I doubt that any of us who like the traditional aspects of fly fishing has much against synthetics, I use a foam ant all the time and it's very effective. After all, Ray Bergman used celluloid. Early this summer I caught a nice rainbow by Eastern standards on the Lycoming in Pa. I got it with a Leadwing Coachman wet fly, a fly I hadn't fished since the '60s. It was such a thrill to see that fly work after all these years.

Byron, I envy you that vise. Fran was a legend up there, and rightly so. He was an artist even by Buddy's definition!