Critique, Tips, Suggestions for a Newbie

[FlyGuyGlen]

JerryCoviello wrote:
FlyGuyGlen
check out this document from the Fly Tying Group Bronze Skill Award Handbook.

Let me know if you have any questions. I also have videos on my website www.flytyingtips.com

Jerry Coviello

Thanks Jerry! I'll take a look and might even give the whole handbook a read. Keeping an eye out for your beginner classes.

 

[JerryCoviello]

FlyGuyGlen

Come tonight at the Doylestown Brewery at 7:30. I'll be there, bring your tying stuff and I'll help you out.
Jerry Coviello

 

[FlyGuyGlen]

I'll see if I can swing it. On kid duty tonight, since the wife has a school event. Might not be able to be there at 7:30 sharp, but can't easily pass up good beer and some flies.

Appreciate the offer to help Jerry!

 

[PennKev]

FlyGuyGlen wrote:

That said, my thorax could be a little longer and fatter. (I was worried about making it too fat) Unfortunately, my ribbing did not stand out in the photos I took, so it looks like it doesn't exist. I like the rabbit guardhares as a tail, which is why I used them for the Guides Choice.

Yeah, you need to use less dubbing and twist it on tighter for your abdomen(body) and use more on the thorax. Almost everyone starts out tying and uses too much dubbing, even with buggy nymphs, you usually only need to add wisps of dubbing to your thread, not clumps.

In addition to tying in the wing case, you are losing wing case and thorax length due to a long head. The head should be about half as big as what you have.

The Guides Choice turned out much better for you, IMO. The tail could be a little sparser. Half as much material would still yield a prominent tail.

Keep trying and have a reference picture to compare to while you tie. I usually recommend the internet as a source of information, but there are plenty of pictures of poorly tied flies on the web so you need to be selective of what you use as a model. The link you posted is a pretty good representation of a typical Hare's Ear, so stick with that..

 

[Fly-Swatter]

To get plump, buggy, durable thoraxes on fur nymphs, I do the following after finishing the abdomen and securing the rearward end of the wing case:
1. Lay down a base of thin, tight dubbing on the hook first (wrapping from the head back to the base of the wing case)
2. Add a 2nd layer of "picky", loose dubbing on top of that (wrapping from the base of the wing case up to the start of the head).

I found the nice, picky thoraxes I was tying were coming apart b/c the hair tended to fall out when loosely dubbed. This technique solves that issue and is much easier than putting down one fat layer of dubbing.

 

[PennKev]

Fly-Swatter wrote:
To get plump, buggy, durable thoraxes on fur nymphs, I do the following after finishing the abdomen and securing the rearward end of the wing case:
1. Lay down a base of thin, tight dubbing on the hook first (wrapping from the head back to the base of the wing case)
2. Add a 2nd layer of "picky", loose dubbing on top of that (wrapping from the base of the wing case up to the start of the head).

I found the nice, picky thoraxes I was tying were coming apart b/c the hair tended to fall out when loosely dubbed. This technique solves that issue and is much easier than putting down one fat layer of dubbing.

This is excellent advise. I find that a lot of beginners tying instructions do not include tips like this and instead try to keep the instructions as basic as possible, which can actually make getting good results harder. Doing your thoraxes in two layers definitely makes it easier to acheive bulk. It also is more durable and you can pick out the fibers without thinning out the thorax too much.

Another example of making something harder by making it simpler is parachutes hackles. But that's different thread...

 

[FlyGuyGlen]

PennKev wrote:

Fly-Swatter wrote:
I found the nice, picky thoraxes I was tying were coming apart b/c the hair tended to fall out when loosely dubbed. This technique solves that issue and is much easier than putting down one fat layer of dubbing.

This is excellent advise. I find that a lot of beginners tying instructions do not include tips like this and instead try to keep the instructions as basic as possible, which can actually make getting good results harder. Doing your thoraxes in two layers definitely makes it easier to acheive bulk. It also is more durable and you can pick out the fibers without thinning out the thorax too much.

Another example of making something harder by making it simpler is parachutes hackles. But that's different thread...

This makes total sense, and would definitely help bulk up the thorax. I'll give it a go at lunch and see how my results look.

 

[JerryCoviello]

You want a buggier thorax just use a dubbing loop with a lot of guard hairs.

Simple and easy to do.

 

[nomad_archer]

Going off what Jerry said...

Glen dubbing loops are awesome once you get the hang of them. Get a rotary dubbing twister they make it much easier. I started with a garbage dubbing twister and it made it more difficult then necessary. No need to spend tons of money on a dubbing twister but just get a decent one as it will make your life much easier.

 

[FlyGuyGlen]

I was wondering what the dubbing spinner was for. Technique looks pretty straight forward too. Thanks Jerry and Trevor. Looks like I'm gonna need more hooks! Haha

But not as small as those top secret midges you tied last night Jerry. :lol: and

 

[mike_richardson]

looking good keep it up

 

[JerryCoviello]

Glen
Dubbing loops are easy to do. Look at my Yellowstone fly nymph video on my website. The thorax is a dubbing loop. I use a button hook for my dubbing loop tool. Back in my days when I first started we used a paperclip and a lead sinker. But I like the rotary dubbing spinning tools on the market, even though I would not trade my button hook for one.

Let me know what you would like to learn next.
Jerry

 

[nfrechet]

put 10 tyers in a room and youll get 10 different flies and they will all catch fish 🙂

i'm tie them slightly different

i use a dark hares ear for the thorax (thats what the taught me a long time ago) and a tyvec wing case for durability (feather fibers just keep breaking)

lots of other durable materials can be used for the wing case

tease out the fur fibers with some velcro glued to a coffee stirrer

 

[FlyGuyGlen]

JerryCoviello wrote:
Glen
Dubbing loops are easy to do. Look at my Yellowstone fly nymph video on my website. The thorax is a dubbing loop. I use a button hook for my dubbing loop tool. Back in my days when I first started we used a paperclip and a lead sinker. But I like the rotary dubbing spinning tools on the market, even though I would not trade my button hook for one.

Let me know what you would like to learn next.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry. I'll give it a look, and play with the technique. I think I might take some time to work through the Bronze Handbook ties too. Get a better feel for tying the different types and sizes. If I have any questions, I'll be sure to reach out to you.


NFRechet, as long as I catch fish, that's the idea! Now I just need to learn how to do that. :lol: I've got no problems catching trees, boots, rocks, myself, etc. But man are those fish wiley buggers!

 

[nomad_archer]

FlyGuyGlen wrote:

NFRechet, as long as I catch fish, that's the idea! Now I just need to learn how to do that. :lol: I've got no problems catching trees, boots, rocks, myself, etc. But man are those fish wiley buggers!

I can try to help with the fish catching part. Let me know. Do you have a dubbing twister? I recently purchased a Stonfo Rotodubbing tool for like $15 and I really like it but what I had before left a lot to be desired.

Funny enough what nfrechet said 10 tiers on pattern and 10 different interpretations. On my hares ears I like to use hare and slf dubbing, cdl for a tail and I like to put uv goo on the wing case for durability. In the end they are all called a hares ear. Sometimes I even put those lively legz on them.

 

[FlyGuyGlen]

nomad_archer wrote:

I can try to help with the fish catching part. Let me know. Do you have a dubbing twister? I recently purchased a Stonfo Rotodubbing tool for like $15 and I really like it but what I had before left a lot to be desired.

I passed on purchasing one, cause I had no clue what it was for. HAHA. I'll look into adding one to my next order.

I'll let you know the next time I'm able to get out and throw some flies. I might (very slim possibility) take the daughter up to Lake Galena again this weekend. Maybe I'll try for some warm water fish.

 

[nomad_archer]

To get you into fish. Get a popper for sunnies. They are usually eager and lots of fun. Although I dont know how they behave this early in the year. When I started FF'ing last year I caught a fish on my first cast the first day out. Then I couldn't buy a trout for the next month until I figured some things out. After that it's been loads of fun. In the interim to keep from going crazy and getting frustrated, I went to a pond a few time to practice casting and hammer the pan fish. Make sure you debarb your hook it will make it easier to remove.

 

[FlyGuyGlen]

Already debarred all my purchased flies. And make a habit of smushing before tying too.

I have a couple poppers and such from when I bought my gear, so we'll see what the fates hold. If nothing else, I'll get some casting practice and tie on one of my Woolies! :lol:

 

[nomad_archer]

Sounds like you are off to a good start. You could also try a powerbait pattern with the opening day crowd this weekend. 😛int:

 

[FlyGuyGlen]

Two from lunch. The head on the one is pretty long, but my thread snagged on the eye while I was starting my whip-finish, so I put on some additional thread. The other one could probably use a bit of beefing up on the thorax.

The second picture is one I made last night. I'm pleased with the proportions and overall look of that one, but need to make the wing case a little wider.

Progress...progress....progress.