My thoughtful wife of &%*@?) years heard me lament about the problem I had in tying on a new fly midstream. Needless to say, age and eyesight are no small,part of the problem but… Since we’re in Jackson Wyo., and this happens to be the home of the famous Jack Dennis store, she related the problem to one of the guys at the store and he suggested to her this item.She bought me one and I can’t imagine how I managed without one before.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/ … GP1103.jpg
It’s about the size of 1/2 ball point pen and the principal is the same as in the plastic red/white bobber ( perish the thought) we used when we were the unwashed bait fishermen/ladies. This thing is the cats a$$ for ease to retie
Y’all may already have one of these but if you don’t, GET ONE. Maybe one of the sponsors has them.
The brand name of the one I have is: TY-RITE JR.
Mark
OK, but, ?
Why are you having problems tying knots. What knot does it tie and when do you use it? Oh, by the way… nice fly! 
JC,
It’s a tool ONLY for holding the fly while you tie it onto the hook eye. The choice of knot is up to you/me. For me,at least, it’s always a problem holding/mangling/twisting a fly the required number of turns for a good tippet to fly connection cinch knot .This tool cuts the time/effort by 80+percent and helps prevent mangling all the hairy stuff you took so long to apply to your fly .Maybe this picture will help explain.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/ … GP1107.jpg
Mark
[b]Looks good,Marco…might be just the ticket for old eyes and funky fingers. At least I could fasten it to my body and not have to scrabble around looking in the grass or watching a fly sink in the crick when I dropped it.
Rodger
I’druther be fishing!![/b]
Marco,
Having some old eyes and clumsy fingers, I’ve dropped more flies and mangled more hackle than the law allows. I may have to get me one of those things. Thanks for the tip.
REE
What’s wrong with the ones from Radio Shack that we have all been using for years?
Here is an easy way to put your twists into the line when tying a knot.
Hold the tippet in one hand and twril the tippet in the other with the fly inbetween. This will cause the two sections of tippet to wrap around themselves. When done, just put both pieces in one hand and the twists will stay in place as you use the tag end to finnish your knot.
jed
I will sometimes take the fly and put the tippet through the eye an then hook the fly on one of my rod guides. This holds the fly until I can make the knot.
I believe I will invest in one of those ty-rite gadgets. Thanks Marcos
Tim Anderson
How many of you carry forceps for hook removal? They work fine for holding the hook as Marco decribes also…
Brad
Marco - even when I was a young pup with great eyesight, I found it was tough knotting on those #22-32 midges without mangling the fly (not that the trouts wouldn’t eventually mangle them anyhow).
My solution was to convert a cheapo ball point pen with a short length of violin E string. The storeboughts do fine on normal size flies, but these microflies have a tiny gap that doesn’t fit the wire.
It’s best if the tip of the pen is metal (to reduce wear) and I always keep an eye out for the ink refills that have a metal barrel - easier to hold the E string permanently.
tl
les
I was wondering the same as JC… why not just use the radio shack thingie. I woke up this morning thinking that the ty-rite might be heavier which would probably help twirl the tippet. And it might be easier to attach to yourself with a zinger. I figured I could wrap the radio shack jobbie with some lead to add weight. Not sure about how to keep from dropping it when my hands are cold though.
:shock: It’s not THAT end of the fly I have problems with!! Every year the eye on my hooks gets smaller, and smaller!! In addiion to trifocals, I now find I must use the threaders put out by C&F (only the refills … can’t fford the whole system!) :roll:
Really, I have had an EZ-Hook attached to a zinger for at least 15+ years.
Before that I had a pen like lesyoung describes except I wanted to use a G-sting instead ;).
Gentlemen and Betty,
All the alternatives sound great and I’m sorry I was unaware of them till my wife bought me this tool. It solved a ticklish problem for me like RITE NOW 
I would agree though that the spring tension may be a bit much for hooks as small as 22’s and up. I then would probably opt for Les Youngs’ ( Yo Les :)) device where the tension is applied manually.
BUT,for those of you, who like me, were unaware of this better “mousetrap”, here is the full photo I should have posted at the start. The cost was $7.95 in expensive Jack$on Wyo. If this is NOT for you, at least employ the IDEA of a device that holds a hook/fly while tying on.
Also, I’m curious as to what the Radio Shack alternative looks like. Is it also spring loaded??
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/ … GP1109.jpg
Mark
Radio shack hook clips
I use my hemostats to hold my hooks
Norm,
Thanks for the pics. Looks like the same exact principal and probably cheaper (?). Had I only known???
OK, SO ABOUT MY ORIGINAL POST, NEVER MIND
Mark
marco, your post was very informative to me. i didn’t know about the radio shack tools either, but the ty-rite looks great and i am going to purchase one. i fish griffith gnats alot and find that i really smash down the hackle tying it onto the tippet. appreciate the info. after reading countless threads on this site, i am still suprised (but shouldn’t be) by the tone of some of the replies i see on various topics. your post was great.
So we can try to make this site more acceptable to you, which posts are you talking about?
“i am still suprised (but shouldn’t be) by the tone of some of the replies i see on various topics”
Guess I was busy, but didn’t see them. But since you are complaining now, where are they. Accept, of course, the accusatory tone of yours.
Hey Marco, while you were in Jackson at the fly store, did you see the RULER that you put on your rod like tape?? Have used several over the years and just found out that they are made in Moose, Wyo.
By the way the holder you bought may be easier to hold on to, not drop in water and other places,
Yes I speak from experience, not all good.
no need for fingerpointing on my end. i am sure that anyone who visits this forum on a regular basis and is not afraid to answer truthfully would have no trouble identifying the posts to which i refer.