Q. for Leonard

[Danoinark]

Ronnie and Don

Thanks for the tips. It seems each time I try to wrap the pine squirrel strips toward the eye the leather strip wants to wrap over itself. This sure is frustrating.

I suspect I am going to have to see it done.

Leonard you still going to bring your stuff to the TU meeting Tuesday night to show us how to do it?????

Dano

[Don]

Yeah Dano,

For some ignorant reason, I thought I could palmer up the hook like I had hackle in my hand or something. Doh! (Homer Simpson style). Anyhoo, I closely fosued on each turn of the rabbit/squirrel and how the fur lsid dwn on each wrap. Looks easier than done for a novice like me.

Good Luck...Don

[brittsnbirds]

Leonard-

Is this the pic you were talking about?

http://www.freestateflyfishers.org/blog/po...quirrel-Sculpin

[Don]

Okay,

Now that I have put more emphasis on my focus and concentaation to alleviate the over-wrapping problem, I first realized, after some very UGLY flies, that the width of the squirrel strips plays the major factor. I guess the choices of precut are thin, standard, or magnum? I think I need thin cut to get what I need and I'm thinking I'll buy a full skin next time to meet my needs. I can then cut to my own specifics. Thick cut that I used did not match up to good ole Leonards minners. Thinner cut crosscut strips might be the neccesity?

Don

[Flysmallie]

Don, the thinner strips will make it alot easier. I have several whole skins that were already precut. The strips that are about an 1/8" wide seem to be the easiest to work with. I have been using some larger strips on some smallmouth patterns and they do seem to be a little more difficult to work with. One thing that I have noticed is that don't really look right until you complete the fly and then stroke the hair back a few times.

I'm not a good fly tyer. Not even close to being good. The past two nights I have sat down and tied 15 to 20 flies to be ready for the Benefit Tournament. In those 30 to 40 flies, I have tied 12 pine squirrels. Anybody want to guess what I'm going to start out with on Saturday??

[Terry Beeson]

...Anybody want to guess what I'm going to start out with on Saturday??

I KNOW... I KNOW!!!!! LEMME GUESS!!!

A PINE SQUIRREL SCULPIN!!!!

WHUD I WIN?!

OK... I'm gonna reveal a bit of a secret here that MIGHT help... When you run the thread back up the hook before "hackling" the strip, use a bit of dubbing (I like a pale yellow to mimmick the belly of a sculpin) and put a bit of superglue on that. Seems to hold the strip better. At least for me...

And Ronnie is spot on about combing after you whip finish. Mine look really funky before I do that... But I've become a pine squirrel coiffeur!

[Leonard]

HEHEHEHEHE....

HEHEHEHEHE....

[WebFreeman]

When you guys say super glue, what brand do you mean? The stuff I use for household repairs dries in seconds. As slow as I tie, I don't think I could make it work.

[Leonard]

If you want some "GOOD" superglue..

Michael (backcountry outfitters) carries what is called Loctite superglue..

This has to be one of the best I have used... Call him to see if he has it in stock..

[Danoinark]

You can also get loctite superglue in the paint dept at Walmart.