Trying some Classic Salmon flies

[fishnuts 55]

Been getting tired of tying trout and saltwater flies so I thought I'd try something new.Decided to try some Classic Salmon flies, these will be mounted in frames to hang on the walls of my new flytying room. Anyway, something different that you don't see much of here in Australia .Cheers Dazz

[chrisjc 0]

Your obsession has just got unhealthily worse mate. You will now spend hours and hours sourcing materials that are near impossible to come buy and shell out unreasonable amounts of money on said materials. You will then spend the same unreasonable amounts of time on tying said flies and never ever think about using them simply because at more than $50 smackers per fly, you simply could not justify it.And yet i am still jealous as hell. The patience needed and time spent on all aspects of it is phenomenal.And i cant wait to see what stuff you produce.Keep us posted.PS , i need to have a chat to you about binding ect. Not far of buying a blank and components to build my first rod.

[fishnuts 55]

I know what your saying Chris, hopefully Customs have a few slack days and I can get some of the feathers I'm after. I have a very good selection put together already and yes it is a very expensive form of flytying but it's making me think while tying and I love a challenge. Somehow tying trout and Saltie flies are so easy now it's not funny Let me know when the rod you get turns up and I can run through the process with you.Cheers Dazz

[tonyb 1,017]

Better start saving your "hard earned" for that Jungle Cock Cape Dazza When I was over in the UK recently my mate was showing me cases full of Fly Tying Feathers and tied Flies which he inherited from his wife's Grandfathers deceased Estate, a bl**dy Castle in Scotland no less!He was almost begging me to take some of this gear back home with me, some of it well over 200 years old but, I had the experience when I moved to Australia 20 years ago, that Customs is terrified of bird feather mite being introduced in this country so I had to give nearly a thousand of my own Flies to my Fishing buddies over there when I emigrated! A guy like you would have had a ball scrounging about in the mates attic, I know I did!You'd have filled that picture frame of yours a few times over.I've seen a lot of good fly tiers in my time and even ran Classes at a local Tafe and I can safely say you have a rare talent mate, keep it up and we look forward to your future works of art ;)Here's the "BIBLE" of Salmon Flies.http://www.medlarpress.com/7789-The_Hardy_Book_of_the_Salmon_Fly_by_Keith_Harwood.htmlOh and just look at that advert, THREE of the five flies illustrated have "Jungle Cock" eyes.

[fishnuts 55]

Thankyou Tony.Mate I already have a very nice Jungle cock cape stored away nice and secure You are right about Customs too.I'm lucky that I know a few people with Macaws aswell so I have those feathers covered too :evil: I've got a very nice selection of feathers put together already and the little Asian Kingfisher I got the other day is going to come in very handy.Luckily there are a few places in the U.S. that still sell certain feathers and you can get them into this country without any problems, I got about $500.00 worth in the mail a couple of weeks ago and they are rippers.Yes it is a very expensive hobby to be involved in but to me it's just a bit of fun and like you most graciously said, if you have a little bit of talent at doing something you might aswell use it.We're all dead a long time mate so sometimes you've just got to do what you've got to do.Anyway, if I don't spend the money now the wife will only spend it on a toy boy later :evil: Thanks again for your comments and yes I would have loved to have got my hands on your mates 200 year old feathers.Cheers mate.Darren

[tonyb 1,017]

You have an awesome amount of enthusiasm and passion for your hobby and it is a really admirable quality in any pursuit of any chosen activity. It's just a real pleasure to observe it at first hand through the Forum mate

[rollcast 1]

I know what your saying Chris' date=' hopefully Customs have a few slack days and I can get some of the feathers I'm after. I have a very good selection put together already and yes it is a very expensive form of flytying but it's making me think while tying and I love a challenge. Somehow tying trout and Saltie flies are so easy now it's not funny Let me know when the rod you get turns up and I can run through the process with you.Cheers Dazz[/quote'] G,day Darren,If your finding trout flies not challenging enough try tying some dads favourites or twilight beauties in size 18 or20.Or any fly with split starling wings and stripped quill bodies.A tip is if you want the two tone brown and copper effect that is evident on most local and Tassie mayfly abdomens then pick the first five peacock hearls adjacent the eye of the feather as they are the only ones displaying this colour.If you have trouble stripping the fluff off the hearls with your fingers you can use a pencil rubber(this took me a while to learn).Split starling upright wings is one of the most difficult tasks in trout flies.I was fortunate to observe Ray Brown Tying them before he moved to Tassie.Ray is a SAFFA life member and professional tier with amazing skills.He can tie a royal wolf in about 2 minutes.A few of us used to attend his house on Tuesdays for free tuition.The tying instructions for these flies can be found in Peter Luevres fur and feather, a must have book.If you can get these flies to look right and cock correctly on the water you have really achieved something.Now there is a challenge for ya.Cheers MateRollcast

[fishnuts 55]

G'day Rollcast,I didn't say trout flies weren't challenging it's just you can only have so many in your fly boxes and all my fresh and saltwater boxes are full.I've even thinned them out and given away that many I can't keep track of them and I still probably won't use all the ones I have left This is just a bit of fun and relaxation for me mate and hopefully at the end of the day a few flies to hang on the walls and maybe some to give away as presents .Cheers Darren

[tonyb 1,017]

From passion to addiction in one step

[rollcast 1]

G'day Rollcast' date='I didn't say trout flies weren't challenging it's just you can only have so many in your fly boxes and all my fresh and saltwater boxes are full.I've even thinned them out and given away that many I can't keep track of them and I still probably won't use all the ones I have left This is just a bit of fun and relaxation for me mate and hopefully at the end of the day a few flies to hang on the walls and maybe some to give away as presents .Cheers Darren[/quote']Yeah I get your drift mate.I have tied literally thousands of trout flies over the last decade or so.I have a bulk storage container and about ten small boxes full.It is a nightmare trying to work out which ones to take on my annual NZ trips but I am slowly refining it after each trip.This november I will leave all the cicadas big stimulators and various terestorial patterns at home as it will be too early for those.I will still need to tie a bunch of small bead head nymphs ,mostly specific coloburiscis nymphs and the ever reliable Pheasant tails and hair and coppers.I go through these like whiting fishermen go through cockles and never seem to have enough.This year I plan on hitting the sea runners chasing whitebait on the south island west coast estuaries so will try a few Muzz Wilson style fuzzle fish and a few Yetis.Don't give too many of those flies away mate,you never not what patterns you will need in years to come.I always seem to want that one pattern that is not in my box on the day.Cheers MateRollcast