Tying on flies

Hi all,
As I not so gracefully age, I find that my fingers no longer are as great as they were. I was tying on 16 Zebra midge to hack around a little yesterday. Fine, except that I don't think I got the knot secure. "Hmmmm", I thought,"no fish" as I dragged an empty tippet along the bottom in a beautiful presentation. What out there do you use to hold the fly to twist and then sneak the tag end in to complete a cinch knot. I was thinking the wire clip thingies, can't get the correct name at the moment - you push the bottom, the little clip comes out the top - as a holder.
Ideas?
Thanks,
Fumble Finger Mike

I have had a Brass Cinch Knot tyer for years, works like a charm with cold or old fingers

Attachment 14344

Eugene bend knot with hemostats... snaps into place when seated correctly... fast strong and great for us old guys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDUm9iZi4qg

Wow, I never could get that hemostat knot to work, now I know why - a picture really is worth a thousand words

Thanks Duffin Boy, you Canadians always have the answer! I have one and just never thought to use it. I will now!
Mike

Melk,
Look up youtube video on tying the Davey knot by tightlinevideo . Afte going thru the steps for the Davey knot he uses a little gadget like you described . Made it even easier

Quote:

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Originally Posted by okflyfisher

Eugene bend knot with hemostats... snaps into place when seated correctly... fast strong and great for us old guys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDUm9iZi4qg

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What he said.

Brad

These work great:

http://www.pomonaelectronics.com/images/large/4826.jpg

If you do a search for electronic mini test clip, you should pull up a good number of results.

Brian

I snell my smallest hooks, #22 and smaller. this year I may have to start with 18's. getting older is tough. the eye sight is one of the first to go.

so i'm telling someone that i enjoy fly fishing.
person says, "I've always wanted to ask: How do you get the flies to stand still so you can tie them to the hook?"
title of this thread made me remember that exchange!

HA! Along that fly line I was driving my basketball team to a game years ago. As we passed over a lake I remarked, "I tried ice fishing once but I couldn't get the cubes to stay on the hook!" Ba da bum.
Mike

True story! A new neighbor lady thought I caught flies and tied them to a hook.

You've probably already got a hemostat on your vest / pack and that makes a great knot tool. If you want to stick with the clinch knot ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQs-iL4gHJk

Search on YouTube and you can find directions for using your hemostat for surgeon's knot (tippet to leader).

C&F Fly Threaders work great. You can use them on stream, or load up a threader with several flies ready to attach to tippet. I often use them with small flies that have material over the hook eye.

Attachment 14345 Attachment 14346

They have one problem, the wire is very thin and gets bent easily. If you use them with a C&F Threader box, they are much better protected. I've tried some DIY threader holders, but they don't work nearly as well.

One more vote for the Bend knot tied with Hemostats. I switched to this for everything but loop knots about three years ago and I cant't tell you the amount of grief and animosity it has saved me. I can honestly say I have never lost a fish because of knot failure since making the switch. For loop knots the Davey is the way to go and for blood knots/surgeons Orvis has a great tutorial on how to tie a joining knot with Hemos as simple as this one.

When the Eugene bend cinches down you feel it pop when it turns over and you can feel confident is is fully tight at that point.

old eyes make getting the tippet into the fly a pain but with hemos no need to make knots a big deal.

Bikebum