Tied Up

Second week of beginner fly tying class last night. Having a blast with it! Sure, my flies aren't perfect, but I'm surprised by how easy it is to get pretty good results. I'm really intrigued by the possibilities for creativity, once you've got the basics down. Don't like flat rib? Use tubing! Prefer black over olive -- it's YOUR fly!

I did get to use a good vise last night and could definitely tell the difference. Very easy to get a firm grip on the hook bend. Also the rotary vise was really excellent for trimming and clean-up. Renzetti Traveller looks like the solution.

One thing that became clear to me last night was that certain practices need to be consistent so you'll always know how you did it. For example, I've learned to always wrap over and away. That way, whether I'm tying in material, wrapping a body, or taking apart a goof, I know how things should be oriented to prevent a self-destruct. And, yes, I learned by doing it wrong a couple of times.

Only downside? We shot two dozen pheasants on last hunt and I didn't keep ANY tail feathers!!! Last night we learned to tie Pheasant Tail Nymphs. Guess what one of the key ingredients is?

Looking forward to learning more!

-Sean-