I am a novice at flyfishing ( took a 2 day class last summer) and am even newer at tying. I have tied some Woolly Buggers and other simple flies. Decided to try a Clouser tonight and got it done...but I am not sure Bob Clouser would recognize it! I have some books and also YouTube.
Getting the deer hair right was the hardest part for me. I think I started out by using too big of a clump from the buck tail. I thinned it out but still could not seem to get it to stack as good as the book and YouTube showed. I was using a stacker from Dr Slick...in particular the brass HSS 1 3/4" version. Is this ok and I just need more practice? It seemed like getting the tips in was not easy. I had to pack them a bit and then they did. It want to separate and come through the stacker.
I finally got them reasonably stacked and tied in. The hair on the top is not lying flat...it sticks up away from the hook. I bet I can still get some smallie to take a swipe at it though.
I even managed to mess up the beginner rule of finding flies that you want to tie and then go buy that material. I did that and made multiple trips to the fly shop and online. Then work and family kept me away from the vise for a month and I have no idea where my list of flies went. But I do have a nice box of materials!
I look forward to getting better and trying to catch some fish on the flies I tie myself.
Keith
Getting the deer hair right was the hardest part for me. I think I started out by using too big of a clump from the buck tail. I thinned it out but still could not seem to get it to stack as good as the book and YouTube showed. I was using a stacker from Dr Slick...in particular the brass HSS 1 3/4" version. Is this ok and I just need more practice? It seemed like getting the tips in was not easy. I had to pack them a bit and then they did. It want to separate and come through the stacker.
I finally got them reasonably stacked and tied in. The hair on the top is not lying flat...it sticks up away from the hook. I bet I can still get some smallie to take a swipe at it though.
I even managed to mess up the beginner rule of finding flies that you want to tie and then go buy that material. I did that and made multiple trips to the fly shop and online. Then work and family kept me away from the vise for a month and I have no idea where my list of flies went. But I do have a nice box of materials!
I look forward to getting better and trying to catch some fish on the flies I tie myself.
Keith