Fly Tying

[CU huntingirl]

I took a class a year ago at Clemson and loved it. I want to get into it again. Do any of you tie your own flies??? Where do you order your supplies from???

[Dook]

there are all kinds of web sites now adays to buy the material, get a starter kit(you should have if you took a class) I get alot of my feathers and hurl from locals and i keep what I kill that will work.
you should come to the Fly Fishing SHow in Charlotte in 2 weeks, lots of good peeps, lots of new shit and lots of old shit, we have a fly tying get together after the show. i tie when I have time......and I learn from some bad ass tiers.


i hate to tell you, but I don't think trout like anything that has been touched by a clemson grad or fan.......seems they like garnet and black a whole lot betta.......


so do you wet those flies or just hang em on yer mirror for keepsakes?


kd

[boondoggle]

Hook & Hackle

Feather Crafter

Cabelas has decent tying materials.


HOWEVER, support your local fly shop before you turn to the web or a big box store.

[JABIII]

I tied for years. I got started when I decided to catch some Congaree rockfish on the fly. There being no store in Columbia that had any such lures, I cut up some of our old offshore skirts and tied them in a blue and white streamer pattern on tru-turn worm hooks. We wore out the peanut stripers and my tying days were ON!

I spent a summer in Jackson Wyoming where you are not considered proficient at tying any pattern until you have completed your hundredth dozen... Picked up a ton of incredible techniques from the likes of Scott Sanchez and other incredible fly masters. Got home and spun up a few then got out of the habit and sadly gave it up. I got the brochure for the Fly Tying show Dook is talking about and it peaked my intrest again. I may have to fish the Renzetti out and see if I can still tie a Wulff. I always figured that when I got OLD I would take it back up. Nearing 40 sure seems OLD to me...

[Swamp Rat]

Tied my first fly at 16 when I went to Philmont in NM. Back in 1979. A modified Wooly Booger, using a pair of quills for a tail instead of the usual yarn. I remember the thrill of catching untold numbers of browns and rainbows on that fly and others like it we tied right by the river.

I used to have a set up - sold it when I got out of the habit. In my older age and laziness it just got too easy to pay for 'em. I have a place to work now, and have been wanting to pick it up again.

JAB, your rockfish tale reminds me of when I was just out of college, fishing for small (snapper) blues in Charleston harbor with an old Shakespeare fly rod that had the handling characteristics of a broom. I had a ball, though, catching a blue on about every cast with a white/blue streamer.

[JABIII]

The rod I had (and still have) is a Shakespeare as well. It ain't no Sage but it has caught more fish than 90% of the Sage's that ever rolled out of their shop... I still use it to bail supper trout out of the lake. I have an old Orvis reel with 6 pound Ande green line and I can snatch an 18" trout out of the lake like an old school tuna fisherman...

[Palmetto Bug]

I tie but only saltwaters stuff. One of my buddies bought a house up near Ashville and has gotten hooked on the trout stream stuff so I'll probably get introduced to that this spring. Tying size 22's is going to be a lot different than tying 1/0's. I'm not sure my eyes are good enough.

I probably only fish with 10% of the flies I tie. Most are given to friends. It's nice to be able to invent or match patterns that can't be found anywhere else.

[CU huntingirl]

Thanks for all the advice. I want to get back into it- it's great to see what you can make up. A way to relieve stress too or at least it was when I was in the class once a week.

Dookie- I'm sure the fish will love whatever I create/make. I don't think the fish are biased.

I have actually never been fly fishing. My dad taught a couple of years ago on our road at home. But I have never attempted to actually catch a fish. Wanna try it out sometime soon though.

[Swamp Rat]

You go to school near some great trout fishing... and bream are a BLAST on a fly!

[Stuckie]

Ditto that on the bream. I use to catch'em out of my grandfather's pond on a flyrod and poppin bug. That was a blast!!!

[BullSprig]

Amen....It doesn't get any better than wading the Salkahatchie with a fly rod for redbreast

[boondoggle]

This is the shit for bluegill and bream. You can vary the sink rate by substituting beadchain or xs dumbell eyes (bead chain is usually enough)

[skrimp]

kaufmanns streamborn has about anything you could want for tying. they have a really good catalog and everything that i've ordered from them in the past has been excellent quality. i agree with supporting your local fly shop. but there are none in my area, i also use the virginia creeper fly shop which is in abington virginia.they are very helpful and have a really nice shop.

[Stripa Swipa]

Does anyone know if Bill and Chuck are still in Greenville? CU, Foothills Flyfishing in Greenville used to be good and Charleston Angler in Chucktown would be good if you are down this way. Do you know what kind of flyfishing you'd like to do?...stream, pond, salt? I'll be glad to help you in any way I can.

[Chap]

Bill and Chuck are still here. They have everything you need. Foothills Flyfishing, North Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC.

[Browning Gold 3.5]

Hey CU,
I too learned fly tying while I was attending Cow Town, however I didn't take a class but learned from an individual in his dining room. He also turned me toward Bill and Chuck at Foothills in G'ville. They are great people and have good stuff. I thought they were great enough people that after college when we moved off I came back to them for a Saltwater outfit due to living near Myrtle Beach then.

Good Luck.
-BG 3.5"

[Duckkiller]

Bill and Chuck helped me out last summer, great guys and I got a greatlarge mouth/redfish combo rod reel. Chuck taught me quite a few knots as well. check foothills out.

DK