Any Fly Tiers here on NES?

I’ve got some ancient ones from my 1940’s camp on Wellesley Is., Ny. I’ll try to get some pics up but it looks like they were made with coon hair.
 
All salt water but not for a few years now, the stripers have fallen way off near me. Sold my boat as well.
 
I don't tie yet but have a bench and a tying kit ready for this winter. Going to start off with the canned recipes to build some skills, then try my hand at incorporating some natural materials (deer hair, raccoon, pheasant, dog hair dubbing) into some bass/pike offerings.


All salt water but not for a few years now, the stripers have fallen way off near me. Sold my boat as well.

I used to do a couple stays in Maine each year but it's gotten really non-productive these past few years.. I'm thinking of doing something else, like maybe a trip to Florida instead.
 
I did it a lot when I was a teenager and I only made $8/hr lol mostly because I could use fur and feathers from hunting and catch fish pretty much for free, don't really have the time or patience for it anymore, and I have tons of flies still from when I did tie them. For my once or twice a year fly fishing excursion it makes more sense for me to just buy what I need. Still have all my tools for it though. Most of the fishing in New England is falling off anyway, so over fished.

As far as tying for salt water/stripers, I used to make all my own rigs and lures for salt water, but I'm putting my boat up for sale in the spring. Just not worth it anymore to spend $350 on fuel trolling around Block all day to catch all undersized fish, and nobody has time or money to run out to the canyons every weekend.
 
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When I was about 10 my mother introduced me to an older gentleman who was a very avid fly fisherman. Mom cared for his failing wife and would take me to their house while she tended to her.
Malcom was in his 70's or 80's and had fingers the size of my thumbs (now, not then) but could produce the most amazing looking creatures out of a hook, some thread, and bits of fur/cloth/feathers. I learned to find feathers and tie flys of many variety. He also taught me how to cast with a fly rod. We caught some beautiful brookies and rainbows in the local rivers/ponds.

I still have my tying gear and a beautiful Fenwick fly rod that my mother got for me before she passed. Wonderful memories.
 
Yup. Used to tie trout flies. Then salt water. This year it was for crappie, bass and pickerel.

Don't you mean calico bass?

My grandfather used to catch pickerel in Maine with a long pole and a string by dragging a bait across the open spots in the pond lilys. Some of the baits he mentioned using were pork rinds and old streamers from the landlock salmon season. He used to talk about salmon fishing on Sebago Lake with my great-grandfather and he remembered two things: how much rowing he had to do and how many big landlocks they caught trolling smelt-imitation streamers.. The streamers were pretty beat up by the end of the spring salmon season and he said that he would use them for catching pickerel in the summer.

Gramps was a thoroughly practical man.
 
Don't you mean calico bass?

My grandfather used to catch pickerel in Maine with a long pole and a string by dragging a bait across the open spots in the pond lilys. Some of the baits he mentioned using were pork rinds and old streamers from the landlock salmon season. He used to talk about salmon fishing on Sebago Lake with my great-grandfather and he remembered two things: how much rowing he had to do and how many big landlocks they caught trolling smelt-imitation streamers.. The streamers were pretty beat up by the end of the spring salmon season and he said that he would use them for catching pickerel in the summer.

Gramps was a thoroughly practical man.
Bass and pickerel on the fly are so much fun. The pickerel love the streamers. The bass on the other hand love my foam poppers. Dragging those things across the pads create some crazy strikes. They miss them half the time but they create quite a visual.

Here is my creation. Easy to tie.

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That looks like a small bullfrog. Have you ever thought about tying one that resembles a leopard frog in black and white? Is that a weedless guard? How durable are they? Pickerel especially can be tough on baits.

I know what you mean about the surface strikes. I like to skip pork rind baits across the weeds and the strikes can be awesome. Pickerel will sometimes strike repeatedly before they hook up (or not).
 
If anyone wants some duck or pheasant feathers for making flys, I'm on Cape and can hook you up. I save as many of the nice feathers as I can from any birds I shoot. I don't fly fish but I love striper fishing.
 
That looks like a small bullfrog. Have you ever thought about tying one that resembles a leopard frog in black and white? Is that a weedless guard? How durable are they? Pickerel especially can be tough on baits.

I know what you mean about the surface strikes. I like to skip pork rind baits across the weeds and the strikes can be awesome. Pickerel will sometimes strike repeatedly before they hook up (or not).

These foam poppers hold up fairly well. They mostly get slammed by bass though. Pickerel seem to prefer the bright streamers for some reason.

That is a weed guard made from mono. I think it is 40 or 50 pound test from my saltwater bag. They work very well. Rarely does my hook get caught.

Pete
 
I started tying last winter, I find it really relaxing. I was cun catching my first largemouth and pickerel on my own fly.
 
Just starting . . . . made a work station and am now collecting materials and rabidly watching video's on line . . . love streamers nymph's and drys. My stock of the afformentioned flys are getting ragged and chewed up ( love it !) Time to make my own.
 
Don Freschi, of "Sport Fishing on the Fly," does a very good job at showing various patterns being tied. A bunch of his shows are available on Amazon Prime video.
 
I was working the night shift for a couple years and when it was dead I’d tie flies or build arrows. I have piles of arrows and flies
 
Most fun I had with a fly rod was catching bluefish putting down the outside of Monomoy about 10 years ago. I some how managed to strip fast enough with a 30 lb fluorocarbon tippet that I never lost the fly but by the end of the afternoon they were trashed.
 
Most fun I had with a fly rod was catching bluefish putting down the outside of Monomoy about 10 years ago. I some how managed to strip fast enough with a 30 lb fluorocarbon tippet that I never lost the fly but by the end of the afternoon they were trashed.

We had a good bunch up on cape ann a few years ago, I lost a half a box of flies before I came up with some 100 floro by the time I got rigged up I got one before they disappeared. They are a blast on a fly rod
 
I have been having tying for

years. I fly fish for all types of fish fresh and salt however I mostly fish trout and salmon. I only fish what I tie. I have been trying the last few days the warmer weather just got me fired up in anticipation of going out soon.
 
I used to tie many different types and pattern. Not so much now but my boy.really has an itch to go fishing. I am having surgery next week and will be out of commision this year but a buddy said he would love to come along and can tie hooks etc. for him.

Looking forward to it. My vise sits next to me whenever I am at my basement office table. And materials are always within reach.
 

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And this cape has donated to make many dry flies. I believe there are hundreds left to be tied. Haha

Looking to my right I see what is left of the box of materials given to me by Manomet.
 

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And this cape has donated to make many dry flies. I believe there are hundreds left to be tied. Haha

Looking to my right I see what is left of the box of materials given to me by Manomet.

Barred dunn? Good looking cape, I used to live and guide out west and fish five days a week I’m lucky to trout fish a few days a year now, but I am able to fish the salt a lot now
 
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