Once you are hooked on tying your own flies, you want to be prepared with plenty of your own before you get to your fishing spots. Sometimes it doesn’t work out that way and you lose all your flies on the river.

It would be nice to have some fly tying materials with you. Many fly shops near great fishing spots only have part of what you’ll need: Hooks, but no feathers or it’s feathers, but no hooks. We are usually too far away to just skip in to town and pick some up or we’re in an area that has no town! We found out a long time ago, that you had better be prepared with your own supplies. But, how do you contain it all in an easily accessed way?

There are tackle boxes with multiple draws that can work out well. Choose materials you use often, and some that are specifically for the areas you want to fish, plenty of hooks in different sizes, and spools of thread in colors you most often use. You can keep your fly tying box in the car or trunk until you need it. Then you just need a surface to clamp your vise to and you are ready to go!

Kenny & I used to camp in tents, with sleeping bags on mattresses. We’d been doing this for years, and actually preferred it, until one morning when we woke up, the mattress had gone flat, and we were sleeping on the hard, cold ground, leaving us stiff and sore that day.

Kenny decided, right then and there, that we would get a camper, to help us live better outdoors. On her maiden voyage we discovered a few things:

1. Get better latches on the cupboards to keep that liter of Jack from crashing to the floor.
2. We needed a convenient place to keep our fly tying materials & fly tying equipment.

A couple of drawers would be perfect! Kenny made wood boxes from matching paneling, attached some sliders, and viola! We now had a place to keep our fly tying equipment, feathers, fur & such.

A simple but strong latch system keeps them in place when we drive up bumpy dirt roads, and the drawers are easily pulled out when we need to tie. We can set the drawers on the table or bed to search for that perfect color to match the local bugs, and still keep it all contained while tying flies.

With the camper being so compact, every bit of room is premium, so setting up a few drawers or containers, in out of the way areas, can greatly improve the stress levels of ‘cramping’ together.

As in most RV’s, our table is made of white Formica, creating the perfect background for fly tying. We attach our vises to the side with a bit of light cardboard between the clamp and table to protect it from scuffing.

Our flies stand out well against the white surface as we are tying in wings or trying to see the spacing of our palmering. Also, the white reflects light well, giving you better quality lighting. Choosing a white table in your RV can greatly enhance your fly tying experience.

It is a wonderful feeling, knowing you can make any fly you may need, no matter where you go. Also, when you find a fly that the fish are going gaga over, you can make plenty more for the next day. It is also good to have a few extra to use in trade for a new kind of fly from someone you meet on the water. A friendly gesture of gifting a few flies can grease the flow of fishing tips and techniques from a fly fisherman who is normally hesitant to share.

After a day of fishing, and a nice BBQ dinner, we usually tie a few flies. We’ll have a shot & a beer and talk about the flies that worked best, and what to create that may work better.

We get excited, because we know we’ll be ready to meet the rise of fish in the morning, fortified with our full fly boxes!

Ken & Debbie

LiveBetterOutdoors.com

Today, there is certainly no shortage of new and old fly patterns available for the fly anglers that also enjoys tying flies. Of course, many of them work very well but one thing that it seems many anglers don’t have a lot of in their fly box are scud patterns.

This is a shame! Scud patterns are terrific flies at catching fish, and work especially well on both largemouth and smallmouth bass. But bass are not the only species of fish that eat scuds – rainbow trout, brown trout and just about any fish you can think of include a high proportion of scuds in their diet. In some waters, these crustaceans can make up for 20% or more of a fish’s diet. In waters where scud populations are high, rainbow trout can put on quite a bit more weight in a year than in waters where scuds are not as populous.

Although some anglers think scuds are shrimp, they are not. With their 7 pairs of legs, scuds are powerful swimmers but will curl up into a ball like shape when they feel endangered. Shrimp on the other hand will try to spring away from danger.

It is understandable that some anglers consider scuds to be shrimp, however as well as the difference in their danger response, their legs are positioned differently on their bodies than a shrimp’s legs.

Scuds do not hatch into winged insects. They do hatch from an egg, and then spend their entire life in the water, simply growing into adult scuds while increasing in size.

Scud patterns should be tied up on curved hooks such as the Tiemco 2488 or the Gamakatsu C12B. Generally, size 12 to 16 hooks can be used although some anglers like their scuds even smaller. They may be tied in a variety of colors including tan, gray, orange and yellow. However, when tying your scuds, bare in mind that they are fairly close to transparent and the color they take on comes from the hue of whatever they have been eating which is lodged in their intestine.

If you’re an avid small or largemouth fly angler, be sure to have some scuds in your fly box. They just might be the ticket when nothing else is working. There are a variety of fly fishing techniques that can be used when the fish don’t seem to be biting that can improve your chances. Don’t forget that scuds can move quickly – keep that in mind when fishing them.

Fly fishing can be a very addictive sport, and if you enjoy it, you’ll probably enjoy fly tying as well. There’s nothing more exciting than catching fish on the flies you’ve made yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ian_Hugh_Scott

A Great Work at Home Idea, Fly Tying

Don Moroz has the right idea, why not make money doing what you love to do.

Don has taken one of his hobbies, fly tying and turned it into a work from home idea for making money.

Great job Don.

I am a bit of a fly fishing nut and usually tie my own flies. I have never had any desire to make my living tying flies. I much prefer to tie them and then use them myself, although they do make great gifts.

I went to the Moncton Market to see if I could find a couple of friends that usually have a booth there. My friends weren’t setup that day but I was happy to turn around a corner and see Don’s booth setup.

Don Moroz, owner of Don’s Fly Box

I talked with Don for a few minutes before being dragged off by my wife to look at some things I had absolutely no interest in but it was great talking to Don.

Next time you drop into the Moncton Market check out Don’s Fly Box booth.

Maybe you can even buy your wife a set of new earrings.

If you’re looking to maybe start tying your very own flies be sure to checkout Amazon for a few great books on Fly Tying Basics.

Image by pacres via Flickr

I love fly fishing for just about any species of fish but smallmouth bass hold a special place in my heart because they are real fighters. I also fly fish for a Atlantic salmon which put up an awesome fight as well but they are few and far between unlike the smallmouth bass here in New Brunswick, Canada.

The fly I would like to look at today is called the Clouser Minnow and works great for pretty much any species of fish, fresh or saltwater.

Ass you can see by the picture, top left, you can tie the Clouser minnow in just about any colour.

Here is a video I found that will show you how to tie one up.

I hope you learned how to type a Clouser minnow for smallmouth bass and get out and use it. Happy fishing, friend.

I like to vary the size of the eyes depending on the size of the hook I am using. I also use a figure eight pattern to secure them in place. Also depending on the fish I am going after I will vary the hook size. However when I am fly fishing for smallmouth bass I don’t have to worry much about the size as they will smack em good whatever size you use.

Related articles

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When I am fly fishing for brookies here in New Brunswick I like to keep a supply of brown and white bi-visible flies, in a few different sizes. The trout sometimes like the ones that look a little plump but there are other times that they want something fairly small, so having these bi-visibles in sizes from 10 – 16 will give you more options to toss at them.

The white front of the bi-visible makes the fly a whole lot easier to see drifting down stream.

Here is a video showing you how to tie a brown and white bi-visible trout fly. It’s one of the easiest flies to tie, enjoy.

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Itchin’ For Fishin’

Was this winter longer than most? It sure seemed that way to me. Maybe it’s because I bought a treadmill so I could keep walking through the winter. I didn’t get out side much at all. Ahhh maybe that’s cabin fever. Guess I will have to travel south next winter.

I’ve been pretty busy with my online business all winter and even took on a couple of extra web design jobs to help my son get through college this year. It will be good to see him get a trade. He seems to be really enjoying it and is meeting his new temporary boss this afternoon. Very proud of him.

So with all that I have been doing this winter I still haven’t tied a single fly yet, but I have been looking at some I want to tie but I want to tie some that will work for trout, bass and pickerel, maybe even for Atlantic salmon.

One I found this morning on Youtube looks promising and is easy to tie.

It’s a leech pattern streamer, like a woolly bugger, that only uses a few items. Some maribou in what ever colour suites you, depending on the colour of leeches where you live. A little orange yarn to form an egg and some wire to weight the hook and of course some thread and to finish it a some hackle. That’s it.

Here is the video, enjoy.

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Image by 'Scratch' via Flickr

I’ve caught pickerel, a relative of the northern pike, but my biggest was about 22″ and that was a huge amount of fun with lots of yelling and laughing. I couldn’t imagine hooking into a 50″ northern on a top water fly but I’m definitely up for the challenge.

Here is a video I have to share with your today. This guys does this all the time and it looks like a real blast.

Since I met Casey and Jamie we haven’t fished for pickerel using the fly rod but this year’s going to be different. I have already talked Jamie’s ear off about the fun I’ve had fly fishing for pickerel so I know he’s going to go for this year. And Casey is learning to fly fish this year so I know we’ll be going for pickerel and smallmouth bass.

Now all I have to do to get ready is start exercising my arms and to get some top water flies tied, before we head out. I have been talking about tying all winter but have been working from home growing my business and have set other things aside. Time’s running short, less than a month until fishing season opens and I don’t get much tying done when I’m out on the water so it’s gotta be NOW.

I am going to tie a few leech patterns, a couple of top water popper type flies and a few streams that will travel just under the surface, like the Mickey Finn I use for Atlantic salmon fishing on the Renous and Miramichi Rivers here in New Brunswick.

Fly Fishing For Pike

Fly-fishing for Pike

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The itch to get out on the water is getting stronger each passing day and I’m finding it hard to concentrate on working. I’m just sitting here in a dazzle staring out the my office window into our snow covered backyard wishing I was out fishing.

Then I started thinking about tying some flies for the up coming fishing season but instead went looking online for some fly fishing related sites and that’s when I found Hatchesmagazine.comI spent the next few hours reading articles, watched a couple of awesome videos. The first was about brown trout and mayflies, very cool. The second was about musky fishing on the fly, something I have yet to try, maybe this year.

I subscribed to HatchesMagazine’s newsletter so I can keep up with what’s new there.

I didn’t find Hatches Magazine directly. I was on a FlyTyingForum.com checking out flies I might like to try my hand at tying and saw their link and then followed it.

Fly Tying Related Products

White River Fly Shop Fly Tying Kit - Jig Tying - Flies & Flytying Offer by: Bass Pro Shops Price: USD 79.99 Great kit for beginners All the tools and materials you need to learn how to tie jig flies Comes with high quality tools, vise, hooks, and tying materials Also includes instructional DVD featuring Lefty Kreh Let the experts at White River Fly Shop help you enjoy the satisfaction of catching a fish on a fly of your own creation. The Jig Tying Kit from White River Fly Shop includes everything you need to learn how to tie your favorite jig flies. With all the high quality tools, vise, hooks, and tying materials needed to make your introduction to jig tying simple and enjoyable, this premium kit also includes an instructional DVD featuring Lefty Kreh. Packed with carefully selected supplies, this kit will make your introduction to jig tying enjoyable. Great kit for beginners All the tools and materials you need to learn how to tie jig flies Comes with high quality tools, vise, hooks, and tying materials Also includes instructional DVD featuring Lefty Kreh Let the experts at White River Fly Shop

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• Big Browns and upcoming trout, crabbing, ect seasons! (thetruefisherman22.wordpress.com)

Image via Wikipedia

Wikipedia on The Muddler Minnow: The Muddler Minnow was spawned, so to speak, by Don Gapen of Anoka, Minnesota in 1937, to imitate the slimy sculpin. Gapen developed this fly to catch Nipigon strain brook trout in Ontario, Canada. The Muddler, as it is informally known by anglers, was popularized by Montana, USA fisherman and fly tier Dan Bailey. It is now a popular pattern worldwide and is likely found in nearly every angler’s fly box, in one form or another. Due to its universal appeal to game fish, the muddler minnow will remain as an integral tool in sport fishing.

The Muddler Minnow Catches More Than Just Trout

I have tied a few muddler minnows over the years as they are a variable pattern and can be fished in a number of ways. I have always been a top water guy so that’s how I fish it most often but it does excellent under the surface as well.

Even though I most often tie my muddler minnows to go after brook trout they also catch smallmouth bass and even chain pickerel. Look out when these guys hit the fly as you’re in for some major fun.

Note: When I plan to fly fish for pickerel I will use a small section of fluorocarbon as a leader as those little teeth are like razors and will cut through regular leader line like butter.

Here is a video I found on Youtube that will help you tie muddler minnows so you can see for your self.

The fly tying materials you will need to tie the standard Muddler Minnow:

• Head: Deer hair, natural colour
• Tail And Wing Section: Mottled turkey wing feather
• The Body: Gold flat mylar tinsel
• The Under Wing: Grey squirrel tail for the under
• Standard dry fly black thread
• Hook: 4X Long Shanked Hook – Size 8

More Great Trout Flies

Holofusion Fly Tying Material - Model HF02 - Polar - Flies & Flytying Offer by: Bass Pro Shops Price: USD 5.49 This Holufusion Fly Tying Material is an easy way to add a just the right amount shimmer and appeal to trout, salmon, bass and saltwater fly and streamer patterns. The semi-translucent Holofusioin fly tying fibers and can be used for accent or as the body on baitfish imitations like the world-famous Clouser pattern. This Holufusion Fly Tying Material is an easy way to add a just the right amount shimmer and appeal to trout, salmon, bass and saltwater fly and streamer patterns. The semi-translucent Holofusioin fly tying fibers and can be used for accent or as the

Holofusion Fly Tying Material - Model HF02 - Polar - Flies & Flytying Offer by: Bass Pro Shops Price: USD 5.49 This Holufusion Fly Tying Material is an easy way to add a just the right amount shimmer and appeal to trout, salmon, bass and saltwater fly and streamer patterns. The semi-translucent Holofusioin fly tying fibers and can be used for accent or as the body on baitfish imitations like the world-famous Clouser pattern. This Holufusion Fly Tying Material is an easy way to add a just the right amount shimmer and appeal to trout, salmon, bass and saltwater fly and streamer patterns. The semi-translucent Holofusioin fly tying fibers and can be used for accent or as the

Tie-Fast Magnum Knot Tying Tool - Line/term/acc/boats Offer by: Bass Pro Shops Price: USD 10.49 This oversized Tie Fast tool makes tying 6/0 hooks and 120-lb. mono a breeze. This oversized Tie Fast tool makes tying 6/0 hooks and 120-lb. mono a breeze.

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I have done some fly fishing for chain pickerel. Actually New Brunswick was the first place I ever saw and caught a pickerel on the fly, well really on anything, it was my first pickerel, but it set the stage for many many happy days on the water battling these wacky and vicious toothy water wolf.

My first pickerel was while fly fishing a little brown dry fly for brook trout and got a surprise catch, a little pickerel which was actually smaller than most of the brookies we caught that day.

Over the years since I have used boats, canoes and my float tubes to fish for pickerel on the fly and started using some bigger flies we use for smallmouth bass and Atlantic salmon.

I also used a few black wooly bugger leech patterns to have fun on the water and would like to share a video showing you how to tie the wooly bugger so you can give them a try yourself.

Fly Tying Materials You Will Need For The Wooly Bugger

Here’s a video showing what you need to tie a wooly bugger, a great description of materials.

How To Tie A Wooly Bugger

I tie the wooly bugger streamer as a leech pattern and don’t use the bead head. I have never had a trout, bass or pickerel ever complain about the lack of a head. They wooly bugger is a very easy fly to tie and I’ve found that a 6 – 10 inch retrieve works best for me. So here is a video that shows how to tie the wooly bugger.

Don’t have time to tie your own, try this one:

White River Fly Shop Wooly Bugger Chenille - Purple - Flies & Flytying Offer by: Bass Pro Shops Price: USD 2.99 Introducing the best chenille we&8217 ve found for tying woolies, and no bugger should ever leave home without it! Made from the densest Antron available with a little pearl Mylar tinsel mixed in for fish-attracting flash. Introducing the best chenille weamp 8217 ve found for tying woolies, and no bugger should ever leave home without it! Made from the densest Antron available with a little pearl Mylar tinsel mixed in for fish-attracting flash.

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