What are you tying?

[JFish]

Since most of us are looking forward to spring activities and are also stuck in the house, I thought I would take advantage of the quarantine and work on my fly box. I haven’t tied flies in over a year and have neglected my fly boxes. This week I tied some shimmer stone flies. One of my favorites to fish, but not to tie. Anybody else tying?

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Looks amazing!

 

[BrentD]

I haven't tied in over 30 yrs. But I started again and plan on fishing tomorrow - on my own stretch of river that I've not fished in the 20 yrs that I've owned it. Of the rain holds off.

 

[cedahm]

Ha. Thought of this same topic today as it was the first time I’d looked at my vise in months. With the advent of really cheap, but really good quality flies online, I only really tie a handful of necessities (we go through tons of ugly streamers and basic bead heads so I fill the boat boxes with those over Xmas) any more.

But - I social distanced today with the PhD trout down on the local tailwater and I am, apparently, desperately short on #22-24 olive emergers and chocolate RS2’s. Setup the station already and hitting the bench as soon as the kid is in bed.

 

[johnrr65]

Looks great!

 

[JFish]

I haven't tied in over 30 yrs. But I started again and plan on fishing tomorrow - on my own stretch of river that I've not fished in the 20 yrs that I've owned it. Of the rain holds off.

Any luck on your fly today?

I’ve been tying a bunch of these jig flies.

 

[BrentD]

That's a cool nymph. Very minimalist.

I just spent the afternoon fishing my river. Caught nothing. I did see a kingfisher so I know damn well those feathered wolves done killed them all off… Now I'm enjoying a cold adult beverage and plotting revenge!

 

[bigsky2]

Balanced leeches for ice off trout and a bunch of bigger streamers for whatever warm water species will eat them.

 

[RobG]

@bigsky2 - for those deceiver looking flies do you tie the hair forward and then glue (epoxy?) it back with the cement used for the eyes? Who came up with that trick?

 

[RobG]

I’ve gone full girly pink with the flies these days.

 

[JFish]

Balanced leeches for ice off trout and a bunch of bigger streamers for whatever warm water species will eat them.

Great flies. How do you like those dragon tails? I haven’t tied with them yet. Years ago I got into musky and tied a ton of big flies. I liked putting those big curly tails in the back it really added a lot of movement to the back.

 

[bigsky2]

@bigsky2 - for those deceiver looking flies do you tie the hair forward and then glue (epoxy?) it back with the cement used for the eyes? Who came up with that trick?

Yep, the heads are reverse tied craft fur and when you fold it back you set it in place with UV glue. Andreas Andersson came up with that trick as far as I know. If you watch the video of him tying his Delivery Man on Youtube you can see how he does it.

 

[bigsky2]

Great flies. How do you like those dragon tails? I haven’t tied with them yet. Years ago I got into musky and tied a ton of big flies. I liked putting those big curly tails in the back it really added a lot of movement to the back.

I haven’t got to use the tails much yet but they sure look good in the water. Musky flies are fun to tie, I’ve been fishing for tigers and I tied that one for them.

 

[cedahm]

I’ve gone full girly pink with the flies these days.

Stimi’s like yours (and PMD duns) with that little pink post are my go to for rigging newbies on the raft here. Nearly impossible to miss on the water and most freestone trout don’t seem to give a sh*t about the pink. I’ve gone so far as to pre-rig them with a Copper John dropper like tarpon rigs in a stretcher box to speed up re-rigging events.

My local tailwater trout were bananas tonight for a 22 comparadun trailed by a 24 chocolate emerger hot off the vise. The thin blue foam that came with Dell computers 20 years ago makes phenomenal emerger wings. Well, “were bananas” meaning only 50% refusal rises instead of 75%+. I’m quickly remembering why I avoid the place in normal times.