Making a shopping list, Suggestions?

All about flies Fly Tying
1

OK guys and girls. I am going to make a shopping trip to Nashville to visit the Bass Pro Shop. It is not the little Fly Fishing shop that alot of you enjoy (and I used to when I lived in New England), but it is as close as I am going to get.

Here in Western Kentucky, the Black Hole of Flyfishing there are no, let me emphasize that, NO flyfishing shops. Gander Mountain has one 4 foot section of materials that is woefull at best.

So a trip to BPS is in order. But I need suggestions. I will be tying for Warm Water only, as that is the only water that is available in which to fish.

I know I need about a dozen different shades of chenille but what else so I really need to tie some Bass/BG/Crappie flys. I tie and use Wooly Worms tied with a red tag on the bottom of the head as well as for the tail (it seems to make a considerable difference)but would like to get a little more diverse in my tying and fishing. I have picked up some patterns from FAOL archives and will include the material for those but I would appriciate some ideas from others.

Thanks,
Clint

Wise men still seek HIM…

2

Shhhh… the best warmwater materials are not from fly shops. Craft foam, bead chain (plastic and metal), and permament markers are available at craft stores. Rubber legs can be had at Gander or from a spinner skirt or bungee cord. If you hunt or know someone who does, it is no big deal to scrape and borax a piece of deer hide. Bucktail too. If you don’t know hunters, check with taxidermists for scraps. Deer, Pheasant, rabbit, and squirrel are all useful.

But to answer your question…
Flash-a-bou, Shine-a-bou, and/or Crystal flash.
I disagre wih your dozen shades of chenille. Olive, white, black and 1 or 2 others that catch your eye.
Saddle Hackle and/or Bugger hackle. same colors as chenille.
Ultra-chenille in light green, tan, red.
I like leech yarn, tho mohair yarn from the craft store is great.
How are you set for hooks?
Beads?
Thread? Definitely get some kevlar.

These are the things I use, but it is a highly individual hobby.

3

You might concider some deer body hair for spinning. As one delves deeper into warmwater stuff, the more useful the material and proceedure seems to become.
…lee s.

4

cone heads
barbell eyes
rabbit strips and cross cuts
streamer hooks
maribou
deer hair
elk hair
caribou
How much money did you say you had?
Don’t forget to check the bargin bin.

Oh Yeah, and bucktail, lots of bucktail.

[This message has been edited by Fly_Line (edited 12 July 2005).]

5

Grew up in E.KY and went to college at EKU. I didn’t start buying chinelle until I moved to Alaska. Just go to your local dept store’s craft section and buy one of those huge rolls of yarn. You can do so much with that stuff. I always bought the 4 strand variety. You can strip away the strands for smaller flies. Black, olive, red, orange, and brown where the colors I had. Still use the black here in Alaska for egg-sucking leeches.
Other things to consider:
Deer hair for spinning bass bugs. colors; black, red, white, olive, natural, yellow, green and chartruse.
Barred saddle hackle in griz, brown, orange and olive.
Solid saddle hackle in black, white, red, olive and chartuse.
Buck Tail, black, natural x 2, chartuse, olive, red, and orange. (you’ll use more natural for the white hair, buy extra.)
Cone heads, beads, and dumbbell eyes for sub-surface action.
Don’t forget hooks. Mustad 9671,9672, and bass stinger hooks or equivalent usually will do the job. Size 2-10
Thread: Kevlar or Flat waxed nylon for spinning. 3/0 to 6/0 for everything else. Black, olive, brown, white and red.

After you get all your materials here’s a little list of patterns:
Bass bugs- any color combo-size 2,6,10
wolly buggers- olive/blk, chart/wht, brown/black, all black, olive, wht- size 4,6,8.
Clouser Minnow- olive/wht, chart/wht, brn/org/wht, blk/wht- size 4,6,8,10.

Hope I didn’t ramble too much.

Ben

[This message has been edited by bstacy1974 (edited 12 July 2005).]

6

He’s right about the craft shops. I also like the craft foam that you can buy for about 10 cents per 8.5 x 11 sheet. It’s cheap, easy to work with and floats like a cork!

As for the fly shop, make sure you’re stocked up on #2, #6, and #10 hooks (any three sizes of S, M, and L will do), and grab anything that has wiggles a lot in the water. I like saddle hackles, partridge feathers, marabou, and rubber leg materials. Also make sure you have things to sink your subsurface flies like some lead-free wire and eyes. As far as colors go, I think white, peacock black, chartreuse, purple, and yellow are a good start, but don’t be afraid to grab anything else that catches your eye.

7

Don’t forget Thread…6/0,3/0 mono cord,flat waxed,and a gel spun for tying deer hair flies.
Colors…Lots…

Pearl KF,Number one on my list,for any minnow imatation.

I think the rest has pretty much been mentioned…and prolly atleast 2 grand,if your going to attempt to get all this in one shot.

“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best

“Wish ya great fishing”

Bill

[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 12 July 2005).]

8

Bluegill Bud:

Maybe I am missing something here, but for fly tying suppliers, what’s wrong with mail order? I am assuming your trip to BassPro is a bit of trip for you. You can get whatever you need mail order and the craft shops.

Dr Bob

9

Bob,
I learned to FF in New England. I lived right on the Mass/NH border and my mentor lived just the other side of said border. I have since moved around a bit and have settled (for the time) in Kentucky. In NH we had about 6 to 7 small, very personable FF shops with knowlegable (sp?) staff and I had John along with a dozen or so fellows and girls with whom I worked/went to church/and fished. Here in Kentucky I am the Fly Fisher not one of many and I am sort of out of my FF roots. A recent trip back to NH to visit my daughter and brand new grandson rekindeled the interest. In Mass I lived 100 yards from the Squanacook River and less than 20 minutes from the Nashua River where John and the afformentioned others taught me some of the finer points. Here in Kentucky all I have available is what this site calls “Frog Water” and I am trying to adapt. I found this site and am using it as I did those who instilled the love of Flyfishing in me.
I don’t mind mail order, but if I can I like to hold the item in my hand when ever I can.

Clint

10

Amen, Clint…Nothing scares me more than buying,“especially” the “good stuff” by mail…You have no clue as to what “they” will send YOU…They are just making a buck…you are tying “Quality”…

Think about this for just a Lil…

“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best

“Wish ya great fishing”

Bill

11

Bluegill Budd,
I’m pretty sure there is a Flyshop in Louisville on the Preston Hiway. I can’t remember the name of it …Frog something or other. They have a pretty good selection of materials ,tools and books. Probably a 12 X 12 room with 3 walls covered with Fly tying materials.I found it in the phone book under fishing tackle dealers a few years ago while in the area. It was still there last April.
I think there is also a regular fly shop in Nashville, or at least in the area . I’ve never been there but I recall it was supposed to be a good one as well.
Hope this helps.

Take Care,
Jim

[url=http://www.Jimsflyco.com:9847d]www.Jimsflyco.com[/url:9847d]

12

There’s also a great flyshop just south of Broadway and west of I-40 called “Fly South” on Demonbreun Street. It’s about a mile from Vandy’s campus. Very much worth checking out. Also, another shop out West End Ave.-can’t remember it’s name, but has lotsa good tying stuff and rods, reels, etc.

Bass Pro has a very good selection there, too, of tying materials.

13

Everything mentioned is good and the fly shop on West End, I believe, is called Cumberland Transit. I believe you will really enjoy the BPS and if you have a “better half” and they come with you, the mall that the BPS is located in, is really nice. I just turn my wife lose in it and take all the time I want in BPS. Don’t forget to get several different sizes of foam cylinders for poppers. I think you will be totally lost in the shop and will get very confused on what to purchase if you do not make a list and follow it. My only advise, for what it is worth, is to first determine what flies/poppers you want to tie and make a list of the material needed for them and get that first. Then you will know you have what you need that you can use immediately when you return home. After that purchase, you can browse around to see the other “goodies” that you can afford and decide you want. They have a video set up at a fly tying table you can watch that shows step by step instructions on different flies plus vises set up with tools and material that you can try your hand at. Make a list, stick to it and enjoy yourself from that point.

Warren

14

Favorite Bluegill fly is the Caterpillar.Yellow floss body,three turns of hackle front and back,paecock herl back overwrapped with fine wire.I also like the wooley worm,and am biased towards chartruese crystal chenille for the body.

15

Warren,
Isn’t bps located at the Opryland Mall?
That IS a really nice mall.
Jim

16

Budd,

I’m not in your neighborhood, but a search of the Orvis site has produced a full line dealer closer than BPS. It’s north-west and only 1 hr 45 min from you.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS CO., INC.
1226 East Main St UNIVERSITY MALL #1001, CARBONDALE, IL 62901
Phone:618-529-5130

Hope this helps…

There’s almost nothin’ wrong with the first lie, it’s the weight of all the others holdin’ it up that gets ya’! - Tim

17

If you are lucky, then you can catch Don or Jeff working the counter there. They can give you all of the help that you need. Both of them are great guys. I have a few boxes worth of materials from that store. Fortunately, they also sell Plano boxes at BPS…
When are you planning to go?
Ed

18

Well, I leave at noon today for about a 1.5 hour drive and here is the list from which I will be shopping. I probably will not get everything on the list but will use it as a guide. I have kept some of my old materiels and they are useable for the flys I have chosen.

Flash-a-bou, /Shine-a-bou,/and/or Crystal flash.
chenille. Olive, white, and 1 or 2 others that catch my eye.
Saddle Hackle and/or Bugger hackle. same colors as chenille.
Ultra-chenille in light green, tan, red.
Beads
Kevlar Thread
cone heads
barbell eyes
marabou
deer hair
elk hair
caribou
Barred saddle hackle in griz, brown, orange and olive.
Solid saddle hackle in black, white, red, olive and chartreuse.
Buck Tail, black, chartreuse, olive, red, and orange.

Thanks all of you for your insight in this very important matter.

Clint

Wise men still seek HIM…

[This message has been edited by Bluegill Budd (edited 16 July 2005).]

19

Got a craft shop going out of business here in Evart. Everything 1/2 off!!
Tell me what you need. Got a lot of Turkey wing feathers in the freezer too.

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

Cactus AKA “Lucky Dog (Pirate Name)”

20

OK, Clint, so what did you buy?