on how to tie countless patterns and some of the guys tying on there really do a great job of showing the basics.
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Haha I've been tying for like a year now and I swear to god your's all look better than ANYTHING I've made... You have some skill for sure man
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You're on your way. One idea... it is not very often that the tail exceeds the length of the hook. So unless the pattern calls for a super long tail tie them shorter and you'll get more fish.
When the pattern says to wrap some wire to help secure the hackle you can't substitute tinsel because it traps too many hackle fibers.
I second the youtube recommendation there are great patterns on there and a ton of basics being taught.
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I will be going to Mantua on Thursday, and will be bringing the fly rod. All those flys you have there will work well there. ( If the water has cleared)
If you care to join us PM me for details.
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They look a lot better than anything I'd be able to tie. I like the lack of 'basics' though. True originality is a rarity in fly tying, so I say give them a shot and see what happens.
You might incorporate some beads/coneheads with the buggers and leaches to help get them down.
(The leaches do look a bit long, although a lot of fish attack the head first, so you might get away with it.)
Looks like fun though! Go "bug" some trout ]
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Thanks for the feedback, and the kindly notes. After seeing the kind of artworks the likes of FlyGodess has created and posted - I was hesitant to embarass myself with a rookie's attempt, and kinda unguided - just grabbing feathers.
Good tips. I have found a lot of helpful angling vids on Youtube - just hadn't got into fly-tying threads (punny) - so I'll point my search engine...
So - sometimes shorter is better you're saying? That leach is rather long, by design - and I was actually thinking of adding a stinger for good measure.
I'll keep experimenting for sure. Beats getting real chores done anyway!
Toadly: Saw your query on Mantua conditions. Hope you get a report, ideally a positive one. It has chilled pretty hard - should be clearing up the pea soup I'd hope. I'll pm ya - but was wondering what kind of time you're thinking on going. Thursday might work.
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Personally, I like the names you bestowed upon them. You never know- any one of those might be just mardi gras enough to piss off a bass!
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Interesting. Try checking them out wet also to see that effect they take on.
I agree with Troller that they have very long tails and a short front hook. You will find yourself wondering why fish keep coming off. It will be that they are hitting the tails. Also, how many hits will those tails take? You want to build a fly that can withstand many hits. I have even started using Rabbit strips for tails as they can take a lot of hits
I think wire or mono is easier than tinsel myself and they are thinner diameter so as not to smash hackle.
The hackle you are using is a tad long also. Generally the hackle should be the length of the Hook gap. Some flies it is okay to go longer. And longer definitely on Wet flies/Softhackle.
When wrapping hackle, start with the tip of the feather so that the fibers on the back of the fly are smaller than the front giving a tapered body. Then try wrapping a couple of times at the eye making a thicker collar. This is called a pusher.
Some flies require you palm the hackle so that the fibers are facing forward.
All in all, I am sure these will catch fish and I applaud the effort for sure. On those longer tails, think stingers.
http://www.flyfishusa.com/fly-tying/fly-...er-fly.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35tTf07cqjs
When you going to join a fly swap? I am seriously wanting to try one of those bad boys.
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You should have seen the first flies I tied back in the day. You're getting it. Just keep practicing and you'll be amazed at how quickly things improve.
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Way to go! The fish at Cutler are going to eat those up!
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I hope I didn't come off as a downer as these are fabulous flies. Just a few suggestions for down the road. Sorry.
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Didnt sound like a downer to me. Just solid advice. When we venture into a new arena those that are willing to share advice are priceless
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FG, I thought the advice was good help.
I wish I'd had that kind of constructive help on some of my first trys. I know I have added stinger hooks to some of my bass flies that I was getting hits on but no hookups and it made a difference.
Heck, all of the flies I tie are still first tries!!! [laugh][laugh]
I am a lousy tier..... I want to slap it on there and get going!! [blush][  ]
Coyote, I think you will be catching some good crappie on those. I like your color combinations. It should be fun trying them all, just be sure and give them a chance. No fly that I have fished works all of the time.
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Fish don't know the difference. Mine are just as bad but they still catch fish. Thats the beauty of it, when you catch them on stuff you made.
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[cool][#0000ff]Lookin' pretty good to me. Good selection of styles and colors...most of which should catch some fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I first started wrapping sewing thread around barnyard chicken feathers...on big ugly hooks...when I was about 7 or 8 years old. Even to my proud young eyes they looked pretty gross. But I got some instruction from a favorite uncle and honed my skills a bit and sonufagun...some stupid fish started committing suicide on them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I'd like to think I have improved a bit since then. At least I get more approvals from the finny critics. And over the years I have learned not to scoff at some of the amateurish efforts of newbie tiers. On more than one occasion I have seen them outproduce the more "traditional" ties. In fact, while living in Sacramento, I gave some lessons to a young Jedi who managed to catch the winner in the annual steelhead contest on the very first fly he tied all by his ownself. How do you top that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You have been given some good evaluation and constructive criticism. I toss my offer into the ring to provide some "Tying 202" stuff the next time you are down this way. Sometimes you gotta play around a bit and learn the basics before the more advanced stuff has any real meaning. But it is always great to have other folks willing to share their knowledge and experience and to shorten the learning curve.[/#0000ff]
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[quote flygoddess]I hope I didn't come off as a downer as these are fabulous flies. Just a few suggestions for down the road. Sorry.[/quote]
I think "fabulous" is a bit of an exaggeration!
Blessed be NO! Excellent feedback. Experience and talent like YOURS - anyone would be a fool not to take it under wing (so to speak).
Thanks for all the feedback - all of ya. Little things like starting with the tip of the hackle - I've been all kindsa backasswards. And I mentioned a stinger w/o a real clue how I'd add it. Yup - there's a U-Tube-Vid for THAT!
Fly-buddy just learned me up a bunch of materials - guess there's a lot to making a floating vs sinking fly.
Looking back over some patterns in a Fly-Book - I see now, most of the streamer-wings start at the eye of the hook, not the tail. And I've always wondered how long any fly will tolerate even Trout Teeth.
I'll have to start looking into more materials too (plastic finger nails maybe!) I got ideas now for using some of those old Wine-Corks for Poppers!
I'd like to learn about Eyes too. How do ya make THEM pop?!
I'll have to try some under ice. Do they make thread that glows?
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I think those flies are smooth. I've been tying for half a dozen years and I still have some of my very first ties -- man, they're ugly. I vividly remember the first fish I caught on one of my own flies -- it was a HUGE victory, and had fueled me ever since. There is really no way to explain how awesome it feels to catch a fish on a pattern you tied yourself.
FWIW, I like having longer tails on my bugger type flies. I do use a lot of rabbit strip in place of marabou, but don't neglect the marabou -- easily the greatest asset to a fly tyer. Also, I'd recommend saving all of your scraps of chenille and feathers. I started saving it all a couple of years ago (you know, just the stuff that could actually be used) and have saved myself a lot of money. That half inch that you clip off of a marabou tail will come in handy if you are tying damsle fly nymphs or carp patters, and small bits of chenille are always helpful!
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Quote:I'll have to start looking into more materials too (plastic finger nails maybe!) I got ideas now for using some of those old Wine-Corks for Poppers!
It's fun to experiment with all sorts of random materials. A friend of mine that worked at a fly shop showed me a nice, durable little pattern called a "Condom Caddis". I now use surgical gloves instead as I don't really need spermicide for the trout [laugh] But seriously, get creative, it makes tying even more fun.
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What gives? I thought that there was a forum created just for lint lovers. As a barbed hook loving meatsticker I've got to take a stand, this is an outrage![:p]
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