Can anyone share with me some basics on tying the float and fly, fly. What size/kind of head, what material to use. Just looking for some starting points. I have a friend wanting to try this and asked if I can ty him some flys for this.
Can anyone share with me some basics on tying the float and fly, fly. What size/kind of head, what material to use. Just looking for some starting points. I have a friend wanting to try this and asked if I can ty him some flys for this.
Finally something I can respond to amongst all these professionals!
What I like is as follows.
I use minnow heads with a sickle hook in either #2 or #4 in 1/16th ounce primarily. I buy them from eBay as a hundred will run about 10 bucks shipped and that will last you a lifetime. Nice sharp hooks that stick on contact, havent had any issues losing fish with the FnF since using these hooks. Get a cheap vise, no need for a fancy one to tie these. I use Punisher Craft Hair only and some crystal flash and some mallard flank feathers. I have all colors of craft hair but use only a few myself. I use orange, yellow, white, smoke and purple most times. You can get as fancy with them as you want, but keep in mind the bulkier you make them the slower they sink. I make one for my water that is a bottom layer of orange craft hair with either purple or yellow on top, with two mallard flank feathers on each side, really good pattern for my local river. Im not sure what size thread I use on the bobbin, and Terry Anderson from AFS Custom Baits taught me a really cool method for securing the thread when you tie them. I always finish off the thread with a small dab of super glue just to reinforce the tie.
Hope this helps out.
Sounds good, I have most everything except the craft hair. Can you explain what craft hair is? I have tyed several patterns for actual fly fishing, so I have the vise and such. Any reason you use the cement and not just a whip finish? Just curious. Really appreciate all the help
http://www.questoutdoors.net/s....html
Craft hair is great stuff. I use it for jigs and streamers. Any fly shop should have it. Jann's sells it and so does BPS.
<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by 98rangerdvs »</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Sounds good, I have most everything except the craft hair. Can you explain what craft hair is? I have tyed several patterns for actual fly fishing, so I have the vise and such. Any reason you use the cement and not just a whip finish? Just curious. Really appreciate all the help
The craft hair from punisher jigs is the best I've used by far. Go to their website and look at it. You can also order from their site.
Because I dont know how to do a whip finish!!!! Terry Anderson showed me a trick using braid to finsih off jigs, but without being in front of you I cannot explain it. I just use the glue for a little extra hold, although I think it isnt needed especially if you can do a whip finish.
http://www.punisherlures.com is the place to get the craft hair from IMHO
<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Big Dummy »</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">a hundred will run about 10 bucks shipped and that will last you a lifetime. </td></tr></table>
I went through a whole bag in a year. I hope that's not a life time.
But they are some nice little jigs. I just picked up two more bags.
☺
Some guys collect baseball cards just to look at them, I collect fishing equipment and use it .
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In fishing and in life only one thing stays the same and that is that everything changes.
Look at this post http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=758532
gitzit is a great guy......I'm sure he'd be glad to help.
My suggestion is to learn how to whip finish. It's easy to learn, makes a good smooth tie that can't come loose. Then I hit the threads with head cement.
Do you need to whip finish-No.
Will half hitches work-Yes.
It's just my personal preferance. When I'm done tying, the whip finisher is so natural that I don't even think about it.
For cement, I use clear, red, or black nail polish. Or whatever color for the thread I use. Cheaper than the stuff at fly shops, and comes with the cool brush.
On finishing tools, the "simple" or "matarelli" styles work for jigs.
You tube has a bunch of "how-to's" on the subject.
If you're tieing jigs with weed guards, it doesn't work so well.
Here's my Hi-Tech tool that I MacGyver'd on the road when my store bought finisher broke. Paper clip and electrical tape. Been using it for 3 years now.
thanks for the whip finisher tool idea. I think I'll give it a try myself.
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