Fly tying tips and tricks: “Keeping mayfly tails separated”

When it comes to dry flies, nothing looks better than the proper proportions, standing at attention to the point that the fly looks like it has a life of its own sitting on your desk top. Balancing, almost hovering, on nothing more than a tail and hackle.

..but like many things we learn to do, that’s not always the case in the beginning. When not properly supported, tailing material has a tendency to follow the bend of the hook and will continue to point downward once more material is added on.

During one of the fly tying shows I stopped over to watch Matt and Tim from Tightline Video tying flies at their booth, and they had shown me a trick that I would like to now share with you. (If you are familiar with their YouTube channel you may have seen this there as well)

Before you start, cut a section of thread off your bobbin a few inches in length, and put it aside. Then start your thread and grab those microfibetts!

PHWFF New City, N.Y.- Catskills Trip – September 2017

A year ago our group embarked on a fall trip to the Catskills; a trip in which we were greeted with high temperatures and low water . On the other hand.. This year on the other hand, we lucked out! The temperatures were much cooler at night which kept the fish active in the early mornings, and rising fish were there to greet us in the evenings.
An hour or so later the rest of the group arrived. Everyone unpacked and settled in to their cabins, I myself was already situated at a different location in town, and we went over the game plan for the weekend. We also acquired a few helping hands on board this trip, which created more of a one-on-one fishing experience for the participants. Aside from Mike McClelland,Tim Daly, Harry Kerrigan and I; we were fortunate enough to have guides Frank Degrazio and Bryan Caldero of the Anglers Den joining us along with Ed Burgholzer.

“We all began as beginners”

Words of advice for beginner tyers

P.H.W.F.F. Meeting Recap- August 23, 2017: The tying contest and a surprise for Harry!

As the deadline approached for the fly tying contest being held by P.H.W.F.F. itself, the guys unanimously decided that the low-water woolly bugger was their fly of choice. After working on the entries which were to be mailed shorty after, the guys presented Harry with a flag and a plaque in honor of his service

Fly tying tips and tricks: “How to prep tying material that contains a center cord, to prevent excess bulk.”

Chenille is a common material used when it comes to woolly buggers, a fly in which I tie by the dozen since you can fish them all year. But materials like this with an inner thread cord can create a bulking issue when tying in without prep.

An inner cord means its a separate material that is wrapped around a cord or thread which is when wrapped around the hook. Estaz and chenille are common center corded materials.

If you are currently having this trouble here’s a quick tip that will eliminate that problem.

First let’s take a look at what happens when you tie it in without any modification.