...and the rivers are full of ice, I tie flies. These are tied on a long hook shank, cut off hook at the bend, and a wide gap/short shank hook will be attached to the fireline loop hanging off the back. Allows you fish a large fly while keeping the hook near the back of the fly. Steelhead will short strike or nip at the back of the fly a lot in the winter. A short shank hook also gives the fish less leverage against losing the hook. Any other fly tiers out there?
Pretty cool stuff man! How much time do you have invested in tying one fly? What are the approximate "startup" costs of everything you need for fly tying? Sorry for all the questions but I'm interested. Here's the kicker though....I've never fly fished. I did tell a good friend of mine that I'd like him to show me the ropes of fly fishing. He's going to take me out when it gets warmer and show me the proper mechanics of casting and so forth. We usually small mouth fish together from our canoes/kayaks....he takes the fly rod and I take the spinning rod. I'm sure I'll start tying my own flies if the bug bites me hard. Hell, I might even start tying flies this winter to have some prepared for the fishing season. This was the reply he sent me back after asking for advice on which rod to buy. Anything you can add? Sorry for the hi-jack but this is something I really want to give a go.
very talented Vito those are nice,,,,and speaking of fish, a guy at work brought in some salmon he had caught in Washington state. He had soaked it in brine then smoked it (on skin) and vaccuum packed it. I believe it was the best fish I had ever eaten!
I REALLY want to get into it (fly tying that is) after finishing my first year fly fishing last year. I was scanning through the Orvis fly tying guide book at Border's the other day and almost picked it up. It just seems to be so hard to learn. Many of the tying tutorials assume basic tying knowledge that I don't have (completing a fly with a whip finish, for instance). Any recommendations on getting started, Vito?
Built me a new net and 6 weight, filled the streamer box back up. Thinking about making another net with the 9" handle but with a driftboat size hoop on it. My signature on all the Rods I finnish, a small Grouse Feather.
Vito, looks like a great winter hobby and well done. Silv, is that birdseye maple in the handle of the net? Beautiful piece of wood. Great craftmanship on the net and rods. VERY nice. Thanks to both for sharing your talents.
Thanks guys. Nice ties, John, and beautiful net and reel seat. I have net made by Sliv...he does great work. Finch and MGH, I would be happy to help. I will answer your questions when I have a few minutes. Gotta run.
Just beautiful. The District Forester contacted my a while back and said I need to let him do a survey on a small river bottom farm I bought a while back. He noticed all the maple trees and said the market is strong right now. I think I am going to check into a selective harvest. I would love to keep some of the lumber for myself. I doubt if any of it will be that nice though.
I tend to collect hobbies...getting expensive! I was big into fly fishing in middle and high school, even hung out with Lee Wulff and Joan Wulff his wife gave me a few casting lessons. I have a White Wulff that Lee tied with his fingers since he didn't use a vice, saw him do a #28 midge with his fingers...he was a really great guy. I still have all my fly tying stuff, been dragging it around with me for 20 years, Regal vice, all my stuff, hooks, thread and materials. I even built a 6' 2wt rod last tour up here for use in the Shenandoah mountain creeks, have used it like 3 times - maybe. That was neat to build a rod - got a kit from Cabelas. Made a turning jig to do the threads etc...still have all that crap also. This tour its hunting and focusing on my gunsmithing... But I truly love fly fishing, will get back to it one of these days.
How much time per fly really depends on the pattern, and how neat I want to make it. Sometimes I have to tie a bunch in a short time for an outing. Especially if I'm tying for other fisherman. While some flies I like to take my time and dress them up a little more. I'd say anywhere from 30 seconds to 15 minutes. IMO, the bold statement is true IF you have an experienced fly caster there to help you. If that is the case, you can save yourself hours of frustration. I agree, the line is very important. I wouldn't suggest a "cheap" rod though. You don't have to break the bank, but I would get something decent. Cheap gear can make the experience frustrating and cause you to never really give it a chance. The reel is just a line holder for most freshwater fish. You can go "cheap" there. You can get a decent or "good enough" setup in the $200-$250 range. That would include line/reel/rod. I would highly suggest casting rods first. Everyone's stroke is different. Some prefer a slower action rod, some prefer a fast action, and anything in between. The action will also depend on what you're fishing with and for. You don't want to just go out and buy a 5wt for example. Length, weight, and action all should be factored in your decision. In my opinion, you are always better having more rod than you need. Shut it, Christine. Especially for beginners. Not having a powerful enough rod for the situation will be a frustrating experience. Learning to cast is important. The first thing we do during a fly fishing instructional is teach casting. We don't step in the water until the client can make a decent cast. With the right instruction, you can pick up casting rather quickly. The most frustrating part of fly fishing for beginners is the casting. Like your buddy mentioned, if you can't get the fly to where the fish, you won't catch anything. A lot of factors can go into which rod you choose. Feel free to PM me with anymore questions. If you do, let me know what you will be fishing for and how (dries, nymphs, streamers, all of the above).
