Is it just me???

[BobG]

Granted, I haven't tied a trout fly since 1971. http://www.flyfishsaltwaters.com/ubb/graemlins/huh.gif Sat down at the bench last night to begin tying some spring pond flies, put a #12 in the vice......you've got to be $hi**&%# me! I can barely see the hook. http://www.flyfishsaltwaters.com/ubb/redface.gif
I used to tie all the way down to #22 way back when. http://www.flyfishsaltwaters.com/ubb/graemlins/mecry.gif

Is this part of turning 50 just like male pattern baldness and grey hair? How do you 'old-timers' tie the small stuff?

[Ray]

Bob you may have to just suck it up and get one of those magnifying lenses --124-3

I've had perfect vision my whole life. But as I approach 40 I can see, or not actaully, some minor changes.

[Jim Miller]

Bob
some good news .... and some bad news.

good news .... you can get magnifiers and/ or stronger glasses for tieing .... you get used to it! ;)

Bad news .... tieing that #12,20... my god a 24 :eek: onto 6x tippet at twilight, standing in the stream, with the added pressure of a magnificent hatch/spinner fall going off all around you! (#$119) --125-3

Good luck brother!

[Eddy Merckx]

Bad news .... tieing that #12,20... my god a 24 :eek: onto 6x tippet at twilight, standing in the stream, with the added pressure of a magnificent hatch/spinner fall going off all around you!

Yup, that sucks! Happened to me too many times last spring and summer, I finally bought some cheap reading classes to keep in my wader pocket, makes all the difference in the world when tying on those little bugs.

As for actually tying small trout flies, I don't bother, I can get most of the patterns I fish from places like Percy's for about 50 cents/fly.

[RogerStg]

Granted, I haven't tied a trout fly since 1971. http://www.flyfishsaltwaters.com/ubb/graemlins/huh.gif Sat down at the bench last night to begin tying some spring pond flies, put a #12 in the vice......you've got to be $hi**&%# me! I can barely see the hook. http://www.flyfishsaltwaters.com/ubb/redface.gif
I used to tie all the way down to #22 way back when. http://www.flyfishsaltwaters.com/ubb/graemlins/mecry.gif

Is this part of turning 50 just like male pattern baldness and grey hair? How do you 'old-timers' tie the small stuff?

Years ago (too many) when I first starting tying, an old timer advised that I tie as many tiny flies as possible while I had the vision and dexterity. I wish I had heeded that advice. :)

[catspaw]

Switch to saltwater, the fish are bigger and so are the flies. :rolleyes:

[saltydancindave]

Granted, I haven't tied a trout fly since 1971. http://www.flyfishsaltwaters.com/ubb/graemlins/huh.gif Sat down at the bench last night to begin tying some spring pond flies, put a #12 in the vice......you've got to be $hi**&%# me! I can barely see the hook. http://www.flyfishsaltwaters.com/ubb/redface.gif
I used to tie all the way down to #22 way back when. http://www.flyfishsaltwaters.com/ubb/graemlins/mecry.gif

Is this part of turning 50 just like male pattern baldness and grey hair? How do you 'old-timers' tie the small stuff?
All I used to tie were ##6, 8,10 & 12 bass flys....the big & ugly variety of little discernable bug representation that caught fish; then there were too many people bass fishing so to trout fish & tie the flies there were the flip focals for the ball cap or a Giraffe Magnifier & light bulb, which led to tying respectable # 28's to 18's with some self-amazed proportions ! Bass flies might still be Too Dang Big just like the saltwater flys, but they'll catch some fish !

[Slappy]

I'm having the same problem wrapping rods. My glasses are sliding further and further down my nose! But I don't need bifocals! ;)

Time and tides...

[Slinger]

I don't do trout flies anymore, hell I can barly tie on size 4's now.

Slinger

[scruffy_fish]

Ray's right eyesight started to go back in my 40's. I kept sitting farther and farther away from the vise. I used to tye 26 and 28 Tricos with wings and no glasses. Now I use a hallow light and mag, but the fingers aren't as trained as before either.

As Jim said, it's when your on the water and the fish are raising and you snapped off the fly using 8X, that is the real challange. At least at the vise you can always retye the last step.

[dlangan]

Well, I have another 4 until 50. But, after 10 years without a change in prescription, my eyes seem to be making up for lost time this winter. This stinks! No Bob, it is definitely not just you.... However, I wish I wasn't a member of the club.

[mdrew9]

I am 27 and can see just fine. --127-3-

[Jim Miller]

Mdrew
your time will come ..... yeah it will! :eek: --124-3
(I was an eagle eye till 50 ... then the S--t hit the fan)

[mdrew9]

Mdrew
your time will come ..... yeah it will! :eek: --124-3
(I was an eagle eye till 50 ... then the S--t hit the fan)Blah, by the time I hit 50 they will have some genetic altering medicine that cures vision problems.

[BillyD]

Menus in dark restaurants-fahgetaboutit. Bought some 1.75 drugstore cheaters at 47 for the vise and when I looked at some flies that I tied the previous year :eek: the heads were horrible. Eye exam/reading glasses at 48 and I'm good to go
Thank goodness i'm not tying for brook trout.
Billy