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3. Christmas presents

Anybody get any good fishing stuff? I got "Tiers Benchside Reference" by Leeson/Schollmeyer and a bottle of Jack Daniels.

A set of thermal underwear and some nice warm "military sweaters" to keep me warm on those winter outings.

A TROUT HERILOOM WIDE FLY REEL / BALLAN 5/6 WT fly reel.
2 Silk Fly Lines and a bottle of spirits .

JaD

pheasant skin & thread

Dave Hughes' Handbook of Hatches

i'm on page 18 and a whole lot of what i've been hearing now makes sense--man is a born teacher! a gift from my daughter who doesn't know Dave Hughes from Howard Hughes...

Hey jhm,
Always looking to improve my tying I purchased a copy of “Tiers Benchside Reference” several years back. But I never thought of adding a bottle of Jack Daniels to my tying sessions. Let me know if it helps.

I'm almost, POSITIVE, that your bottle of Jack Daniel's will ONLY BE USED "to hold open the pages of your new book, so you can study it while tying"!??!
The weight of the bottle of Jack's, (when laid on its side), will keep most fly tying books open and laying flat which I'm SURE you've already thought of!?

Now, as to "gifts received"; (so I don't hijack this thread)............
As for "fly gear gifts"- new Marryat CR-34......with a Wulff T-taper 4wt.to go with it, a Powell 4pc.6wt.plus my bride also gave me a custom made, by Bob Ivers-catch and release net made of Teak, Red Oak and cocobolo wood. She even went with the "extra" of having Bob inlay my initials into the handle by using brass wire, making it look like it was done with a gold ink pin.
At FIRST, of course, I was so taken aback by these gifts and the thought that........... "Man, I've been WRONG!! She really DOES like me a little bit!!"
Until, she burst my romantic bubble, by smiling sweetly then telling me.............. "NOW, while YOU are out using all these new gifts, I won't feel NEARLY as guilty when I go "shopping" when you're gone!"
It was her way of emphasizing the word, "SHOPPING", that not only "burst my bubble", but also has now made me extremely nervous about even going fishing at all!??!
WOMEN....... if ONLY there weren't made from FEMALES!
I also, gave myself a present on Christmas Eve by netting my last Metal Head for the year, while staying out of every one's way while they fixed the Holiday meal!

I never tried tying my own flies, i hear that it can be pretty intense. I ve just started fly fishing a few years ago and now that I have graduated from college I have been getting into alot more. How difficult is to make your own flies.

Hi and welcome Sbman07

It's a passions that few men get tired of,I have to admit their is a beginning but I don't think their is an end.

Have a great adventure.
JaD

Welcome Steve,

I would say that tying your own isn't all that difficult and as JAD mentioned there is not an end...

Most Trout Unlimited chapters offer fly tying classes this time of year, keep an eye on your local paper for classes being offered. Dick Stewart's Universal FLY TYING GUIDE is an inexpensive start that covers all the basics, The Art of Fly Tying by Claude Chartrand is a lot more comprehensive complete with histories of the more "popular" patterns, an excellent book.

Dano

My wife bought me a pair of the Cabela's Guide waders and I'd asked for a top of the line spin reel and 4 pc rod (I know it is the dark side but I always take one when we go to Mexico or the Keys because of the ever present wind)and she got me a very good Cabela's with nine ball bearings and a nice 4 pc 7' rod.

Sbman07,

Hey, tying flies is only as "intense" as you want to make it. I've seen six year olds tying Wooly Buggers at fly shows. I would recommend seeing if there are any local fly shops that offer beginner lessons in the winter. However if that is unavailable you can always teach yourself. I never had a lesson in my life and have been tying for over fifty years. I'd suggest getting a couple of good beginner fly tying books as that will help immeasurably to learning techniques that are crucial to tying good flies.

Sbman07;
In response to "is it hard to make your own flies?"
No. It can get "hard", to make some of these "Salmon Fly Works Of Art", but that's a whole, other, genre of fly tying!
But, for the every day fishing, type of flies, it's not at all heard to learn. I'd really recommend that you sign up, somewhere for a tying class, however. Like Branch, I've tied for many, many, years and I'm 'self taught' too. But taking lessons, (I really wish, I had), will cut YEARS off your learning curve and bring you up to speed a LOT faster than learning it all on your own.
A lot of people will also tell you to "start CHEAP", in case you don't like it, you won't have wasted a lot of money"!!
Well, sorry, but "starting cheap", can also discourage you, with fly tying, faster than anything else. You don't have to mortgage the house, sell your first born AND your soul, to get started but DO BUY GOOD equipment and supplies and like taking lessons........... your learning curve will be that much better, faster!
The absolute QUICKEST WAY to determine if "you'll like tying your own flies, or not", is to tie just ONE then catch a fish, on that one you tied! After that, if it DOESN'T hook you on tying your own........ take up golf!!
Good luck, have fun and above ALL..............ASK QUESTIONS!!

SBMAN07- tied my first fly when I was 9 or 10, I stole some thread from my mom's sewing box and pulled some feathers from my pillow. I tied a version of the Royal Coachman (who needs peacock herl), caught a sunfish and I've been hooked ever since... Now I have 2 young children and I end up tying more than I fish! In fact I could see my tying habit eclipsing my fishing habit someday... my advice to a beginning tyer is 1) try to find a more experienced mentor (in my case, my best friend's dad) who can help with instruction and materials (knowing hunters and game wardens doesn't hurt in this department either); and 2) don't worry about follwing fly recipes to the letter-- just make do with materials you have at hand. You'll still catch fish. After tying becomes a true passion you can go out and buy hundreds of dollars of boar bristles, porcupine quills, urine-stained red fox fur, etc....

Another side benefit is, since my family has no idea what tying supplies to get me, sometimes I get a bottle of Jack instead...
BTW folks in addition to the creativity-enhancing and book-propping qualities that Jack provides, it is also an excellent dying medium for turning grey mallard flank feathers a lovely shade of brown... I bet it probably could be used as a preserving medium in a pinch, for you bug collectors here...

hey guys thanks a lot for your thoughts. I have actually have looked into some fly tying classes at the fly angler in fridley if anyone knows where thats is at. I have been talking to some old timers that have been doing for awhile and just there excitement when talking about there flies is getting me pumped just hope this weekend is in the 40's so I can go out fishing( I am a bit of a fair weather fan. thanks again for the thoughts.

Flybinder hit the nail on the head relative to his comment about "starting cheap". I'd recommend buying a good vise with fine tapered jaws and a good clamp lock so the hook does not move inside the jaws. You really don't need a rotational vise as a beginner. I guess it all depends on how fast you want to wrap body material onto a hook shank. I have a A.P.I. HMH vise with rotating capability and I never use it. You really need sharp scissors with large finger holes and fine points. Also if you can afford it buy another set of scissors to cut hanks of hair off of a hide, or to cut any thick and tough material. Save the fine points for the finesse aspects of tying.

Wow Matt,
You have a very nice wife! Does she make your lunch for sihing trips too?????

My wife buys me tools--but I don't know why--I go fishing on weekends!
Zapme