Creative Outlet

Having a blast tying lately. It's super relaxing, a good thing to do when you need to hide out from the heat in the A/C, and most importantly a really cool creative outlet.

I get to try color combinations, alternate materials, and more. I can try to optimize my tying sequences to match my skills and the desired results. It's a cool creative outlet where you can quickly gauge your success (well, at least on the eye -- not yet to the fish as much).

This week I've been tying green caddis nymphs and egg flies in preparation for steelhead season. I found I had some chartreuse vinyl D rib that I could substitute for the olive I had been using. This makes for a nice, bright fly that might work well in high, dirty water, or on the lethargic fish of January. As the D rib is translucent, I think I need to swap from the black thread I had been using with olive to a lighter shade. Naturally, I don't have any .... so THIS is how fly shops stay in business!

Of course the best part remains -- I tie what I use (well, at least in eggs and nymphs; I'll graduate to dries later). Want a #14 beadhead Pheasant Tail Nymph? Tie some! Use a lot of cheese-colored eggs in #10? Tie a few. Intrigued with the Superman Egg? Tie up a batch and try them out. I have the materials, so why not?

-Sean-