Have you ever done something and failed, then did it again once again,
resulting in the same result? Then finally, that old "Light Bulb" appears
over your head, and you shout "Eureka!" Kind of like, pounding your head
against a wall, only because it feels so good, when you stop doing it. I had
one of those moments, so I thought I would share the experience with you, so
you won't have the headache I got from the experience.
The "Fly of the Week" for Week #203 on FAOL, was "The Professor."
I thought I would tie some up, as I really like fishing with
streamer flies. In the past, I have avoided any fly pattern that called
for a wing other than a quill segment. I have fat fingers, they don't look
necessarily fat, but around a fly vise they become as large as Polish Sausages.
Trying to tie a wing onto a streamer for me, is like trying to play the piano,
wearing mittens. For the life of me, I cannot fold a feather in half to tie
on for a wing, to get a proper wing.
I tried to fold a mallard feather, the wing ends up with segments
pointing in every direction, except the right one. I tried striping a mallard
feather to the length I needed and folding it in half. Not enough to hold on
to while trying to fold it, and total disaster was the result! I tried using
a post it note, sticking half of the feather along the stem, then folding the
other half over to the other side. Complete failure! I went back to the
first method, and striped another feather, and just laid it on the top of the
hook shank, and tied it in. Improvement, but not what it should look like!
Then, the "Old Light Bulb" appeared, and I tried the idea, and
afterwards, shouted "Eureka! I don't know what Eureka means, but it must be
Ancient Greek or Arabic for, "Boy! am I a dumb Hockey Puck?"
Here is what I did! I segmented the mallard feather, and then folded
the segment (still attached to the stem). I folded the segment, and holding
it in between my (big fat) finger and thumb, held it in place and secured
it with thread wraps.
That is it! Very simple idea and it works! Now if you excuse me, I
have to find the Aspirin Bottle, for this headache I have. Feels like I
have been pounding my head against a wall.
Oh, almost forgot, here are the before and after pictures of "The
Professor."
Please check out the Fly Tying Section, on the
Bulletin Board, on FAOL too.
If you have any questions, tips, or techniques; send them along.
Someone else thought up most of this material before we did,
they just forgot to tell anyone about it. Or else we just
forgot about it, while learning something else. Let us
share with each other, all the things we know!
~ Steven H.
McGarthwaite ParnelliMN@aol.com (Chat Room AKA Parnelli)
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