Welcome Fly Tyer !

[abelreel]

DT, It may very well be there. Dont know for sure. I saw a tyer at The New Jersey fly fishing show tying that fly and I just copied the way he was tying it several years ago. He tied them very quikly and acurately using this method. So I went back and tried it. After a few duds it started to take shape. I always keep the single edge razor handy when tying. I used to put the duds in a box and cut them later. Now I cut \'em right away. What a great fly. abelreel.

[charflyfish]

This is truly a classic with terrific results on the water. I have not seen the Legacy book but the pattern is very much one of Lafontaine\'s essential favorites. It is in the Caddisfly book and has several variations. Would like a copy of the new book regardless. Maybe someday. By the way Abelreel your enthusiasm is such a pleasure to see. Keep up the good work !

[abelreel]

Charlyfish, Thanks you for the comments. I am at a point in my life just trying to give back a little of what Ive learned. For awhile I thought I was overloading the site. But it seems there are new borders to the site since theyve learned of what was here. On a recent trip to Pa. I told a few of my friends of the site and now they tune in. I am very passionite about this sport and very thankful. Charly I still tie crap and somedays it seems like the first time I picked up a fly rod. What works for me is \"STOP\". Relax, and tell myself you can do better than this. By myself or with friends it doesnt matter. You ever have those days? You know throwing it in the trees then take everything apart redo leader tippet and fly. Then go right back on the next cast and throw it in the same tree. Truth. Ya have to laugh. The next day shoot a 50 ft roller to a sippin brown. It still humbles me. Thanks Again. Abelreel.

[charflyfish]

It is remarkable to me the commonality of the experience on the water or at the vise. Thank goodness someone is open about this challenge. Fishing alone I still look around to see who saw my miserable cast, backcast or fall into the water. Even alone I laugh outloud at just how clumsy things can be. That said, I know I can deliver and do catch, difficult fish, of size and merit, on a regular basis giving me an underlying confidence. Sometimes it seems as the \"gods\" are laughing and waiting for me to lose patience. I think most times when it is so awful, I have lost concentration or focus or sometimes even just tired. My fly tying has ups and downs and the most dangerous time is when I stray from proven patterns. Getting bored and wanting to be \"creative\" has filled several boxes with ?????? flies. Those boxes have solid - not see through - lids and I have also learned a sharp razor blade is my friend. Going in the morning. Wish me luck, Tom

[abelreel]

Tom, good to know you. Im sure all of us have had days to forget, and as youve written days where you were in command. Just the fact that you wrote about closed boxes and stumbling tells me something about you. Yep I look around as well when Im pullin all the duns off the tree Ive just hooked. But isnt it sweet when that brown takes your presentation that youve perfectly placed. That doesnt happen overnite. I still do alot of grass fishin. Casting to a cup with yarn in the yard around trees. Backing myself against bushes with no abilitly to backcast and practicing rollers left,right and against the wind. Its what you want to put in it. As far as flies, here\'s what I have done. I will tie flies that are not classic patterns. What I will do is take a classic and tweek it. Some of the flies Ive posted are simply that. Now you can have a clear box if you line em up next to the originals. One thing is for sure it looks good. I hope youve had a good day. The idea Im still on top of the grass is a good day for me. Greg Brey abelreel

[charflyfish]

Your last comment is the essence,i.e. everyday above is better than not. Tuesday it seemed like a good idea to try the Davidson River. Delayed Harvest is still on a there was hope that the majority chose that. On arrival it seemed so. Gray, cold, spitting rain - a perfect day. There are many, many fish over twenty inches. These are Catch and Release only and are a) not afraid of people and b) extremely wise to the lure. Technical to say the least. 6x Flourocarbon, 22 or 24 sz being standard. Got a great position. After ten minutes or so a gentleman approached across the river and asked if he could slip in. Of course, absolutely no problem accomodating someone thoughtful. The thing is within thirty more minutes, the river looked like the liquor store before a holiday. No one was rude or actually overcrowded my space, it was just that the only space available was the fifty feet or so that I started in. Anyway, I left and moved to a Delayed Harvest stream and ended up with a dozen or so, with several around fourteen inches. A very nice day after all. Looking forward to the next outing. I am also inspired by your posting and hope to get some on soon. Would like you to see what I am trying. Tom

[abelreel]

Tom, Sounds like your doing rather well. Good for you. Somedays on the water seem as if no one works anymore. But thats the world we live in. When things get like that for me, I try my darndest to take some quality fish over the masses. Absolutly I would Love to see whats going on in Tom\'s world of flyfishing/flytying.
Seems like the forum is gettin some needed fuel. Good to see. AS far as the flies and married wings. If you havent done it before or havent been very sucessful. Dont even try to tie a fly. Push the vise away. Take either some turkey wing or mallard wing or even just wood duck flank. Clip about 1/2\" wide out of the feather. Separate the piece in the middle. Now line up the tips. Starting at the base. Start to work the feather back together. Moving the pieces up and down slightly. Keep working the feather till you at the tip. You will find the sections divided will almost come together like velcro. Then try it with another wing material. Once you feel pretty good about what your doing. Now try disimilar feathers. Duck then turkey. Youll find some go together better than others. Some of the flies in Bergmans plates are two or three colors of married wings. If you have Schlappen or mallard in two different colors start there. I like to marry the wings of smaller flies with longer than needed pieces. Tie them in long then pull to the desired length. Very similar to tying mallard for a blue quill wing. I tie em in long and pull the wings down. Hope it helps, good to hear from you. Greg