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.

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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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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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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Catching smallmouth bass on the fly rod is a blast, especially when I’m using some of my bass popper flies.

Bass popper flies are easy to fish, they’re fun and the strikes are quite often very explosive and that’s why I like using poppers.

Here is a video I found on Youtube that shows how to tie a popper.

Crease Fly Bass Popper – PA Fly Tying Lessons

Crease flies were originated by Capt Joe Blados for stripers and blues.

Scaled down, these flies are an effective alternative to loud poppers when largemouth and smallmouth are skittish but still taking surface patterns. Crease flies wiggle and swirl when stripped and this action often drives bass crazy.

Watch this video to see how to tie a very simple, effective, and durable surface pattern for smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing.

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I’m always looking for flies I can fish for multiple species on and the Krystowski Minnow looks like it will definitely do the job. I am going to give this fly a try for some smallmouth bass and chain pickerel next year and see what kind of action I get.

I will start by tying it as it is in the video and then I also want to change a couple of colours to red and white as I have a great amount of luck using flies and lures with those colours.

Tying The Krystowski Minnow

Tying The Krystowski Minnow

The Story Behind The Krystowski Minnow

“The Krystowski Minnow is one of my early original fly designs. I began tying this fly long before I was part of the fly fishing industry and a contract fly designer. It was at a point in my life when I had very limited time to spend behind a vise and, more influentially, when I had very little money to spend on tying material. I needed an all-purpose baitfish streamer that I could use for every occasion. I could not afford to have multiple fly boxes for every species of fish, but I was fishing everywhere and often. I needed a fly for river smallmouth, farm pond largemouth, Spring steelhead, Fall browns, wiper, walleye and northern pike. If I had a handful of Krystowski Minnows in my box I was all set. The fly needed to be cheap to tie, fast to tie and never fall apart…even after being chewed on by northern pike. I have old fishing buddies back in my home town who fish this fly over everything else. The fly is named after a family in northern Ohio who owned a small bass pond and would let me fish and invite me in for dinner. The earliest prototypes of this fly were fished in their pond” — Jay Zimmerman (Colorado Fly Fishing Reports )

Krystowski Minnow Tying Instructions

Hook: Gamakatsu B10S #2
Thread: Black 6/0 UNI-Thread
Wing: (Bottom) White Icelandic Sheep Hair, (Middle) Chartreuse Icelandic Sheep Hair, (Top) Black Icelandic Sheep Hair.
Eye: Extra Small White Painted Lead Eyes

Step 1 : Begin with Gamakatsu B10S #2 hook. Create a ¼ inch thread base of black 6/0 UNI-Thread behind the hook eye.

Step 2 : Tie in a clump of white Icelandic Sheep to “bottom” of hook shank.

Step 3 : Tie in a clump of chartreuse Icelandic Sheep on “top” side of hook shank.

Step 4 : Securely mount ex-small white painted lead dumbbell eyes to “bottom” of hook shank. It is important that you wait until this point to tie in the lead eyes. Because the eyes are ex-small (this fly fishes best as a light-weight streamer) it is crucial there be distance between the arbor of the lead eyes and the hook shank. This ensures the fly swims hook point up.

Step 5 : Tie in a clump of black Icelandic Sheep on top. Be sure to leave several inches of the black sheep hair extending out past the hook eye.

Step 6 : Take the black sheep hair clump that you left extending past the hook eye and part it evenly. Be sure to leave the thread at the rear of the fly head.

Step 7 : Wrap each piece of the black sheep hair back separately (being sure to cross between the lead eyes) and tie off and trim.

Step 8 : Wrap black tying thread thoroughly over entire head of fly, being sure to secure any loose sheep hair and give the entire head an overall tightening. Then whip finish twice for durability and trim thread.

Step 9 : Cut fly down to 2 ½ inches long (trim up the end nice and tapered). Then apply multiple coats of head cement over entire head, to include the painted lead eyes. I prefer at least five coats of Hard-as-Hull.