Fly Fishing and Fly Tying Techniques Video Blog. Devoted to innovative fly tying and fly fishing techniques. For all those who stand in a stream waving a stick there is something here for you. Check out our website at WesternFlys.com for additional content and commentary.
I enjoy them all, the nice ones are indeed nice. I got my first Winston a few years ago and really enjoy my days with it. I am probably stopping short of bamboo although I am also careful not to take one for a test drive.
I love that ur using fly tying thread for your furled leaders. I started doing this in 2016 and “pro” fly fishers told me it would last about 2-3 days of fishing. 2 years later I caught a water-body-record carp on same leader. A year after that I caught several 19”-20” LMB on lake Travis (TX) on same leader. 7 years later, same leader shows 0 signs of wear and got me into some big-ass, hard-fighting Cuttbows up here in CO.
Great idea. Have you tried just wiping them down with vinegar to fix the color? I dye materials and have used markers on bucktail for striping. Any thoughts on fixing the color?
Well done. Heading out to get those many ingredients :). Have you had any experience with this pattern on lakes? Thanks for the good looking pattern and video.
Very cool, I have been looking for beads like that. Any idea where I can find them? Im in Duluth Minnesota, hard to find them up here. Thanks for the video
We have an actual bead shop here in town so that is where I got them. Confident they are online if you search for seed beads. I believe Michael's also has them.
I've tried the sharpie with less than favorable results. The sharpie color transfers to my fingers as I'm tying on the hackle. I'm actually experimenting now with different methods. My test with food coloring worked. Wash in Dawn. 2Tbsp white vinegar w/ 1c boiling water. Add food coloring. Let sit 5 min. Cold rinse. Reheat colored water in microwave. Resoak hackle 5 min. Cold rinse. Deep dark color w/o color transfer to towel (red). BWO grey & black will be the challenge ! I'm still looking for a marker w/ correct chemistry that cn be directly applied. More later. Thx for sharing.
Try using Artline 90 high performance permanent marker's I use these on pike file's they are excellent and last longer than Sharpies are not permanent enough or durable they are a very cheap alternative hope this help's
Would be real nice if you could make a 12 foot Farrelled tapered leader. The video on the short one was very good to show the process but myself among others would probably learn better if it was a full-length 12-foot for the tenkara rod.
Nice content.. I started dying feathers when I picked up two beautiful White Bronze Whiting Saddles. Knowing I was never going to use that amount of white hackle I experimented. My end process after a few failures is Warm water with a few drops of dawn dish washing liquid then rinse with warm water. Then dip all feathers in warm water with one cap full of white vinegar. I use all Rit powder dyes.. This process allows you to do a cape/saddle or just a few feathers. I started with one box of every Rit color dye they sell, its cheap and just mix a little until I get my color (Once I accomplish a color I log it in a book ) and soak them for 30 min to 1 hour depending on amount. Once they are colored I rinse them with warm water and dry on terry cloth rags.. A few people have told me I was going about this all wrong yet I have not changed my process.. No difference in mine or dyed hackle purchased.. We all know Hackle is expensive and getting deals on off colors for dying allows for good deals...Thank You..
Thanks for this vid. I now make all my Tenkara level furled leaders this way. Where I fish, it's often too windy for the combination of my casting ability and even #4 fluro level line and this line (6/0) is perfect. I have made 14,11 and 6 foot leaders and attached tippet rings. Great demo!
I love the clear clip you have to hold the rabbit fur. I need to pick one of those up or make one. I find the rabbit strip leather gets a bit thick around the head of the fly sometimes.. this will be a great solution to that problem.
So if you were going to make a tapered leader, you would just do this 3 times.. each time stepping down thread thickness (or initial loops) and nail not them together?
DntBrnDPig you wrap a section, then move to next section wrapping threw loop made by first section, repeat, usually five sections tuning (furrel)the two and a half on each other. finish with shorb loops
Very neat. I found this video because I am looking to color some white feathers. My neighbors have a white rooster that roams as he pleases. I don't mind because I think he is cute but also he leaves his feathers everywhere including my front yard. :)
they cost arm and leg and there is no way to untie a wind knot if it happens. knotless tapered leaders cost much less and are better in any imaginable way.
For a few feathers this works However, dye works best on wet cleaned feathers. Not rinsed. Just washed in soapy (dawn works best) water and transferred from the soapy water to the pot to be dyed in (stainless steel). Great idea, I have done the sharpie on one or two feathers. If it catches fish for a day, put the dried fly on the bench and color again. Lucky to have to repeat, means the fly didn't get lost. All the best, Sean
I hope you do! I've increased my materials ALOT in the past 3 years to tie classic & gaudy wets, streamers also. I fish spin & fly methods, tying related to both, but tying is a joy onto itself. so thanks again.
hi. great tech tips. I thought you may have tied salmon flys when you pulled the floss tag over to tie down. or gaudy wets when you twisted the loop around the antron. they did that with different tinsels and floss to rib the body. but your bug is freaking awesome! you've sold me on starling. iridescent sheen when you rotated the fly. beautiful sir! excellent presentation!
+Joe Duca Many moons ago I tied salmon flies for competition but while I think about getting back into it most days I try to keep up with my own consumption of the fishy stuff. You did remind me I need to tie some of my favorite classical patterns. There are a few out there that to my knowledge have not been documented yet. I also have a few creations of my own that I need to put down on film. Thank you for the comments!
Great looking fly! Are the starling wing buds really durable? I would think coq de leon would look good and last a little better. Probably wouldn't look as nice. That is a great technique. Thanks for sharing. All the best to you and yours. Sean
+Sean Mooney Great question, even though they are not the most durable feather I have had no problems with them, they are the perfect tiny size and I really reinforce them with thread wraps (and usually super glue). I regularly put a day in with one of these without issue.
+patrick mc carthy I promise it is coming soon. I need to just sit down and do it, they are easy to make but filming the process is another thing. I may do a miniaturized version for illustration purposes. Apologies for not being more on the ball on this one.
