Yesterday, I had the same problem you described in one of your stories this morning. I was throwing a tiny (#16?) version of the Hare’s Ear Nymph and no matter what I did it wouldn’t sink and therefore behaved more like a dry fly than a nymph. The 'gillies ignored it totally.
Partly my fault, I think; I was using a 4X (6-lb. test) leader which is somewhat resistant to sinking anyway due to its larger diameter creating more surface tension flotation.
Three guesses how I solved the problem, and the first two don’t count.
Hey Joe, I tie mine with squirrel tail for the #10 flashback HEN tail as I don’t have the guard hairs. Are you tying your flies yet or still buying them from that local fly shop you frequent?
I guess I’m gonna havta throw some of the GRHE in my box. I usta use it quite a bit [but then, I “usta” a lot of things!!! ] I just got away from it I guess.
Am I tying my own flies yet? No. And I won’t until the Douglas/Jefferson county dump is covered by a roof that’s big enough to cover the equivalent mass all the materials and tools I’d doubtless accumulate if I began tying.
The idea of tying my own flied scares me. I now own five fly rods; I know how I can get.
Hey Joe just remember that anything worth doin’ is worth doin’ to excess! Just ask my wife!! I was a competitive shooter before stumbling into fly fishing and fly tying, all I did was trade one addiction for another…
Relax, fellas. Joe Hyde will tie in time. He won’t be able to resist the pull. I doubt if I’d put the ol’ lady up for ante, but I feel that strongly that it is only a matter of time. JGW
Only 5 rods? Pshaw! You might as well take up fly tying. With self-discipline like yours, you will probably get only a cubic yard or so of stuff. Lightweight!
Hey guys, what do you think about putting together a fly-tying kit for Joe. Of course, it couldn’t be too complete…
I could throw in a pack of Whiting 100s, Grizzly, size 12. Then no more dry fly hackle. Somebody else could give some hen hackle, black would be good. A few partial ringneck rooster tail feathers, all in different colors would make another part. A spool of thread and another of tinsel, only one size and color of each. Add a half of a natural bucktail, half of a hare’s mask, a little chenille and maribou (in 1 or 2 colors) and a few hooks and that would make the materials. Then a cheap vice, er, vise, one pair hackle pliers, 1 bobbin, a dubbing needle and some head cement and that would about do it. Remember that the idea is to give him enough to just give him a little push, into the local tyer’s shop… <heh heh heh> Oh yeah, we should give him about a foot of boa yarn…
Who’s with me on this one? I think that I might have a vice, I mean vise, laying around that I could give him…
[This message has been edited by EdD (edited 13 July 2006).]
[This message has been edited by EdD (edited 13 July 2006).]
Well, guys, I confess to at least thinking about taking up tying. Occasionally. For instance, when I’m inspecting a frazzled HEN that’s being progressively dismantled by vicious hits from bluegills. Thread hanging off, the whole thing coming unwrapped…but it’s still catching fish one after another despite that battered appearance? Times like this, the idea hits me that a nymph I might tie couldn’t possibly look any worse than this nearly-destroyed store bought nymph.
The idea of tying holds quite a bit of appeal to me, in theory. But as a practical matter it would be nearly impossible for me to do right now, given my long work hours, long daily commute and a whole laundry list of other things taking up my time, money and energy. I’m not discounting it, though.
Some years ago I bought a cheapie hook vise so that I could “chisel file” the hooks of my lures, flies, and stainless steel bankline hooks. This was back when I first dabbled in fly fishing, 10 or 15 years ago now. I still have that vise, and even though it’s crude by y’all’s standards I know it will hold a bare hook. So…if I do stick my little toe into the waters of tying, I have a bit of a head start in the sense that I don’t need EVERYTHING in the way of gear. I’ve got a vise.
Another thing is that by fishing from a canoe I’m able to retrieve a lot more snagged flies than a bank fisherman could ever do. This lets each of my storebought flies live a much longer and productive life. Often I’ll go three or four trips and use the same fly the whole time.
I crunched some numbers and a decent lower-end tying kit will cost roughly the equivalent of 75 store bought #10 flashback Hare’s Ear Nymphs. (And most of the flies I use are in the same $1.25 to $1.50 price range.)
I doubt I’ve lost 75 flies in the last two years that I’ve been fishing intensively. So with the conservative way that I approach fishing, I’m probably money ahead NOT taking up tying. But I sure can appreciate how much fun and how much of a fascinating head trip tying becomes once a person starts doing it.
] I just got away from it I guess.