Fly Fishing BS thread

Give me average fish and solitude and I am happy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yJc-itnKF8&t=2s

 

Me in 20 years.

 

Nice

 

This is my favorite thread on here.

 

Just for the heck of it, I bought some flies on TEMU. 3 weeks later, they arrived. They seem pretty good quality. We'll see when they hit the water if that will be happening again. Id guess not.

 

are you in the witness protection program ?

 

That shit always cracks me up.

 

Red neck fly fishing. Thank God for a long weekend like this to beat the heat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HXf4s3G9ec

 

Well this is the "Flyfishing BS thread". I try to do my part too.

 

To fulfill my newest addiction, fly fishing, I took my lunch break and went on a walkabout (this is what we call it at work when you need to step away from the office for a bit). Found this cool little creek. The access was tough and basically had to scale a rock face. Pretty sweet little spot and I guarantee its not fished all that much if at all.

 

Cool looking spot even if it ain't trout water. As a kid I knew every good pool for over a mile either way (as well as feeder streams) on the creek near my house. I'd catch horny heads and red horse minnows on bread with a limb pole, length of mono and tiny trout egg hooks. Was a little later when I started with a fly rod.

 

Well after a couple of months in the hobby I’m ready to jump into fly tying. I’ve been researching different vises. And sheesh it’s a lot. Few thoughts that I’m looking for some direction on.

The first option I was leaning was the orvis premium starter kit. Vise, tools and materials. Pretty much a no brainer. What I don’t like is the vise though. Not a fan of the clamp and don’t like it’s not rotary.

I’ve switch thoughts a bit and I’m leaning heavy towards the Renzetti Traveler. Everything I think I would like to get out of a vise for a price tag that honestly is a bit high for a first timer but in time think will be well worth it. Love the rotary. Lover the pedestal. Issue I’m having is all the other tools and material.

So figured I’d come here for some help.

 

I've used a Regal medallion pedistel for around 25-30 years. As bullet proof a vice as you can buy in my opinion, but I've obviously not used many others as a result. Not a true rotary but will turn as needed and will hold flies from 24 up through 2/0. Tools essentials would be a good pair of scissors, a few thread bobbins (get ceramic tipped unless you like to cuss over cut thread at the tips), simple hackle pliers, materelli style whip finisher, bodkin, head cement and thinner, dubbin twister maybe for larger dubbed bodies. Plenty of other tools but those cover the majority of needs. Just some opinions. Sounds like you are determined to stick with it, don't buy the cheap stuff because you will still buy the better quality eventually and will regret not doing it to start with.

This is my desk. If you can set something up like this you will certainly spend more time with it since you won't have to drag stuff out of boxes to put in the kitchen table or such and then have to put it back up when not in use. I drilled a hole through the bottom of the pedistel plate where the vice shaft inserts and screw it to the desk. Rock solid that way and not on the edge of the desk. If I travel with it I just pull the vice shaft out, remove the screw and go.

 

My stuff that I gave to my son this spring. Dyna King Barracuda Jr. vise. I also have had a Regal (don't remember the model) and Renzetti Traveler vise....liked all 3 of them. Get yourself a secretary desk like THatt or mine to keep everything organized!

 

The tools/materials really add up quickly cost-wise.

 

After getting some sleep and thinking about it, I'm going to pull the trigger on the Renzetti Traveler today. I want a vise that will "be the one" vs getting starter and upgrading eventually to this or something similar.

For the tools and material, not sure on this if it makes more sense to purchase as needed or to get a starter kit? I like the idea of purchasing as needed, but having a decent starter kit then learning what I need more down the road might make more sense. Im torn on this.

I was just planning to tie at the kitchen table, this is why I am opting for pedestal base vise. I was thinking of have a container or small drawer system that I can store everything in. But, after seeing your setups, I will have to rethink this idea a bit.

 

As far as materials, I was fortunate when I started out to have a several fly shops either nearby or where I fished that had decent stocks of materials. I'd hear of a pattern, get the recipe and pick up what materials I could afford and went to work. I never purchased a kit. Always seemed to be a bunch of stuff I wouldn't use. With today's internet you are way better suited to learn what you need if you are willing to study up. It also helps to have a circle of fly tying friends either in person or online that are willing to share a little overstock to get a fella started. Somewhere along the line you will pass from tying from a fly recipe to developing your own patterns by understanding how different materials work in the construction of the fly. Things like buoyancy, movement, durability etc. I've picked up a few good deals on materials by just watching E-bay for estate type sales for fly tying materials. It's a whole nuther angle of flyfishing but darn satisfying when you catch fish on your own creations.

 

Reached out to the neighbors at Mad River Outfitters to help me get some prices on some things and help with some of the questions I have. Will report back on what they have to offer.

 

With our day time water closures finally lifted I got the girly on her pb bull trout.