Thread: A few minutes at the vise

I am still new to this, and you won't be seeing my patterns show up at Jack Dennis anytime soon, but I sure get a kick out of doing this in the evenings.

I am tying up some woolly buggers and rock worms for my trip to the Platte in 2 weeks and just thought I'd shoot a few pictures.

size 14 streamer hook and a bead...



starting the thread...



some lead wire wraps to sink this thing in a hurry...



tying on the tail feathers...



chenille and hackle...



wrapped the chenille...



hackle...



whip finish and trim some hackle from the belly...



Done...




My own little corner of the house...






Like I said, I am certainly no expert and I am still new to tying, but I would love to see some photos of what you guys tie... maybe I can learn a little from you guys.

ok I'll play

Tube flies for trolling


steelhead anyone


Sculpin


Sculpin 2


Clouser


Random Stonefly


Shrink your tail and add a few strands of yellow marabou

Nice work fellas. 720, take some rootbeer midges with you.

man, I cant wait to start tying my own flies, you have inspired me. Today has been a bad day for my bank account, and its all because of albright, and about to be a new tying kit if I can figure out which one to get. Very good looking flies guys.

Good work 72! Glad to see you're diggin tying.

Originally Posted by ak_powder_monkey

Shrink your tail and add a few strands of yellow marabou

definitely a leeeetle smaller tail, and id suggest tying in some sort of crystal flash or tinsel along the side that extends the side of the tail.
ie tie it in right after the tail and before the chenille

also, try tying in the hackle the other way so the tips point forward for a bit of a different action.

* though if you do that, be sure to use the appropriate sized tippet otherwise youll have a mess of twisted horribleness on your tippet.

Originally Posted by pechelman

definitely a leeeetle smaller tail, and id suggest tying in some sort of crystal flash or tinsel along the side that extends the side of the tail.
ie tie it in right after the tail and before the chenille

also, try tying in the hackle the other way so the tips point forward for a bit of a different action.

* though if you do that, be sure to use the appropriate sized tippet otherwise youll have a mess of twisted horribleness on your tippet.

heh - I actually did trim the tail down after I took the photos. And sometimes I do tie in as few strands of flash. I always mix them up a little here and there just to add some variety. Sometimes I tie in the hackle the other way, sometimes I use dubbing instead of chenille, etc. Just fun to try new things.

It's funny, I find myself looking around the house for stuff that we would normally throw away, like little pieces of elastic from hang tags, etc. and grabbing them like they are gold - I stash them in my "misc" drawer of fly tying materials.

THis winter when the fishing slows down (as in, the ice closes it up) I will venture into more patterns. Right now I am just tying some basics to use over the next couple months.

Thanks!

One pattern I am considering is a mouse - I wonder if it would be good for the big browns in the Laramie here this fall - especially as it gets colder.

Originally Posted by 72Twenty

It's funny, I find myself looking around the house for stuff that we would normally throw away, like little pieces of elastic from hang tags, etc. and grabbing them like they are gold - I stash them in my "misc" drawer of fly tying materials.

around the house, on your pet, on others peoples pets, at the craft\hobby stores, at home depot, at the dollar store....really, it never ends

Wow, no comments on how dirty my blinds are.

Originally Posted by 72Twenty

I am tying up some woolly buggers and rock worms for my trip to the Platte in 2 weeks and just thought I'd shoot a few pictures.

Nice booger. You fishin 3 of those in a row japenese drag boat style?
What's up with that rod in the corner blasphamy? My buddy and I got
pretty much schooled on the reef, well I pretty much just rowed and partied, but a cool river non the less.

I don't care about the blinds... Where is the cold beer and/or cocktail? It's damn near a sin not to have a drink while you tie!

Originally Posted by G. Gordon Liddy

I don't care about the blinds... Where is the cold beer and/or cocktail? It's damn near a sin not to have a drink while you tie!

Heh, just to the right of this desk is my computer desk, and under that is the mini-fridge.

Lately I have been enjoying 2 Below, the winter brew from New Belgium.

For the N. Platte might I suggest cone head vanilla buggers? I have never done very well with darker patterns around Grey Reef.

I find it much easier if you place your lead on before you start your thread, that way you can do it right off the spool without the thread getting in the way.

Originally Posted by Professor

For the N. Platte might I suggest cone head vanilla buggers? I have never done very well with darker patterns around Grey Reef.

Thanks for the tip! Currently I only have the materials for black and olive buggers, and we will probably be fishing closer to Casper now (my uncle is playing guide and he is driving). I might need to stop in to the 'ol fly shop.

Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark

I find it much easier if you place your lead on before you start your thread, that way you can do it right off the spool without the thread getting in the way.

Thanks for the tip - I do it both ways, depending on what I decide at the moment. By the way, speaking of your username... my sister just went to some kind of bourbon festival in Kentucky and brought me back a bottle of Markers Mark. I am saving it for this winter when I REALLY get into some serious fly tying sessions.



Thanks for the tips guys! I am still new to this and my repertoire is still somewhat limited, though I try new patterns as requested by the stock of my fly boxes. This winter I am planning to get more into new patterns and trying new things. For now (the next couple months anyway) I am just working on some basic patterns and building a quantity for fall fishing.

Cheers!

Originally Posted by Professor

For the N. Platte might I suggest cone head vanilla buggers? I have never done very well with darker patterns around Grey Reef.

I do want to note, though... this brown was caught on a black bead-head bugger at Government Bridge, down from the Reef...

(this is a 4 piece 9ft rod... judging by the rod section we estimated him to be around 24 inches)

Nice fish, but if you are going to the Platte you better be after the big crazy 'bows. And my experience is you turn more fish with lighter colors. Not saying you cant catch fish with a dark color, but if you are going after the true hogs and give me a choice of a big vanilla (not white) bugger and a black bugger, I will take vanilla every day of the week. BTW the Platte is still the only place I have ever had a trout take me into my backing.

best mouse pattern ever: moorish mouse, it doesn't dive when you skate it like those cheesey "mouserats" do. I would suspect that you'd need warm days to find fish active enough to eat a mouse, also wait till the sun is off the water before swinging the meat...

i pretty much never fish mouse patterns during daylight hours.

Originally Posted by ak_powder_monkey

best mouse pattern ever: moorish mouse, it doesn't dive when you skate it like those cheesey "mouserats" do. I would suspect that you'd need warm days to find fish active enough to eat a mouse, also wait till the sun is off the water before swinging the meat...

Heh... "swinging the meat" ...I like that.

Prof - will do on the vanilla buggers! So are they basically a cream color? What size do you think I should tie? I have some 14 streamer hooks, but out of anything bigger. Do you think 14's would be big enough, or go bigger? Like a 10 or an 8?

Also, I'll be sure to tie in some flash. Should I splash any other colors in there? Maybe a flash of red or orange? Olive? Still add a bit of black hackle?

Thanks!

you want to catch big fish? try some big flies.
i tie most streamers in 2 and 4. some in 8 or 10, but im pretty sure i've never tied a streamer in a size 14.

Originally Posted by fez

you want to catch big fish? try some big flies.
i tie most streamers in 2 and 4. some in 8 or 10, but im pretty sure i've never tied a streamer in a size 14.

Yeah, I have just been tying 14's because I use them locally in a smaller river. I have a nice supply of larger streamers, but they are all black and olive.

Take a look at this link. The vanilla one is bottom center. http://www.wyomingflyfishing.com/VAN...R-P372C32.aspx

BTW I have no affiliation with that fly shop, but the site has some great info on the Platte and the guys at the shop have always been helpful when I have been there.

Latest word on the Platte from someone who fished it yesterday and did well:

Bring San Juan Worms and Rock Worms, and lots of 'em!

Those... I can tie very easily.

He also said there was brief action on the surface with Blue Winged Olives at sun down...