my first post on the fly tying discussion board

[monkeyboy]

my first post on the fly tying discussion board

my old pal Jay and i are revving our tying engines.

we are the old guys now. he's 60 and i'm 57.

neither of us have tied a fly for at least fifteen years

bout time we got back to doing some fun stuff

like fly fishing and tying flies and wrapping rods.

we liked rolling our own, got us in touch with our equipment and gave us a

satisfying feeling at the end of the day



a real since of accomplishment

i am a better tyer now, more versatile , i am learning and enjoying my time at the bench more than ever.

we did not have computers and forums and chat rooms ,;etc in the old days
just the two of us sitting at the vise looking ,... referencing the books we had and the pictures therein .

good times , the best.
but now, all good, way more material to choose from, hundreds of suppliers, on line and four color catalogs to peruse. awesome stuff.

my first rotary vise, killer tool, i never had it so good.

i hope this does not bore you all. i am so happy to be here tying again

buzz

if i get the urge , i'll write some more about the old days.....
later

 

[mcnerney]

Buzz: Good to hear you feel the same way I do. Your post brought back old memories of when I first started tying, like you said "we did not have computers and forums and chat rooms", it was just FF magazines and books.

Larry

 

[tilden]

let's see some photos of your bench and flys.

 

[EXPATRIATE]

My God-When I tied my first fly I used my dad's workbench vise or held it in my hand which some old-timers even older than me still do! My first reference book was "family Circles Top 20 Trout Flies" printed about 1958 or 59 and bought by me when I worked in the Red Owl Supermarket in Redfield, SD on early job release from high school-OOPs-my age is showing again! Wasn't even sure how to tie in a wet fly hackle till three years ago so show's one is never too old to learn!

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi flytyer07,

Well it just happens that I have my copy of Family Circle's "Guide to Trout Flies and How to Tie Them" right here my desk. I bought in the 50's. On the inside leaf it says "$3.00. Has some wonderful pictures of winged wet flies and streamers. I think this was my first fly tying book even though I wasn't tying flies then. I bought it because of the pictures of the flies.

Thanks for bringing back that memory. I used that book to learn the difference between a dry, wet and streamer fly.

Frank

 

[EXPATRIATE]

Thanks Frank-Couldn't recall the full title of that book, but I eventually wore it out. Would love to have a copy now as in good condition must be worth a fair bit. So what was the first fly you ever tied and what did you catch on it? Mine was a size 6 Mustad bait hook tied with pheasant tail fibres tail, thread body and church windows for wings-tied to represent some kind of moth. My first fish-a rock bass of a whole pound which was a good sized rock bass. Didn't even add a hackle, but the fish didn't seem to mind.

 

[monkeyboy]

my first vise was actually made from a wooden dowel and a wing nut,
the dowel was sawed down the middle about an inch and a half. the wing nut and screw tightened the jaws. hahahahah wish i still had it.


the jaws fit inside of a band-aid container, you know the metal kind. i got the idea from a magazine long gone in my memory


my real start at tying was on the Thompson Ultra, belonged to Jay and his brother.

it was at Jays grandmother's house where i first learned how to get the thread on the hook, man was that a chore, fingers all sweaty, total concentration and no idea what to do next.

i keep at it, wrapping thread down the shank and tying in material, then a practice whip finish,
slice the material off the hook and start over.

long time ago..... close to forty years ago, wow time flies when your tying flies

all good

buzz

next time i think i'll try to tell about my pre W.W.II fly fishing library i sold for pennies, it's kinda gruesome

 

[ausablebrown]

Your profile also mentions something of philosophy? Are you a fellow philosophizing fly fisherman???? I am almost done with an MA in Philosophy.
Thanks for sharing, I like hearing the stories of fly fishing days gone by. The rudimentary vise really gave me a chuckle.