Everyone - thanks very much for your responses - especially Uncle Jesse -

Once I read his response I was nodding my head "yeah!" as I read. Lots of bass fishing with casting reels in my younger days and I realized he's absolutely right.

I'm getting "more experienced" is the proper way to say I'm getting old - and my hands and fingers just don't do what I tell them to do anymore. I think I'll go ahead and move some of these flies on up to a #12 or even some to a #10. I can manage that size - I think.

Thanks again everyone.

Adrian