One of the reasons why I haven't been around as much....

AllenOK

AllenOK

New member
As you may recall, several months ago, I "stepped off the deep end" and got myself a fly rod. Well, with the help of JoeV, I took a second step off the deep end, and started tying my own flies.

This is meticulous, tedious, SMALL work. It helps to be a bit anal-retentive as well. Luckily, I used to do Native American Beadwork, so I have the mind-set, and think of it as "just another skill to learn".

You'll have to pardon the pic. My camera just doesn't do macro shots. I can get a good, in-focus shot, but I have to be at least 4 1/2' away from my subject. At that distance, you can't make out details.

20120921flybox.jpg


One of those flies was given to me by a friend. The rest I tied up myself. I've got some Wooly Buggers on the left, and the rest are various nymph patterns. I've caught lots of Bluegill and even some Bass on these.

I've got another box, that is my "open water" box. It's mainly streamers that look like minnows. I've caught a lot of White Bass, and even some Stripers on those.
 
Yup. What looks good to a fly-tyer does NOT always look good to a fish.

The buggers have all caught fish, except the two black ones. I just tied those a couple of days ago, haven't tested them yet. The Greasy Monkeys (chartreuse and olive things in row second from the left) have caught fish. Those orange nymphs are murder on sunnies. The other nymphs, on the rights side, are Brassies, Zebra Midges, and a couple different colors of Chironomids. I've also tied some Brassies and Zebra Midges in a tiny (to me, anyway) size 16, those are the little bitty things on the right-hand row.
 
AllenOK said:
Yup. What looks good to a fly-tyer does NOT always look good to a fish.

The buggers have all caught fish, except the two black ones. I just tied those a couple of days ago, haven't tested them yet. The Greasy Monkeys (chartreuse and olive things in row second from the left) have caught fish. Those orange nymphs are murder on sunnies. The other nymphs, on the rights side, are Brassies, Zebra Midges, and a couple different colors of Chironomids. I've also tied some Brassies and Zebra Midges in a tiny (to me, anyway) size 16, those are the little bitty things on the right-hand row.
Click to expand...
All of these patterns are proven fish catchers, and every one of them are also in my boxes. You do a really nice job of tying. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work as time goes on.

FWIW, flies work better if they look "buggy." The best buggers are tied with very soft hackle like Schlappen feathers.

You also made a good choice in fly boxes. That box will float all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
 
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