FFIM

All.......

Yesterday was my Grandsons eights birthday. His other Grandparents have a camp on Taylor Pond in Auburn......full of Bass and now (sadly) Pike.

He wanted a fly rod for his birthday, so his parents went out and got him one.

My tying for the last two months has been to fill up a large flyboxe full of #10 and #6 Bass Bugs. Mostly hard foam bugs, but also soft foam; cork; and spun deer hair Bugs. I haven't tied up this many Bass Bugs in my life.

The look on his face when he opened that present yesterday was priceless. Seeing a kids eyes light up is worth it's weight in gold.

Now.......it's back on to tying trout flies for our Western Missouri River and Big Horn trip in the latter stages of July.

I hear my vise calling me for #20 Black CDC Caddis. I probably need another three dozen or so for the five days we'll be there on the Horn. Zebra Midges and sunk Trico Spinners for the Mo. Going from giant Bass Bugs back to #20 trout hooks might take a fly or two to get the proportions down pat again.

Good tying, and Happy Easter, everyone.

Dave M

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"Fish the West every year. Life is short; and you'll be dead a long time." Chris Hutchins--2009

Thanks Dave. Going to hijack this a bit and plug a couple tying videos on YouTube filmed by good friend Greg Bostater. Not tech savvy enough to provide direct links, but they are titled Tying the Megawatt and Tying the Squidro. Very well done, if I do say so. Edited to speed through the repetitious stuff, with a little fishing footage thrown in. Check 'em out!

I've watched them, and they're excellent Bob. Very well done!

Dave M

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"Fish the West every year. Life is short; and you'll be dead a long time." Chris Hutchins--2009

Well, thank you Dave! They were fun to do. Tried to avoid the tedious tendencies.

Nothing yet, been making knives and tables and finishing two basement rooms for my wife and my grandson. Will start tying in early May. I've never "liked to tie" but do it out of necessity.

Bob, I watched your videos, you and Greg did a great job

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You see that dimple way over there? Well I couldn't hit it with a cruise missile.

I haven't been tying nearly as much as I'd like to be, but I'm heading for Cuba in a couple of weeks and plan on spending a day on the flats with a guide while there. I've got absolutely no flats experience (unless carp on the Kennebec count?)- so this should be interesting. I've got to start tying for that trip.

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"You never miss the water until the well runs dry" - traditional blues

David,

If you need Bonefish flies just holler. I've got two boxes of Charlie's and Gotchas just sitting in my gear closet that you're welcome to use.

Dave M

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"Fish the West every year. Life is short; and you'll be dead a long time." Chris Hutchins--2009

Hunter, so important to talk to your guide ahead of tying. What color is preferred? What do the bones there eat? Shrimp. crabs? What size? With just one day to fish you want to make sure you've got the exact fly needed.

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You see that dimple way over there? Well I couldn't hit it with a cruise missile.

Dave M- I'll take you up on that offer.

Dryflie- I hear what you're saying, but I'm not the one making the arrangements regarding the fishing. All I know is that fishing is limited to a handful of people per day. I had a choice between tarpon, bonefish, and permit. We'll be focusing on bones this trip- but I'll likely be back down next winter.

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"You never miss the water until the well runs dry" - traditional blues

Let me know when you need them. We can meet somewhere half way......or I can just FedEx them to you if that's more convenient.

Dave M

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"Fish the West every year. Life is short; and you'll be dead a long time." Chris Hutchins--2009

I was recently on a classic streamer kick for a couple weeks, but I'm switching gears to dries. I was actually about to tie some klinks for the first time. Dave, you seem to be the local klink expert so what should I tie?

Peter

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"A good game fish is too valuable to be caught only once"
Lee Wulff

Peter.......

Expert I most assuredly am not..........but I do tie up a lot of Klinks. They can be tied in any body color that you'd tie Sparkle Duns or Parachutes.

I like a TMC 200 hook for them.......and use my pliers to bend the shank a bit. I think its Gamakatsu, and, if I'm not mistaken, Daiichi that both have special Klink hooks, but I've always have had good experiences with the 200r's.

For early Spring I like to tie them in three colors. Olive for the Cornutas.........Pinkish tan for Hendricksons........and dark gray for good old Adams'. Can't go wrong with those colors for Spring. Come Summer I'd tie up both greenish yellow for Sulphurs and orangish/yellow for the other Sulphurs.

That should keep you in Klinks until Fall comes around. Hope this helps.

Dave M

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"Fish the West every year. Life is short; and you'll be dead a long time." Chris Hutchins--2009

Thanks Dave, I'll work on some. Good tip on just bending a standard dry hook, that'll save me from buying a specialty hook, I have boat loads of Dia-Riki dries waiting to be used. I've always struggled with parachutes but think these might be a little easier for me.

Peter

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"A good game fish is too valuable to be caught only once"
Lee Wulff

Pete, I have a pile of klinkhammer hooks, will trade for nymph hooks.

We can probably work something out

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"A good game fish is too valuable to be caught only once"
Lee Wulff