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Here some advise from someone who was in your shoes just before Xmas. There are two approaches that I would recommend. First option, go to Cabela's and buy Jack Dennis's Getting Started Fly Tying DVD and starter kit. I found the DVD after I bought a starter kit, and did not have some of the materials needed to tie his flies. His instruction is clean and easy to understand. The second option is to pick three common flies. I would recommend the Pheasant Tail Nymph, the Gold-Ribbed Hair Ear, and the Griffiths Gnat. These flies simply catch fish and cover multiple species of trout food. You can get lots of step-by-step instructions on the net or hit your local library. Once you pick them out, order just the equipment and materials you need, but get high quality. This approach is more expensive. However, if you end up getting into it like me, you will want to upgrade your equipment in a couple of months anyway. The one thing I have found over the last couple of months is this is one hobby where quality is worth paying for. After you nail down these three get more supplies. Here are my final inputs... 1. If you can afford it get a high quality vise. I got one a cheap one from my kit. It started to wear out on me in a couple of months. The good ones will start at a couple hundred dollars. However, the difference is night and day. That one is always a tough call...quality versus cost. 2. Don't skimp on your bobbin and scissors. 3. Learn everything you can on Hackle feathers, I waisted money getting the wrong kinds. 4. If you can find a good fly shop, use it. 5. Be careful, once you catch a fish on a fly you built, it is can get addicting. Here is a good read. Drop me a PM if you have any questions from a fellow beginner. 25 Best Flies.pdf

Can we see the pic's...just kidding. I agree with follow up posts... as long as your not loud and/or spooking fish, I don't care.

Playing with fire...

Nice fish. I'm all about catch and release, but there is something about that trout on "ice" that makes me hungry.

Boot Size: 2 to 3 General clothing size: 8 to 10

All, I'm looking for some lightly used waders for my eight year old girl. If you have something that might work, let me know. Mike

All those in favor say "ya"....Ya

We were supposed to get 1-3, and we are at 5.5 at the Scott AFB area.

Your probably right, but I say let's wait until there done. Which from the pics, they clearly are not.

Thanks for reposting the pics.

Thanks so much. I figured it out and resized. Hopefully you can actually see them now.

I've tried, but I can't figure out how with the software I have.

Great post and report. Thanks

I tried to get a better pic. You really can't see the yellow, but here you go. I also finished my first small spinner #18. I got it on the fourth try. if you click the pic, you can see it better.

"Tree" is not another word for "wife" is it?

I was making a black and yellow crackleback and was just finishing up with the dry hackle and the hackle broke. Trying to figure out what to do, I tied a partridge feather for a new wet fly. I don't know if it will work, but sure looks fishy.

No feathers ruffled...just making a funny.

I'm slow...but I figured it out...all specific notes removed. Hope I made the trout gods happy.

Your are probably right...should have kept my mouth shut. You will however...have to forgive me...I was suffering from trout fever and delirious. Matter of fact, I probably made up the whole thing in my mind. If you can't forgive, then I blame it on all the people who talked about parking at the red gate. If that doesn't work, then I blame it on the need to read any fishing report I can find on this forum after I haven't made it down in a couple of weeks. Either way, its not my fault.

Here is a link: http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/techniques/likakis_beyondtheswing.aspx

One of the techniques I like to use when the situation is correct is to use a wet fly swing/lift. Normally the perfect situation is when I'm walking down stream and you can be directly upstream of your spot. Basically, you determine where a lay is based on surface action, reading the water, or local knowledge. First you estimate how much line and leader is required to "tightline" to the spot you have found. Then you make your cast (with that much line) to the lane right or left of the spot and let the current swing the line directly in front of the fish. Then slowly raise your rod so that fly rises right in front of the fish. Your tightline fishing at this point so you are filling for the strike and no indicator is required. Two items to think about are spooking the fish and setting the hook. My approach works best for me in a riffle when the fish can't see you. If you are fishing a still pool stay low, try to make sure something is behind you (to break up your silhouette) and the sun is not behind (so your not throwing a shadow). When setting the hook, I have found that I have better luck when I set the hook with a low sweeping motion parallel to the ground. I don't know why, and it might be in my head. Also, before you cast, decide which direction you are going to set the hook so that you don't snap your rod on a tree or a bush. If you are fishing shallow water, sometimes I put on micro bead floats 12 to 18 inches in front of the fly...not as an indicator but to better gauge my distance. In the right situation, this approach is quite productive. Again working down stream, you can use the same technique without the rise. Cast to the other side of productive water and let the fly swing through the current a couple of times. Then take a step down stream and try again. It is a blind technique but works well in the narrow riffles when following a dry is tough and you can cover the whole water. . Going upstream you can dead drift them also. If the fish are not spooky, you can cast them upstream at a slight angle and strip them downstream also. Try small and long strips. If I work a stream upstream from the car. I almost always throw on a wet fly for the walk back down. Good luck and I hope this works for you. I've never tried a two fly rig so I can't speak to that. If I were going to try it would probably be on a dead drift technique.

I'm in Illinois, but I wouldn't mind supporting the local TU. Is there a single chapter for Southern Missouri? If yes, does anyone have their link?

No I didn't get to see the fish, but it made one hell of boil. It was in the hole I call the double L. It boiled in the froth.

Holy cow batman.

I'm just beginning, but this is my first real batch (after a couple of practice batches). I got pheasant tail, rabbit hair, yellow and partidge, and royal coachmen (wet fly).