Fly Tying Tuesday: Nail polish a DIY tool

"Don't look at me! I'm hideous!"  #pinkie : )

There are times when inspiration hits me and I just have to hit the vise to tie a very particular pattern.  More often, I'll run across a patter in a magazine or catalog that I'd like to try tying.  Such was the case last night when I ran across a recipe for "the pinkie" in Fly Tyer Magazine along with an anecdote detailing its effectiveness on wild brown and rainbow trout.

The Pinkie is typically tied on a streamer hook and is all pink.  Pink marabou tail, pink chenille body, pink hackle and pink bead head.  With no streamer hooks immediately on hand and with me being to lazy to venture to the garage for the proper materials, I thought I would see how this would look in more of a nymph look.  I also didn't have any pink bead heads, as I've never used them before.  Still determined to give this a shot, I ran to my wife's box of nail polish, found the perfect color and began to paint my masterpiece. I was pumped.

Turns out, nail polish takes much more time to dry than an anxious fly tyer has to wait, so I began tying in hopes of avoiding a mess.  Short story long, it didn't work out as well as I had hoped.  Heck, I'd eat the bug if I had a chance, but it's just not as pretty as I'd like it to be.  Moral of the story, paint 'em before you tie 'em.  This is a great options for those of us who have more black, copper and silver beads than we know what to do with and are looking to try something new.  Get a few beads painted up ahead of time and give them plenty of time to dry.  Add some sally hanson's hard as nails to make them extra durable.  It's also easy to paint them on the hook, just hold off on your tying until you know they're dry.

Fly Tying Tuesday: The Kreelex

Last weekend was so much fun for me.  It only accounted for three fish (and almost a few other monsters) and was thanks, in large part, to The Kreelex.  The Kreelex is a fly composed of all flash and is almost irresistible to trout.  I've tied this pattern in silver and gold for rainbows, but gold and copper work well for brownies.  Tie some of these up and go hammer some early season trout.  Great pattern in the winter as well.  Double peace!

Tying Tuesday Result: The Zebra Midge

This year's Tuesday Tyer sessions have been more of an opportunity for me to take in some fun stories and tell some of my own.  I would be lucky to tie two flies in the three hour session.  This past tuesday was different.  While stories were still prevalent, I hunkered down to get some flies tied.  Zebra midges and big streamers were on the menu.  Check out the tying video for the Zebra Midge below.  A quick and easy pattern that will produce throughout the year.

When I first started fly fishing, I couldn't believe some of the tiny patterns featured in fly shop bins.  "How the heck does thread catch fish?" I thought.  Well, when I finally had an opportunity to see these bugs in my seine net, I had a better understanding as to why these patterns work so well.  Next time you're fishing in spring or fall, or are in the middle of a midge hatch, do a quick seine to see the larva present.  You'll see why small and easy is the way to go.  Enjoy the video!

Fly Tying video 101

I'm definitely a novice when it comes to fly-tying videos and tutorials.  I love the hobby, I tie effective fly patters, but it turns out I've been doing it all wrong!!  Hank Paterson shows how a real fly tying video should be made.

Fly Tying Tuesday: DIY Rubber Legs

Various sizes and diameters inside as well

The insides of my old bungee cord

As a novice fly-tyer (and very frugal individual), I often struggle to justify spending $4.00 for a pack of rubber legs.  I know, it's not that bad.  But if you are purchasing a number of colors along with many other tying material required, that can be a pretty big expense as a newbie.  For that reason, I've been searching for ways to "cheat the system" while getting fly-tying materials for little or nothing.  That is why I was so pumped to stumble upon a great source for rubber legs while cleaning out the garage last weekend.  

I use bungee cords all of the time.  Whether I'm strapping down the boat cover, securing camping supplies on the trailer, or filling a tube-less tire, bungee cords are convenient, cheap and readily available.  The elastic material of a bungee cord is usually made of natural or synthetic rubber strands bound together by a fabric covering (we're not talking about the thick black cords here).  These strands are in large number, extensible (great stretch factor), durable and exist in varying diameters within a single bungee.

Extraction was relatively easy.  I was in my Spouse Approved Location (SAL) to remove the nylon cover.  This was a messy process with a knife.  I'd use an exacto next time around.  While I've yet to utilize these while tying, I can't wait to explore the possibilities.  I'll be dying them next week and using them in some articulated streamer patters I'm tying for the Bighorn River in April.  I'd be interested to hear if these have worked for you in the past, or if there are some other ways you've "cheated the fly-tying system" to create effective patters with unconventional materials.  My unconventional list of materials is growing all the time.  I'll post it when it gets large enough so we can all compare notes.  What is your favorite?

Fly Tying Tuesday on Wednesday: The Marabou Clouser

I wanted to post this yesterday, but did not get to it.  Hanging out with the little ones was just too fun!  Anyway, this is my favorite pattern for spring white bass, smallies, northern pike, walleye (yes walleye!), crappie and largemouth.  You can use it all year in cold water, warm water, even saltwater!  Presentation is key with the marabou clouser, and is very species and condition dependent.  Smallies typically like a more erratic retrieve, whereas whitey-fords and eyes will prefer a slow strip and stop approach in the spring.  A few things to note when planning to tie a clouser:

• I do not, typically, make wraps on the marabou behind the eyes.  I like the fact that it "flares out" in the water, and makes it move even when standing still.  Many strikes come when this fly is not even moving.  I have, however, tied it like that and have still caught fish.  Whatever you prefer.  
• Mix it up!  I love the fact that you can mix and match materials to improve this fly's catchability given specific fishing conditions.  Try craft fur or superhair instead of bucktail, a soft hackle collar behind the real eyes, or maybe a sharpie to bar the marabou.  
• Tie it sparsely and don't worry too much about being as neat as possible.  Again, the fish like it thin and they are not going to critique your tying skills before they munch on it.  
• My favorite color combinations include chartreuse/white(spring), blue/white(spring & fall), white/white (summer).  Other colors would work too, so tie up some orange, pinks, black/browns, etc.  

Enjoy the video!

Fly Tying Tuesday: Equipment Makes a Difference

Tying tools ready to create

If you are new to fly tying, I have a very important message for all of you:  QUALITY FLY TYING TOOLS MATTER!

Just as a master woodworker will use only the best products to produce his masterpieces, or the most popular home builder will utilize the highest quality materials; the quality of your fly tying tools and equipment will be in direct correlation to the ease and efficiency at which your patters are created.  I'm not going to list "the best" tying products and materials because that is a very subjective argument.  I like what I like because it is the right fit for my tying style.  Some tyers may have a much better experience with a particular vise or bobbin because it fits their style a bit better than it would another fly-tyer.  Diligent research, experimentation, and an objective, critical review of your experience will be the best way to determine what tools may be the best fit for you and the patters you are interested in tying.

If you have yet to dive into fly-tying, or have recently picked up the "hobby", I don't want to deter you from purchasing those products you have had your eyes on, or give the impression that the goods you've recently purchased are not up to par.  I'm just speaking from personal experience.

If I would have had access to quality fly-tying gear and materials, I would have been enamored with this pastime many years ago.  I began fly-tying in college.  We found an old NOLL fly-tying kit at my grandfather's house.  Included were various tying materials (feathers, furs, etc.), threads, ribbing materials, floss, hackle pliers and an instruction manual.  As a college student, with an increasing interest in fly fishing, this was the perfect find.

"IT'S FUN!"

"IT'S EASY!"

"TIE YOUR OWN!"

Little did I know, bobbins really make the fly-tying process work well.  This kit, on the other hand, guides you  to a finished fly by hand and hackle pliers.  A very difficult task for an impatient college kid.  I didn't do the research, I didn't put more effort into it, I gave up.  

Five year's later, I find the same kit in my crawl space.  This time, I do some research.  Dave Cammiss' site "Learn Fly Tying" was a major reason I stuck with it the second time around.  I still hadn't learned my lesson, however, and purchased the cheapest products I could find.  Frugal by nature, I thought, "A vise is a vise".  I know so much better now.  I realize that bobbins, vises, threads, scissors, materials, lighting and head cements (among everything else) are not created equal!  My second chance at tying was spent wrestling with a cheap vise, breaking thread (from the poor bobbin quality) and spending extra, unnecessary effort to tie simple patters.  This inefficient use of time taught me another valuable lesson in tying, and it will definitely not be the last.  

If you love to fly-fish, are committed to the art of tying your own flies, and want to get off to a head start;  be diligent in the purchase of your tying products and materials.  Your flies will be better (and easier to tie) because of it.