Tied my first

[Mike29]

Hello everyone,
After a few years of lurking here on FAOL and making the occasional post I have decided to make my own.

I'm new to fly fishing (going on my third winter now) I finally decided to sit down and "tie" some flies. I have been putting it off for about a year now but yesterday I sat down and with some (alot) help from the huge wealth of knowledge here on FAOL I tied my first.

It was a beadhead nymph from a pattern here in the Fly Archives. I have tied ten thus far and I am keeping them in order as they come out to mark my progress. Each one I tie, I try to improve my methods just a little each time.

Anyways, I just wanted to post and say thanks to everyone here at FAOL and also let you know that there is another "newguy " out there ready to receive the torch from the more experienced generation in hopes of one day passing it on to the next.

Thanks for looking,
Mike

[Hans Weilenmann]

Hi Mike,

While I am nowhere near handing over my torch (I hope!), congrats on the first of many flies in your own tying.

You will find the bunch here more than willing to offer their suggestion for helping you along the path. Taking your cues from Al's superb tutorials and columns is a great foundation to build on.

Cheers,
Hans W


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=== You have a friend in Low Places ===
http://www.danica.com/flytier

[Rick Z]

Welcome to the obsession.
Have fun doing it and remember that you canot ask a dumb question.

Rick

Mike29;
Now heed this, do not, I repeat, do not ever build a rod!!
I did get into 4 swaps after 2 years of tying and they are a lot of fun.

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I feel more like I do now than I did when I got here!

Cactus

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Mike,

Welcome to the madness of fly tying.*G*
Take that first fly you tied and put it in
a handy place for future reference. As you
progress through the skills, it will be a
source of inspiration, seeing how far and
how quickly your talents have matured.*G*
Warm regards, Jim

[James Smith]

Mike,

Welcome to the land of fly tying. When you start looking differently at the neighbor's cat or your beloved pet Rover and everything is viewed as potential fly ting material or tools, you'll understand the obsession that they're talking about. Enjoy...

Jim Smith

[Gardenfish]

Mike, have fun! I started tying last year just a couple of months after I started fishing. I used a clunky old vise and tied some real mutants. When I saw the swaps I was reluctant because I was a neophyte (still am), but I joined one and it was a thrill to see my "Shorty" (wet hackle on a salmon egg hook) pictured here on FAOL with all of the other flies from the swap. I learned a ton by examining other folk's flies from swaps. No one ever mentioned the quality of my flies, or teased me or said my flies were junk. I was encouraged and felt like I could really be a fly tier one day. Now I am and so are you. A few months ago I found a couple dozen of my first flies and omg were they bad! I tied in some dubbing and covered those monsters. As I recall I dubbed them with fur from my German Shepherd's butt. Great dubbing! I caught several trout on those fixeruppers. Best wishes and happy fishing. Follow recipies, but be sure to follow your fancy as well.
Paul

[Mike29]

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement. Even though I am starting out I can see what everyone means about the addiction.

I am going to look into joining a swap in the near future. I figure the worst that can happen is I learn a thing or two. LOL

Anyways, I'm looking forward to chatting with everyone on this subject.

Mike

[white43]

The other night out of nowhere while I was scrounging around looking for something do with Christmas, my first ever streamer I tied fell from the archives. If you swappers think what I'm doing now five decades later is a hoot, you should have seen this thing. But, I was thinking. Over the thread head I over-wrapped a head of lead wire to give that jiggy feeling to the fly. I don't know whether this particular fly caught any bass, and I don't know why God decided to drop it in my lap now -- it had to be something I tied around 12 or 13 years of age back around 1955 or so, when you either tied flies or you didn't fly fish where I was from -- but He did. So, whoever said above to take your first flies and file them somewhere was right on. Do it not just for reference, but because it is very special. It shows you were thinking. Dreaming. Being creative. Those bare hooks are an odd shaped canvas, but that they are. JGW

[Eight Thumbs]

Mike,

By all means, fish some of your creations and enjoy the second step in this maddness---your first fish on a fly that you have tied yourself. But save some of your representative flies as white43 has. You'll enjoy looking through them from time to time. I also have some flies that I tied in 1957 when I was twelve years old. Great memories! 8T

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You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it's a real short camping season.