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Fly Tiers, Give Us a Hand!

For some reason we still have power. I suspect the snow is drier than I first thought. Where I live, we seemed to have gotten 16+ inches so far, but the storm isn't supposed to stop until later this evening. The highest snowfall so far is Winchester, VA, which has 30+ inches and is expected to receive 40" easily. The blizzard has wind gusts of 65mph with sustained winds of 35mph+. I heard New Jersey didn't get as much snow as Virginia, but NJ has had a mix of snow, rain, and probably ice. The report said the coast is taking a beating with tide increases three feet or more. High tide will be this evening. The report said the storm appears to be worse than Sandy. I may be able to get out tomorrow to start digging out. Hopefully, we'll retain power.

I'll get back to this site soon after I tend to a couple of urgent things going on right now. I had planned also to tie more and prepare a training program for novice tiers in Project Healing Waters. But I'm kept busy on storm-related issues.
 
Tied on standard nymph hook

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Wapsi jig head 1/124 oz
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I'm so glad to see this thread still alive. There are some fantastic flies shown here, and a great amount of information to get anyone started. Please keep up the conversation!
 
Don't buy a kit. Just find out what materials you need to tie the dozen or so flies you use most & buy those.
If you want to spend money on getting anything really good, then the best spend will be on decent hooks. Don't skimp on them. There are several good names out there. I use Kamasan, Tiemco & Fulling Mill for most of my flies.

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Oh my Zygalski, you do tie well, particularly with delicate materials. Admire the perfect spacing of your ribbing in the last photo. Since you are posting from England, I have to ask. Do you also tie North Country flies?
 
Thanks. :001_smile
I don't really tie the North Country Spiders as such. I sometime use the Black & Peacock Spider. Often that's the first fly people are taught to tie, as it has most of the basic elements. It's also a decent fish-catcher & that helps.

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Thanks :thumbup:
It's midge pupa time over here in the UK. The trout go mad for these. I went last weekend & released 8 rainbows. All caught on this pattern

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Zygalski, your midges certainly look effective and neatly tied. I can't quite make out what you used for the thorax. What is it? Did you coat the thorax with an epoxy or UV adhesive? You say it is midge pupa time in the UK. In most waters here midges are present all year. I tie and cast midges, i. e., pupa, larva, and adult. #18 - #24. Often, I'll use them as a dropper off a dry fly. Do the ties you show have a name?
 
Hi.
They're tied with pearlescent lurex for the wing case & orange goose biots for the cheeks. The body is stripped peacock quill. The whole fly is then coated in 2 or 3 thin layers of clear nail varnish.
Trout take midge pupa all year round in the UK too, it just seems they're more active from March through to July & then again from October onwards. Recent Augusts & Septembers have just been too warm.
 
Interesting choice of material. I understood all but the Lurex, which I have yet to see in the US market. I'm guessing Lurex might be a mylar-based tinsel. I believe I'll Google it and see. Lol, I thought I had most colors of goose and turkey biots, but orange isn't one.
 
This thread is probably a good place to show this to people who appreciate such things:
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I believe it is a Scottish style Mallard and Claret trout fly, one of the finest examples I've seen. The Rooney finest isn't half bad either. :)
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Zygalski, your midges certainly look effective and neatly tied. I can't quite make out what you used for the thorax. What is it? Did you coat the thorax with an epoxy or UV adhesive? You say it is midge pupa time in the UK. In most waters here midges are present all year. I tie and cast midges, i. e., pupa, larva, and adult. #18 - #24. Often, I'll use them as a dropper off a dry fly. Do the ties you show have a name?
Slightly better photo showing the materials...

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Hook: size 12-16 curved grub/buzzer
Thread: black uni 8/0
Body: stripped peacock eye quill
Thorax cover: UTC Mirage tinsel (medium)
Cheeks: orange goose biots
And the entire fly coated in 2+ thin coats of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails clear varnish.

A highly effective way to fish these flies is under a strike indicator. Whether or not it's fly fishing is up for debate I suppose. Because of the varnish they sink very quickly & hang under the float just like the natural midge pupa hang in water. I generally use a sink & draw retrieve on stillwaters. I cast out, pull about 2 feet of line in slowly, then leave it for a good 30 seconds before slowly & smoothly pulling more line in. A 20 yard cast takes at least 7 or 8 minutes to bring back.
If the water is a bit rough, then I'l just cast out & use a very slow figure-of-eight retrieve, keeping in constant contact with the fly & feel for takes.
If the conditions are calmer, I use the lighter midge pupa patterns & grease the first 6 feet of leader from the fly line & watch for any deviation at the furthest visible point. If in doubt, strike :001_smile
 
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Well, I certainly took a long break from this website. But it's high time I get back to posting. During my absence, I got really busy as an assistant lead for a Project Healing Waters program. I recall mentioning I had to build a fly tying program, which is a lot of work. But...I ran across a terrific book, Step by Step Beginner Fly Tying Manual & DVD by Ryan Keyes. It's concept in instruction is identical to mine, i.e., progressive skill-building as well as familiarity with tools, materials, and techniques. This book has saved me a lot of work. Keyes has done a masterful job and was endorsed by such notables as Lefty Kreh, Dave Whitlock, and Bob Jacklin. I encourage new tiers to grab this book and follow each chapter.

I learned several new guide ties from a couple of trips I've taken. One in particular was the Zirdle Bug, which is sort of a Zonker and Woolly Bugger with legs. Last October we took six disabled vets to fish the Missouri River near Craig, MT. A guide had me use it most of the trip. My biggest fish, a 24" rainbow, was from the Zirdle Bug. It is now in my tying queue. Another fly I had a lot of success with is the Clown Egg. It has to be the best egg pattern ever.

When I answered the OP concerning fly tying tools and vises, I don't believe I listed a recommendation for a quality vise that won't break the bank. I've had the same question posed to me by several new tiers at the shows. I am impressed with three vises. One is the Regal, which holds a hook like grim death but is not a true rotary vise. Although the Regal isn't a true rotary, it requires no adjustment and can rotate so a tier can inspect all sides of the fly. Two others are the Renzetti Traveler, a true rotary vise, and the other is the standard Peak vise, which is also a true rotary. Both will hold a hook firmly without slipping. Both are under $200. I own all three and have tied on them for years. The Rensetti Traveler is a travel vise I've taken everywhere when I fly to fish. It is aluminum, except for the jaws. I take it with me, because it is so lightweight.

OK, let's resume this thread! New tiers should benefit.
 
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