Help with tying nymphs........

[bjanzen]

I purchased a copy of Lloyd Gonzales' book in June. It was LOVE at first sight. However, the problem has been learning the techniques. I am realively new to tying. I started in Feb. and have tied maybe 1k flies or a little more. I am getting much better at drys and streamers (I have started throwing old flies away because they look so ugly!) but I have had trouble with nymphs other than Prince's. I guess my problem is trying to make a neat little dry fly head on a nymph. I have trouble with tying the wing case (CA is used too) and then dubbing if needed and still keeping the thorax small. With Gonzo style poly backs, the big puffy back (maybe I should use less than the full poly yarn) seems to push the thread to the head and dubbing cover is tough. Any help would be appreciated.

Barry

[flyangler]

If you haven't already taken Al's beginning fly tying here, give it a try.

You've got several questions and I'll try to handle one:
to avoid excessive bulk near the head try one or more of these things-
-use less dubbing, fewer fibers, fine thread
-leave yourself plenty of room near the eye
-use a magnifier on your tying table

Simpler nymphs with fewer steps or ingredients are easier for a relative newcomer to keep sparse. Use only as many thread wraps as will keep the mess from spinning around the hook. Practice will tell you how much tension on the thread will compensate for fewer wraps. Consider using finer thread on smaller nymphs.

Hope this helps

[harleybob87]

I agree with the afore mentioned steps and will throw in a couple of others. When building the nympth section the hook off. to help me I tie in the tail and wrap thread upto where I want the body to end then go back and wrap my dubbing or body material to that point. then I tie in the casing or shell only to the point I want the thorx to end and then dub in the thorx and tie off the casing at that point which then leaves me room for my head. When dubbing I don't know who said it but take out what you need for dubbing, now divide that in half and that is how much you should use. To many times we new tiers use to much dubbing which makes the thorx or any part of the fly to big. When tieing I also tend to stop just a little short of where I want to go and take a good look at the fly and imagine what it will look like after I add all the ingrediants. Most importantly don't be discouraged keep practicing, it will come. Just my .02 for what it is worth

[Rick Z]

Keep afew of your first flies. You will want them in a few eyars just to look at.

Also don't toss your flies, Cut the materials off and reuse the hook.

Rick

[mr. blur]

Also don't toss your flies, Cut the materials off and reuse the hook.

Rick

quick way to strip materials from hook. put fly in hemostat and set that puppy afire.

[Jax]

bjanzen; Don't dispair, we all went through what you are experiencing when we started.

Good advice all round. In particular Not over doing the dubbing and keeping the Bulk down as you get to the head section. Leave enough room for the Head.

So persevere and Have Fun it WILL come right. Jax

[flyangler]

Ok. Now on to the neat little head.

If you've left yourself at least a hook eye's distance from the thorax and wing case, etc., you should have enough nearly bare hook to tie a head.

I like to use a Matarelli whip finish tool, others have their own preferences (like the ten tools most all of us came to earth with, known as fingers).

My whip finisher has enough flexibility that I can easily keep tension on the thread and release it from the finished head. The husband selected one that is more stiff. He generally ties larger flies and nymphs with stronger thread using his whip finish tool. Incidentally, I didn't really get how to use one until I watched somebody do it on a video. It just didn't click from the books alone.

I lay down enough thread wraps with the tool to give me a head that looks right and then build the last set going backwards from the eye. They seem smooth enough to me. A dab of nail polish in place of head cement goes on if I want to be fancy, but the majority of the time, my fly is done when the threadwork is finished.

If you've trapped fibers from the thorax, legs, collar, beard or what-have-you in your last securing wraps, trim or pluck them out before finishing the head.

Hopefully I've covered another question you asked.

[bjanzen]

Thanks for the tips....back to tying

Barry

[clyde holmes]

Ill probably get shot, but for me I use a couple of half hitches then head cement on head of fly. Works for me. Ive tried the whip finish, just easier too half hitch.

[Jim Slattery]

Thanks for the tips....back to tying

Barry

Sometimes you are going to get a large head when tying Nymphs. Here is a couple of tips that might help. Taper your thorax with the bulk at the body side and narrower towards the head. This will make tying of the wing case a little easier. You are right you need to use less poly for the wing case. use enough to cover the thorax and not add any "bulk" to the thorax. A layer equivalent to a wing slip in thickness should be sufficient.
Just take your time and don't finish the fly until you get the results your looking for. Just keep unwinding the thread and reapply the materials until you get it.
When tying off the wing case use 3-4 securing wraps on top of each other and cut the wing material on a short angle as close as you can to the securing thread as you can, without cutting the thread.
If you go slow and learn each step you should have some nice flies after tying a few.
Hope this helps.