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Thanks for the "shout out", Warren. Glad you're still going to my Web site. It's 10 years old this year! Hope all is well with you. Glad you like the photos, too.

Peter F.

Awesome design. I would love to get a sample to photograph for my own Website. I have about 16 patterns collected from other ff-ers here:
http://www.fishingwithflies.com/Hoppers.htm
Any chance I...

This has been a great little tutorial. One of the images seem to show that the slip of straw is used to push back the foam over the back of the fly (creating a foam bullet head). Is this correct? Is...

Dave, I don't come to the forum that much anymore. But it was good to see a familar face (err, name). My favorite dries are parachutes. Pretty easy to tie using the same materials you've just...

Dave, Mighty good looking selection! Just a thought... you might get better flotation on the gurgle pop without that extra segment, as it compresses the foam at that spot. Just a thought. Peter F.

Dave, I still tie them the way I wrote up the original instructions (of this take-off of the gurgler) as a FOTW here on FAOL, and don't seem to have the floating problem. That said, I almost always...

Wish someone would come and trap the beavers in our wetlands. Massachusetts has terribly restricted laws about it, unfortunately. They rival groundhogs as my least favorite animals... but the hides...

A beadhead on a scud hook works very well as a "jig" (i.e. hook point up).

Peter F.

I have an unlimited amount of wool yar that is multi-ply. I often pull off one ply and wrap it on bigger nymphs for an underbody (like a thin chenille). Over that I dubb my normal hares ear or other...

For medium and big nymphs, wool yarn is especailly good. I have a batch of wool embroidery yarn that is very thin, and can be further divided into thirds for making thin bodies. Often dubbing over...

I like to use "cerise" (basically florescent pink, for visibility) colored McFlylon. Here it is pictured in a FOTW I did a couple of years ago.
...

Herefishy,

Sorry, I haven't read the other replies. However, I note you didn't list just plain ol scissors. That's what I use. No straight edge, nothing fancy. I've tried more complicated...

I like the Whiting hen (not rooster) saddle hackle. It is longer than others I have (such as Conranch hen saddle hackle) and has a long sweet spot. Seems to be about perfect for the sizes you...

Wow. What great research. I will print this thread out and add it to my growing file of pattern information. One of the simple things I have learned from the NZ flies is there is no need for a...

Jon Nichols of New Zealand sent me a few patterns a while back which I put up on my Web site. Attached is a link to one of the four sets of flies I photoed, and at the top of the link are links to...

For a subsurface pattern, this week's Fly of the Week is an excellent one. Though I tied it in tan for photo purposes, black is my favorite with dun colored mallard collar. Use the 2xl hook for a...

Here's another idea to get them to bite. How about a small soft-hackle. Though the gills were working the surface on your pond, they may also be taking flies just under the surface. An unweighted...

Dry Flies, mostly Danville 6/0
Wet Flies, Nymphs, Streamers, buggers - Danville 3/0 is my default. Smaller than a 12 I often switch to Danville 6/0.

Try the fly I call the conehead combo. My experience on the Millers (including yesterday) is that the flies need to be weighted and olive is a great color for that dark water.

Here's a like:
...

Thanks for the great tips. I found a related solution that I will report back on, with a picture or two.

The reason I posted the question in the first place is that my preference is for a...

Joe... Both of those are great ideas. I thought about wrapping lead around the arms, and I should that. But the idea of inserting lead (perhaps a long lead sinker like those I used as a kid with a...

Some of the bobbins I use are lighter weight than I would like. In general, I would observe, this is the case when plastic balls are used for the "ears" rather than some kind of metal.

Any tips...

Hans,

I have never been a big fan of CDC (as the sole floating material on the hook) because of maintanence issues. However, your micro caddis intrigues me and I definitely will try again with a...

I like to fish them in moving water, slightly weighted and with only imparting a bit of action by twitching and adding just a few strips. The rest of the action come from the fly itself.

I...

It is a bit early here in Massachusetts and I usually get some time in on the rivers for trout until the bass become active. I like to fish deep for early season smallies and like lots of action. ...