How Insane are Fly Tyers?

[AlanB]

Many years ago when I was taught to tie flies my instructor was (and still is) a psychiatric nurse. About 5 years ago a friend and myself met up with another member of our fishing club and my instructors name came up in conversation.
The other member said,
"Ah yes, Alan Roe, isn't he the psychotic nurse from Blackpool?" My friend and I looked at each other turned to him and just said.
"YES." Ever since Alan has been known as the "Psychotic Nurse".

Look out Mrs Malaprop!

Cheers,
Alan.

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

[Greg H]

I was just wondering the same thing, but about styrofoam selection. I recently purchased both electronics and (assembly needed) furniture. I have much styrofoam. Some is 'good' quality - a little more dense with smaller beads. Some is 'poor' quality - larger, lighter beads, and forms not as strong. How crazy is it to prefer 'poor' quality (nylon stocking enclosed) styrofoam to make better emergers?

As you progress through the different levels of fly tying, you will spend more time on preparation of material than on the tying.

Matching feathers into match sets for the flies your plan on tying sometime in the future. Picking apart a picked over cape, and checking and sorting each feather at to size.

I even cut my marabou into segments, so I get the maximum amount of marabou off of the feather. Url for that tying tip....



[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part134.html:b25cd]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part134.html[/url:b25cd]

[HideHunter]

If Orvis offers an iron I might be interested. What kind of a guarantee would it have?

[Don Bastian]

Hey Andy:
You could have at least had the decency to tell everyone who the crazy guy was that told YOU that ironing wing quills & flank feathers takes the wrinkles out. LOL !!

In fact, I can't recall for sure, but I think I even mentioned that in my DVD, but I'm not convinced until I watch it again. Ha! It's been nearly a a year and a half since I made it & can't remember everything I said!

Hmmmm. Must be from those years of inhaling humidified "feather heat." Perhaps it kills brain cells...

Don

[This message has been edited by Don Bastian (edited 21 November 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Don Bastian (edited 21 November 2005).]

[eaustin]

Don, your video was in fact where I learned about ironing feathers. But it took Andy's post to "push me over the edge of sanity" to try it. Yes, the feathers are less wrinkled, but I'm not sure that the level of grief I got from my wife was worth it.
Eric

[Royal Wulff]

Andy, RW here

I wear jeans and flannel shirts right out of the dryer. I'll be danged if I'm gonna iron feathers for a trout.

RW

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"We fish for pleasure; I for mine, you for yours." -James Leisenring on fishing the wet fly-

[featherchucker]

Ironing feathers??? .......nahhh.....that's for sissies.......I don't iron no stinking feathers!!!!

But I did make these really cool hitech deluxe wrinkle and crease removers.
They are made of teflon coated space age ceramics and titanium with a spring steel hinge and they mic right at 20 thousandths thick each. You simply insert all your less than perfect feathers in between the metal and ceramic leaves, and close them then inert them into your back pockets. VOILA! all day long the wrinkles and creases are carefully and scientifically caressed out of your wing feathers and that evening they are toasty warm and ready to tie! Ha! beat that you ironing boys! Currently I'm designing a Dr Scholl style shoe insert de-wrinkler for extra stubborn feathers that require more pressure to flatten and the extra moisture from foot perspiration! Yea baby that's thinking and stinking about feather flattening!


OK- I made this up as I typed but I may just have to copyright it and get it patent pending before you folks steal my ideas. I'm thinking about a Kevlar model too because those metal and ceramaic plates leave quite the imprint after sitting on them all day! LOL!!!! actually I just rinse, heat dry and preen my feathers back into shape.

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I fish, therefore I swam.



[This message has been edited by featherchucker (edited 22 November 2005).]

[Bamboozle]

Don:

Where can I get information on your video. I have a real interest in classic wets especially the Bergman plates that you do. I have big plans on attempting some this winter.

Thanks!

[LadyFisher]

Bamboozel, how did you miss the nice Review of it here: [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/review/062705.html:77c03]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/review/062705.html[/url:77c03]

Purchase information is there too.

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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL