What is everyone tying?

[TomTero]

Being the end of January and it's cold, and I'm quite bored and getting the shack nasties.........I'm wondering what everyone out there is tying this winter. I've been working on my big yak hair and bozo hair grocery flies as well as the standard bucktail deceivers, all in pollock, herring, or mackerel patterns. I've also done a few poppers. Last season I also discovered the incredible effectiveness of snake flies in white, white/chartreuse, and black. There were several occasions on the Cape last season at night where only black snake flies barely twitched would get strikes. So I'm tying up a mess of those in sizes 2 to 4/0.
I'm also going to tie a bunch of juvie flies in anticipation of another big juvenile pogie run in late summer and fall.
Only about 90 days to go and I'll be catching bright schoolies in Eastham. So what's everyone tying?

[Ron]

[bassman]

Tom...If I told ya I'd have to kill ya..;-)....hah..In all seriousness you know me...Buffys Buffys and more Buffys. I tie em original, Macks, Pogie, and a few this and thats. I also have been tying 6/0 Conomo Eel flies, Peanut Bunkers out of Bucktail, Craft Fur minnows, etc. Once I locate the dumbell eyes I want I will tye the usual bunch of clousers.....*YAWN*.....I'll be looking for ya the third week of April on the bayside on the flats!...Jeff

[David Churbuck]

<P><FONT color=black face=Verdana,Geneva size=2>Gotchas, Crazy Charlies, more Gotchas, more Crazy Charlies. All in pink.</FONT></P>
<P>Giess who's going bonefishing in three weeks?</P>
<P>David Churbuck<BR>Moderator<BR>Reel-Time: The Internet Journal of Saltwater Fly Fishing</P>

[jeffg]

Tom, we have similar tying minds apparently.

I have been tying a little of everything, some old, some new:

When I have time and patience, BIG grocery flies in herring and pollock patterns for the Cape and Boston Harbor/Mass Bay. I've been modifying the pollock pattern with a spun deerhair head to get a grocery/snake fly combo...

Tinker mackerel patterns in both deceiver and clouser style--the yak hair tinker clousers look very promising if they will only ride hook up!

Juve pogie and blueback herring patterns in fairly standard deceiver/big-eye style.

#4-6 bay anclovies, for if I ever get back to the Watch Hill area to albie fish.

bonito/F.A. flies in #2-6--mostly bunnies and epoxy baitfish

velvet eels, although I am in desperae need of a good BIG eel pattern.

Three years ago, every fly I tied was on a 2/0 hook. i am enjoying the variety of #6--4/0, especially the 4/0, I love big flies.

Jeff S., I have been getting the spreader patterns down pretty well--look forward to dredging a few around the outer Harbor Islands when the cows come home...

[Adam-Albino]

Rhody Flat Wings. size 2 - 3/0.
Bunny flies 2-1/0
Bunny eels 1/0-3/0
<IMG align=baseline alt="" border=0 hspace=0 src="http://photos.netclubs.com/live/photos/v/9/t/2/t2c710a3839h31nr004cfcdhuo/flyman2.gif">

[rel]

<FONT color=black face=Verdana,Geneva size=2>Considering the temperature outside I'm tying some of everything that has worked in the past just so I don't have to tie when I should be fishing and I don't get caught without the right fly. rel</FONT>

[kirk]

Good question. I have been attempting to improve my deerhair spinning/stacking. Mostly tying slab's, snakes, along with large herring patterns for the salt.

Also been trying smaller FW deerhair patterns for bass and pickerel. Deerhair is a fun change from "boring" deceivers and clousers.

Not ready to replace all of the clousers I will need in a few months. Plan to stock up on eyes at the Worcester show and then I will stock up on clousers.

BTW I stopped in at the Bear's Den. Was skeptical when their add claimed largest selection in Mass or NE. Walked out very impressed. Check it out if you are in the taunton area. No affiliation, just a satisfied customer.

kirk

[mcollins]

I just started tying, so it's the basic patterns. Clousers, Deceivers, Sand Eels, Blondes, both in natural and synthetic. Also tied some Lou Rossi Clousers for a little variation.

I'm looking for a good broad profile Hi Tie pattern, with instructions. I used one last year and it caught everything.
White bucktail, purple top, lateral line flash, big holo eyes. I'd like to use it as a guide and tie some variations.
If anyone has a pattern like that, with directions, I'd like to see it. I'm still a little lost when it comes to decyphering a picture and a materials list. Thanks, Mark

[tomflynn]

I'm a complete fly tying neophyte and willing to admit it, but I've been taking lessons the last four weeks with Capt. Bob Paccia.

The first week we made Ray's Flies, second week Clousers, third week Bunny Flies and last week Lou Tobourey's Snake Fly (in black!). Size 2-3/0. Bob's a premier tyer, good guy and I understand a great guide too.

Tom

P.S. He didn't pay me to say that!

[Tom Kelly]

I'm tying up a bunch of Enrico Puglisi baitfish style flies. I've seen him the last two years at the fly fishing show and I'm really with his work at the vice.

[BobD]

I am busy working on Bonefish flies for a friend who is heading to the Bahamas in March. If I can't make it this year at least my flies will have some fun.
Crazy Charlies
Gotchas
Mini Puffs
If he's lucky maybe even a few crabs.


Bob D<BR><img src="http://www.watersedge-charters.com/nebaylogo.gif">

[RIBill]

Just finished reading Kenney Abrames new book "The Perfect Fish: Illusions in Fly-tying". If you liked "Striper Moon", you'll love this one. Abrames is unique amongst the northeast salty writers. This is a great "winter-read" that will inject some zen into your tying. For example, I don't think that Abrames uses clousers, but his book has influenced the way I'm tying mine. Instead of heavy, opague "paintbrushes", I've slimmed it down substantially.
And although chartreuse is still chartreuse to an April schoolie at Second Beach, he's got me counting out strands of different colors of bucktail and blending combinations of color.

Less is more. I'm looking to create more translucent patterns, more impressionistic than realistic. As Abrames might say, if the fish stops to think about it, you've failed. It should take the fly as a matter of course. It should be looking for the next morsel as it feels the point take hold.

The book is loaded with variations on Ray's Fly and other flatwing patterns, almost to a fault. But that's what he casts. I'm anxious to tie some up and "swim them in a current". But what I'm recommending are all the vignettes that are slipped in amongst the pages of patterns. Much to chew on.

I've never met Abrames, so this post won't result in a cut of the royalties, but I'll take a couple Abrames-tied flatwings or just one razzle-dazzle sent to my home address anyday.

[BobPink]

Squid, Squid and some Calamari tooo!

One of the most vivid memories fromlast season came from Middle Ground watching large dorsals slice through the top of the rips with squid launching themselves out of the water trying to escape. Trying to find a balance of color, size, durability and weight for an effective squid pattern has been my winter quest. I'm getting close at the bench, just can't wait to see if 'this dog can hunt!'

I also echo the comments about the book "A Perfect Fish" perhaps things are bit excessive with the number uf subtle variations on the color themes but the tying instructions are excellent and the finished patterns look better than good. Can't wait to watch a flatwing swimming alongside the boat. (Of course I've spent another c-note on hackles and tails in some of these colors...) Great Book that offers more each time you read it. Thanks Ray!

Bunnys, always a staple in the flybox.
Clousers were finished early, a good warm-up pattern to produce in volume.
E-Z Body shrimp, Chris was doing some nice ones at the Marlboro show.

Working on the synthetics for bunker and other larger patterns now.

Oh yes, one last hybrid. A yak hair flatwing! Nice sparse body but great overall size. Now to see if the wing still has any action with the stiffness of that yak hair.

[tdunlap]

Adam, how do you tie a Rhody flatwing?