Flies

[JohnR06]

One of my other hobbies is fly tying (and occasionally making a fly rod) and fishing for trout. Here are a couple flies I've tied recently. To give you an idea of the scale, these are slightly over 1/2 inch long.

An "October Caddis":



A Classic Bergman fly:



Me at the bench. Note there are 5 flies attached to the white foam just above my right hand (to give some perspective on size).



Anyone else have that addiction too??

 

[nativewooder]

I used to tie for salt/freshwater and make custom rods of all varieties. Then the hurricanes of 2004 blew through and all my tying tools were literally blown away. Took up woodturning as there was no lack of downed trees in the area!!!

 

[knowltoh]

I have hobby ,too. I tied flies commercially for a number of years. I have tied flies for over 40 years and the commercial tying took a toll on my interst in tying. I still tie for myself and friends. On a side note, I sold a lot of my Hoffman, Metz and Whiting saddles for the hair extension industry and used the funds to by a nice used pontoon boat. I still have over a 100 Metz, Whiting, and Hoffman necks, so I can tie for years.

I also build fly rods and some spinning rods. I am a pack rat on the rod blanks and have 40-50 to build on.

I guess I am a pack rat in general as my pen blank and pen kit inventory is substantial. I am lucky to have a great wife who lets me indulge myself in these hobbies with a minimum of flack!

 

[wiset1]

Fantastic work!

 

[TellicoTurning]

John,
Those are great... one of the things I was going to do when I retired to east Tennessee was take up trout fishing... I'm not a great fisherman, but the few times I fished for trout, mostly in Calif up on the San Joaquin, out east of Modesto.... I really enjoyed the hunt... never caught much and learned that a fly rod isn't a whip staff... I threw more flies off the end of the line and into the trees, river or somewhere... I finally learned a little better to control the cast, but still have loads and loads of work to learn right.... I've lived within a 30 or 40 minute drive of the Tellico River for 6 years and have been fishing once.

We had a guide service and a store that specialized in the fishing gear up on the Cherohala just outside of town, but it's closed down and now it's a Harley Davidson store...

 

[Haynie]

I LOVE fly fishing. That last picture there is what I aim for in retirement. Without the pipe of course. My wife would kill me, thus ending the enjoyment.

Beautiful Flies. The Bergman is stunning.

 

[Ambidex]

Those are truly beautiful..there's a retired schoolteacher here in Archbold that teaches flytying...I love seeing what he comes up with..

 

[Akula]

been doing flies about 20 years (fresh and salt)

 

[pyurgal]

I really like the Bergman. The caddis flies look good too.

Your post reminds me that I need to tie a bunch of flies for when the lakes and rivers defrost here.

Paul

 

[Rick P]

I have hobby ,too. I tied flies commercially for a number of years. I have tied flies for over 40 years and the commercial tying took a toll on my interst in tying. I still tie for myself and friends. On a side note, I sold a lot of my Hoffman, Metz and Whiting saddles for the hair extension industry and used the funds to by a nice used pontoon boat. I still have over a 100 Metz, Whiting, and Hoffman necks, so I can tie for years.

I also build fly rods and some spinning rods. I am a pack rat on the rod blanks and have 40-50 to build on.

I guess I am a pack rat in general as my pen blank and pen kit inventory is substantial. I am lucky to have a great wife who lets me indulge myself in these hobbies with a minimum of flack!

Tying commercially can burn you out fast! I tie for just the family now and I am still not as into it as I once was but it's very satisfying catching fish on your own hand made gear. A variant of a elk hair caddis is our number one go to dry fly. Most of the fishing here is duck and chuck salmon fishing, but my true love is heading north for grayling and arctic char on a dry!

 

[JohnR06]

I used to tie for salt/freshwater and make custom rods of all varieties. Then the hurricanes of 2004 blew through and all my tying tools were literally blown away. Took up woodturning as there was no lack of downed trees in the area!!!

Oh man, that stinks! I thought I'd get into wood turning to do reel seats... got into pens and haven't done a single reel seat yet. (But, I've only been turning for about 4 months now.

I am lucky to have a great wife who lets me indulge myself in these hobbies with a minimum of flack!

Sounds like you do have a terrific wife.

I threw more flies off the end of the line and into the trees, river or somewhere... I finally learned a little better to control the cast, but still have loads and loads of work to learn right.... I've lived within a 30 or 40 minute drive of the Tellico River for 6 years and have been fishing once.

We had a guide service and a store that specialized in the fishing gear up on the Cherohala just outside of town, but it's closed down and now it's a Harley Davidson store...

Chuck, LOL... must admit to having caught a bunch of leaf fish myself. I stopped in that store a couple years ago. Couldn't quite see what kept them afloat.

Maybe I can talk you into joining me next time I hit the Tellico. (Usually with my family and spending the weekend camping.)

Without the pipe of course. My wife would kill me, thus ending the enjoyment.

Beautiful Flies. The Bergman is stunning.

My lovely wife bought me that pipe... she feeds my addictions... pipes, fly fishing/tying, pen making...

Thank you.

I really like the Bergman. The caddis flies look good too.

Your post reminds me that I need to tie a bunch of flies for when the lakes and rivers defrost here.

Paul

Thanks. This is the time to get some tying in!

Tying commercially can burn you out fast! I tie for just the family now and I am still not as into it as I once was but it's very satisfying catching fish on your own hand made gear. A variant of a elk hair caddis is our number one go to dry fly. Most of the fishing here is duck and chuck salmon fishing, but my true love is heading north for grayling and arctic char on a dry!

Never tied commercially, but I tied for lots of swaps over the last three years. You can get burned out.

Grayling and char on a dry... now that sounds like fun!!!

 

[ohiococonut]

I love fly tying and fly fishing but living in Ohio it's like a snow boarder living in Florida. The Mad River is really the only place I can go for trout and when season is in, that's just what it is. I've had to change my technique somewhat and tie weighted flies I call Wooley Streamers. They're geared more towards bass/pike fishermen but they can be cast with a 12 weight. Some day................

 

[Rick P]

John

Grayling are very acrobatic! And surface feed like they are starved. 100 fish days with barb-less flys are not uncommon. North slope char are unreal......picture a brook trout as big as your leg smashing a mouse pattern! I think the places they live are what attracts me though. The best fly fishing is pristine remote water.

 

[biednick]

I tie flies too, from around 1/0 down to 24, thats what I used on my tied fly pen I posted awhile back.

 

[JohnR06]

Grayling are very acrobatic! And surface feed like they are starved. 100 fish days with barb-less flys are not uncommon. North slope char are unreal......picture a brook trout as big as your leg smashing a mouse pattern! I think the places they live are what attracts me though. The best fly fishing is pristine remote water.

I'm thinking I need to add a visit to your place to my bucket list!

 

[Rick P]

Doors open there is beer in the fridge.........might want to leave the dog be, she's grumpy!

Honestly we love showing folks around the state. John here is from Colorado, he was up for a meeting with one of the hunting and fishing orgs I belong to, backcountry hunters and anglers. He grined like this all day. I just wish I could have put him on a decent fish, bunch of dinkers like this one but he had a great time!

 

[Rick P]

The wife is always looking for an excusse to get out and fish.........she would want me to add this is a really bad pic of her. We stopped to catch a few on our way home from a 10 day bear hunt 30 miles from a road.

 

[Rick P]

Here's a better one.

 

[Rick P]

Every surf cast for salmon?........LOL I'd better stop now, me PM box is going to be stuffed!!!!

 

[Rick P]

:laugh:One more.....kids love to fish!

 

[Haynie]

I really should have said I like fly casting. I don't catch anything.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I really should have said I like fly casting. I don't catch anything.

That's more my trick too... I like to TRY to fly cast...

Last time I went fishing up on the San Joaquin, I took my 15 year old son back to Calif. to a guest ranch I liked and we went out on the river... he got up on a rock outcrop that was 20 feet above the water and told me he was going to cast into the pond below...'course Daddy who knows about these things told him he couldn't catch a trout like that.... it wasn't all that big, but big enough for supper. Only fish we caught the whole trip.... but sure had a good time hiking and exploring. :biggrin::biggrin:

 

[Rick P]

Chuck.

My wife and I used to do a fair amount of backcountry fishing in the little streams of that area. We found the best way to fish those small clear streams is to stalk them. The fish have a great view of you, so try and keep out of sight. Use boulders as hides and light roll casts to deep holes behind rock and other structure. Wear mute colors and think of it more like stalking game. I found small feeder streams often had better fishing than well worked bigger water. Dont be afraid to hike in a bit, even here 300 yards can be the difference between big fish days and days of dinkers few and hard won.