Fly Tying 101

[Mikey]

So, I've had some fly tying tools and materials for about 3 weeks now. The question is:

What have I learned so far?

I have learned that my wife's thread is not the "same stuff but cheaper".

I have learned that the craft section at WalMart may hold great ideas, but I always feel silly browsing for 10 minutes at colored pompoms and metallic yarns.

I have learned that when trying ti duplicate a fly I've seen a picture of, it is best to have a recipe. Furthermore it is best to follow said recipe.

I have learned that crimping down the barbs is as humane for the fish as it is any fabrics or flesh around the area I am tying.

I have learned a half hitch is not something involving a trailer ball. I have also learned how to do it with my hands.

I have learned loctite super glue will bond anything to everything. Except antron. Antron melts.

I have learned how to bend my own whip finish out of solid copper wire. I have not yet learned how it works.

I have learned my dial-a-hook doesn't dial a decent hook to tie with.

And just today I learned when a recipe for a San Juan Worm calls for chenille it doesn't necessarily mean rayon chenille. Funny stuff rayon...when singing the ends with a flame to seal them off it has a tendency to disappear in a flourish of smoke. Quickly I might add...

Most importantly, I have learned regardless what it looks like...my fly is something I made. Something I enjoyed making (regardless the colorful language following thread snaps).

Oh well...truly I learn something new every day. Especially when it comes to tying my own flies. Or whatever they are....

Flies successfully tied:

Trout Crack - Y2K - Zebra Midge (olive&copper) - San Juan Worms

Still can't make my egg patterns round.

-Mikey

[Randall]

post some pics and show us how you've been doing.

as for the eggs, it isn't that hard once you get used to it. i use my fingers to get a good rough shape after the first cut, then trim it to a nice ball shape.

[Danoinark]

Excellent post Mikey, we have all been there, but you said it great! Dano

[MrsDucky]

I laughed...I cried...I realized that all those apply to me. Even though I'm no stranger to the crafts department, when the sales clerk asks if she can help you find something in particular, as soon as you say "for fly tying" her eyes glaze over, and her nose goes in the air. How dare you consider throwing that beautiful craft supply into the lake??? I started just after Christmas, and feel pretty good about most of mine. However, I just saw the FlyTyingForum's Final Selection, and now I'm back to crying!

[Danoinark]

I laughed...I cried...I realized that all those apply to me. Even though I'm no stranger to the crafts department, when the sales clerk asks if she can help you find something in particular, as soon as you say "for fly tying" her eyes glaze over, and her nose goes in the air. How dare you consider throwing that beautiful craft supply into the lake??? I started just after Christmas, and feel pretty good about most of mine. However, I just saw the FlyTyingForum's Final Selection, and now I'm back to crying!

MsDucky

But you must remember that most flies are tied for the fisherman and not the fish...they don't really care what they look like

Dano

[Terry Beeson]

To add...

What I have learned:

1. You get strange looks from women at WalMart when you are trying to decide between Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails, Advanced Hard As Nails, and Hard As Nails.

2. The number of bedrooms a family needs can be calculated by multiplying the number of people in the family times 2.3. For example, a man, his wife, and their 11 year old daughter need 7 bedrooms.

1 for the man and wife to sleep in.

1 for the child to sleep in.

1 for all the fish, cats, guinea pigs, and killer yorkies to sleep in.

1 for all the junk, clothes, gadgets, and other paraphernalia.

1 for all the wife's hobbies and crafts

and 2 for the man to store his fly fishing equipment - one for tying, one for equipment (add hunting stuff in there as well.)

3. You should buy two coffee grinders and mark them well. Possum dubbing does not taste good in Millstone Caffe Midnight.

4. Deer hair spinning and eating taco soup do not mix well.

5. My beard hair trimmings make a nice dubbing ingredient for spikey looking flies. However, what use to make nice ginger spikey flies now are very white.

6. Wives do not generally appreciate you stopping in the middle of traffic to secure fly tying material - aka: road kill.

7. Always divide the actual cost of fly tying material by 20 unless you can afford a boat load of diamonds and shoes.

8. NEVER describe a trip to any fly tying event as such. ALWAYS approach the decision maker with the idea of a very romantic weekend with her able to sleep ALL DAY while you leave her alone in the room.

9. Fly shops would make a lot more money if they also sold flowers and diamond jewelry.

10. Fly tying forums are great places to pick up fly tying tips and even a little marriage councelling.

You're doing good, Mikey and Mrs Ducky. Paraphrasing Dano's comments, you can tie to please everyone else, or you can tie to please the fish.

Now, here is your next challenge......

[jjtroutbum]

Very insightful posts, and Terry where did that fly come from? That is something that just happens to combine my two favorite obsessions

[Randall]

that looks like the fish from finding nemo... did you tie that?

[Terry Beeson]

OK... I confess... I did not tie that one... Those that know my tying abilities will attest to the fact that any attempts at tying Nemo would result in a Titanic disaster!...

This is just a taste of what kind of tying you might find at the Sowbug Roundup, Conclave, or other tying events.