1. Troutnut Forum
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3. Finds at Craft Stores

I attended a fly tying expo last Saturday and a couple tiers there that are old friends have driven me, more than once, in to Jo-Anns for stuff...Most of you are probably aware of this and Softhackle was the first to get me in there for embroidery thread for classic looking softhackle bodies (check out the link to his flies and read some of the recipes and you will see what I mean).

There are craft things like the stretchy rubber that girls use to make bracelets that are clear and work great on caddis pupa bodies like V- or D-rib...See Alice Conba's flies at http://www.danica.com/flytier/ where she wraps the clear tubing over dubbing the color of the bugs abdomen.

I have purchased all types of yarn there and the colors are great. Button hole twist for ribbing bodies etc.

But my big find, and it was on sale 40% off, was a carrying case, normally sold to sewers and craft folk to carry things around in. There is a large and a small version called "Creative Options" a division of Plano...The smaller version looks like a funky lunch box with a purple lid and orange handle and green trim...It holds 4 boxes that look like oversized fly boxes with 12 small fly compartments and three larger spaces for your larger "drake" patterns and maybe larger stones etc. There is also a storge space just under the lid.

I purchased extra boxes which will be laballed for certain situations...A time of year on the stream or a "super-hatch" species...Some of you that may have followed, a few years back, my over stuffed vest problem and bad back know that organization for me is long over due...Gonzo sent me a PM back then with detailed ideas on how I could save my back and basically get, my you know what together.

I'm heading west next summer and decided it was time to get serious...One of Gonzo's suggestions to me was along these lines. If you fill these extra boxes with your old faithfuls and carry it alone with you on your fishing trips you can sparingly load your fly boxes that you will carry astream knowing that back in the room or the car are replacements if you burn through a fly and need more of them.

In terms of carry-on for a flight the size can't be beat. Anyway...I wish I had a picture here for you to see...I think it could be a great item for fly tying classes or groups to carry things in...

I'll keep you posted...It looks really good on paper and in my head, but pulling it off...I'm crossing my fingers. :)

Spence

Sounds like a good find, congrats. Jo-Anns is a great place to find things for tying no doubt. I've been using this forum for awhile now for good pics of bugs for some new patterns, thought it might be time to come on and say hello.

Welcome Jaf!

State College, eh? You will feel right at home here...We have more PA Boys here than you can shake a stick at...Maybe a 5wt stick. :)

The bug pics are what drew me here at first too. I visited this site for sometime before I even knew there was a blog here. Then I fell through the trap door and have been looking for the exit ever since. :)

Make yourself at home. Welcome again.

Spence

Ha! It's a labyrinth impossible to escape!:) Welcome, Jaf.

You know Kurt I'm the son of a navigator and can't really remember ever being lost...But getting lost here's not so bad, eh? Its nice to have a place for us bug nerds to feel free to be our nerdy selves...:) How many times have we had folks float by us in canoes, staring at us, as we stood in the middle of a stream somewhere staring down at the water at something they don't see, or maybe caught us jabbing at the air for a bug that they also couldn't see...You can almost hear their thoughts, "Weirdo!" :)

Its late boys and I have to sleep. Ciao...

Yea, jumping up and down on the side of a street that runs along a creek with a litle net and some jars! Had a couple pull up and they looked at me with pity and concern on their faces, I assured them that I had not escaped from a hospital and that I do this all the time. They did not seem convinced. Oh well... ;)

I've managed to escape. Just for a while though. Been putting meat in the freezer.

Welcome, Jaf.

I know this is not a hunting forum, but do tell what cha puttin in the freezer. I shot a whitetail in bow season, you guys have all kinds of cool critters to hunt. And thanks for the welcome, good to be here. Jack

Well...I'd love to share an amazing elk hunting story but there's nary a trout or insect in it.

I took a muley buck and a bull elk this year. Didn't get my 'lope tags -low fawn crop I'm guessing.

I bow hunt grouse (dusky's) earlier in the season, but failed to get any this year. I switched bows at the last minute and missed every one, high left, by inches. Serves me right. Rabbits, mountain cottontail and snowshoe, are next. Love hunting those snowshoes on snowshoes when the dark woods are cold and silent.

I get back to the trout, and some bass fishing, sometime in March.

Nice,congrats on your success. Snowshoes with snowshoes sounds great, I'm envious of you for that. Our time hunting in the snow is comming (have not gotten any as of yet)in a few weeks(flintlock season) can't wait. Winter is my favorite time to fish for the reason you have stated, plus the stream to yourself doesn't hurt either.

Welcome Jack. as Spence stated, there are quite a few of us "PA Boys" here in troutnut world. Seeing any grouse up your way?

Thanks Crep. good to be here. Going in and out of the stands in archery my son and I flushed a couple. It's his first year with a bow so I have not gotten out for them "yet". Looking to get out in the late season, only problem is I want to take the flint for a walk or two as well. :)

Hi, Jack. Another PA boy here to say "welcome to the site" (though I grew up in Tennessee and was schooled in North Carolina). I hope to get up your way in a few weeks.

Thanks for the welcome Martin, you doing some fishing, or is it work related or both? I'm originally from just north of Balt. Md. We moved here about nine years ago. Mabie we can do some fishing and hit Otto's for some nachos and a fine locally brewed beer?

Sounds good. I'll be up just to fish. PM sent.