Fly tying club???

[projoe 261]

G'day allJust been breezing thru the posts in this part of the forum & seeing some people experimenting with their own fly patterns on local fish species gave me a thought, why not see if we can get enough interest in a "fly tying club". Having tyed flies on a small commercial scale a few years ago & experimenting with lots of patterns myself i know how hard it can be to access materials etc, but if a group throw into gether, it might be possible to approach a supplier & access all the goodies. One thing that will need to be looked into is a venue, (preferable CBD or close to it) for 20 to 30? people with benches or decent table & chairs. well I've thrown it out there lets see what the interest level is like.

[tonyb 1,017]

Great idea Joe 8) 8) 8) It might be just the incentive for me to dust off the Fly tying kit and fill the box up again : ::)What about the back room at the Saracens Head for a venue? Air Conditioned too :PCheers, Tony.

[fishingPOL 0]

I'm 100% behind the :icon_idea:, i think you will have a lot of responses for the club,good luck.

[grubb 0]

Great idea, let us know where and when.Cheers, Dave.

[RogerG 1]

ProjoeI am all for a fly-tying club but, right here on this web sight, I am prepared to provide stills and movie footage from my own collection as well as from my own techniques and would like to see others do likewise. This way we could receive contributions from Worldwide instead of a few people in a "Venue" in the city. I, for one, would not be prepared to drive a round trip of over 200km and I know of others even further out. A CBD based club would be great for Adelaide urban dwellers and I am sure that you would find a lot of interested people, however, your scope would be severly limited to the "Honoured Few" 20 or 30 that you cater for. RogerG

[Mickyj 3,204]

ProjoeI am all for a fly-tying club but, right here on this web sight, I am prepared to provide stills and movie footage from my own collection as well as from my own techniques and would like to see others do likewise. This way we could receive contributions from Worldwide instead of a few people in a "Venue" in the city. I, for one, would not be prepared to drive a round trip of over 200km and I know of others even further out. A CBD based club would be great for Adelaide urban dwellers and I am sure that you would find a lot of interested people, however, your scope would be severly limited to the "Honoured Few" 20 or 30 that you cater for. RogerG

Perhaps a combination of both would work.And with the moderators/site owners permission we could be called"STRIKE AND HOOK" FLY TYING CLUB.Just a thought .Besides I live in Adelaide and fall asleep very early these days ;D and sleep through appointments :icon_lol: Be nice to learn some traditional flies and try them out on bream etc

[tonyb 1,017]

Just for the record, Joe raised the question at last nights SAFWAA meeting, explaining a little more fully what his intentions were for the proposed Fly Tying Club and I believe even he was surprised by the forest of hands that went up in the air, me included 8) 8) 8)Cheers, tonyb.

[Mickyj 3,204]

Its a very good idea a place to meet like minded (be it salt or fresh) people.share ideas etc etc.I certainly would like to see a video or in person that fly roger (i think) was talking.the one made from cutting a feather that floats .

[RogerG 1]

I will see what I can do Mickyj, At present I am just completing my new shed which will have a dedicated fly-tying/rod building station as well as video-DVD conversion and sound/video recording set up. I have a lot of old time video footage of fly-tying that needs to be sorted and put onto computer together with day to day stuff like fishing trips etc. The shed is 14 m X 7 m and will house my Sundowner and pop-top in one half and my "clean" workshop in the other, leaving my "Old" shed for welding etc.At present all my fishing gear, fly tying gear and sound equipement are stored in another tiny "Den" which gives me little room to work.RogerG

[Mickyj 3,204]

I will see what I can do Mickyj, At present I am just completing my new shed which will have a dedicated fly-tying/rod building station as well as video-DVD conversion and sound/video recording set up. I have a lot of old time video footage of fly-tying that needs to be sorted and put onto computer together with day to day stuff like fishing trips etc. The shed is 14 m X 7 m and will house my Sundowner and pop-top in one half and my "clean" workshop in the other, leaving my "Old" shed for welding etc.At present all my fishing gear, fly tying gear and sound equipement are stored in another tiny "Den" which gives me little room to work.RogerG

better than me roger I just tie on my computer bench I'm still mucking around with foam flies went tiny last week and have tied one between tiny and to big .May try it out tomorrow arvo.

[tonyb 1,017]

I think it would be an absolute shame and also a waste of years of knowledgeable experience if we couldn't nut something out between us all to make this work for our Fishing Community :fishing:My feeling is to have two seperate Posts on S&H, one dedicated to Fly Tying through the "Ether" and the other to report/share on the more practical, hands on approach. With the best will in the world and the best educational tools, there is still no substitute for getting down and dirty and DOING it :icon_e_biggrin:Joe made the point that we can also band together to get some of the harder to get materials, feathers, skins, hooks etc.in bulk with a shared cost per interested person 8) 8) 8)I've already got some freeby's from my involvement in the hunting scene, ie, Rabbit skin/tails, Hares Ears, fox tails and Fallow Buck tails. Any chicken owners could supply Cock and Hen hackles and I have some duck feathers from when we had the last Duck Hunts seems an ageFood for thought?Cheers, tonyb.

[RogerG 1]

I couldn't agree more Tony. The more knowledge we share the more we gain. The resources idea is a great one and it is suprising what comes out in a conversation between strangers with common interests. There are a lot of materials out there that are suitable for flies and with a bit of imagination you can save an awful lot of money. For example, I went into an "Op Shop" in Clare last year and scored enough grey and black chenille to make hundreds of "Woolly Buggers" etc. All from a crocheted woman's scarf or stole. Cost 50c. A tackle shop specialising in fly-tying would have charged $15-$20 for the same amount but in in tiny little packets at $6 - $10 a pop.We have Venison for Xmas dinner sourced from a mate who grows them. Next time they kill a few deer I have my order in for the ears and tails and any other longish hair such as the hocks and neck.Micky,I came across some great video clips on bibbed, floating flies. The dive on the retrieve and instantly bob to the surface when you pause. Shows the bloke caning some fairly large bream on them. When I have everything set up I will post the clips. It is a fairly old video tape but the flies are dead easy to tie and utilise foam plastic.RogerG

[RogerG 1]

I came across some great video clips on bibbed, floating flies

The fly was a Ozzie variation on the well used "Gurgler" complete with malibu tail

[tonyb 1,017]

Talking of cheap resources Roger,I was in "Cheap as Chips" some time ago and scored a big bag of mixed dyed feathers of most primary colours, and more, for a couple of bucks, some sequins and various coloured/sized beads for a buck or two more. I always source Chenille from the likes of "Spotlight" in masses of different colours.Sometimes it's not a bad idea to go shopping with the Bride : :PCheers, tonyb.

[Mickyj 3,204]

I came across some great video clips on bibbed, floating flies

The fly was a Ozzie variation on the well used "Gurgler" complete with malibu tail

By then I should have the sound working again

[grubb 0]

Speaking of spotlight, there are packs foam paddle pop sticks ($2) of various colours that can be used to make floating flies. Also there's a lady in the spotlight near me whose friend has peacocks and she got me about 6 of those big tail feathers for free, I'll see if I can get some more.Cheers, Dave.

[tonyb 1,017]

Good work on the peacocks feathers grubb, one of them will last a lifetime of tying as the peacock "herl" makes a top body and if you strip it with your thumb nail it makes a superb nymph body wrapped in tight circles, while it also makes great tails for various patterns 8)Cheers, tonyb.

[Mickyj 3,204]

Speaking of spotlight, there are packs foam paddle pop sticks ($2) of various colours that can be used to make floating flies. Also there's a lady in the spotlight near me whose friend has peacocks and she got me about 6 of those big tail feathers for free, I'll see if I can get some more.Cheers, Dave.

And AP Manns mitre 10 in the port has the foam material (that morsie uses) for 40 odd centsa metre .

[RogerG 1]

Its great to see this stuff coming over, I can see that you blokes are on the same wavelength as myself. I use Cheap as Chips (Clare) quite a lot as they have some good gear from time to time. I scored some ball-chain the other day for small eyes. Also some stick on "Doll's" eyes that rattle. A couple of months ago a found two "Bazooka" type rod cases, long enough to take my 7'6" flick rods, for $10 each. I also picked up a pack of assorted Balsa wood (Hard type) for two bucks, enough to make heaps of lure bodies. Their acrylic artist paint is also excellent quality for the price and, if cut with "Windex" is suitable for fine airbrush work. And the list goes on.RogerG

[tonyb 1,017]

C'mon Joe, we're all hanging for backup mate, 18 replies and 127 hits shows there's a little bit of interest out there. :fishing:Gonna nail you down at the SAFWAA Meeting this Thursday

[grubb 0]

RogerG, you mention you are up near Clare, what's Inchiquin Lake like nowadays as I haven't fish it for years.Cheers, Dave.

[tonyb 1,017]

RogerG, you mention you are up near Clare, what's Inchiquin Lake like nowadays as I haven't fish it for years.Cheers, Dave.

Me and scorpion were up there a few months ago and I put a post on the freshwater board on how it was totally dry a few weeks before we were there :o :oCheers, tonyb.

[grubb 0]

Thanks Tonyb.Cheers, Dave.

[tonyb 1,017]

Thanks Tonyb.Cheers, Dave.

I thought it wouldn't take much finding, just a bit too lazy to search at work mate :http://www.strikehook.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,78/topic,3428.0/Cheers, tonyb.

[johnwalkley 24]

sounds interesting, would like to see the outcome

[projoe 261]

The idea for this club was to give those people who wanted to tie flys to see close up how it was done.The "honoured few" 20 to 30 that you cater for was one of the first negative comments to come to light, no one was going to be "honoured few". If 50 people showed up so be it, but most venues only cater for a certain number of people & the one i had in mind would probably only suit about 50 people. another reason as to that number is that any one doing demos has quite a bit to deal with, at these quantitys of people. No2 I was trying to include a fly tying supplier to the mix, so that not only could cheaper & rarer materials be sourced but the chance to have access to top quality hooks & tying equipment eg; vices, scissors, hackle pliers etc could be accessed. Now just before i was going to contact a supplier, I had dealt within the past to see if i could interest them in coming to the party, I thought i'd see what interest had been generated by my topic & get them to have a look at the site, low & behold i see people posting about going to spotlight, cheap as chips etc to buy fly tying materials. Well if I was a supplier asked to look at this site I would'nt get to excited by the responses especially in a state where there is only limited orders on this type of fishing equipment.

[tonyb 1,017]

I think your missing the point a bit Joe as that side of Fly tying ie collecting the natural and artificial material, is half the fun of the whole experience in my opinion. I've already stated earlier that I have all sorts of animal fur and bird feathers, gathered through my interest in hunting, which I would be very happy to share for free, with anyone who got involved with your project. :fishing:Now, if we're talking Jungle Cock or Golden Pheasant neck hackles, or some good quality Cock hackles, mylar tubing, marabou, quality specialised hooks and so on, this is where the tackle suppliers will really come on line especially if there's a group prepared to buy bulk as well, which will benefit everybody in the long run :fishing:Cheers, Tony.

[Ranger 48]

Pardon my ignorance on this one guys.....as you know, I'm new to this whole fly thing, and I've never tied a fly in my life!I'm just wondering, how much does a cock feather or deer hair cost on average?

[tonyb 1,017]

It's all about quality "glass hopper"In the UK, the home of fly tying where it goes back over 400 years, there is a Company called "Veniards" who have a reputation for excellence second to none and they actually used to have African Marabou Storks shot in thousands for the fluffy "flue" feather at the base of the main feather. Thankfully nowadays we use Turkey as a substitute but it still carries the name Marabou :icon_e_geek: Check out "Fishnuts" post on the "Toads" to see marabou excellence 8)They used to source Cockerels for thier "capes" which is the area from the backs of thier necks to over thier shoulders, again from all over the world. These capes command huge prices as they are so stiff and shiny and so they make the very best Dry Flys as the sharp stiff points around the neck of the fly keeps them clear of the water and a few strands tied in straight off the tail, also helps to keep the fly in the surface film :fishing:Conversely, the hen hackles are very soft on thier capes and are ideal for tying "Wet" flys as they break the surface film easier and "flirt" in the water as well again, quality is at a premium :PI believe, nowadays that lots of good capes are sourced from India :PHalf the fun of Fly Tying is in collecting the material and almost anything you fancy can be adapted to catch a fish, hence an afternoon browsing around spotlight, Cunno's Warehouse etc can get you started big time for a few bucks :P :PAll the animal furs and bird feathers can be and are usually dyed in a staggering array of colours :P :PThis is a skill easily developed if you want to go that far. For instance I have Fallow Buck Tail and this material is very popular for streamer type lures such as in the salt and fresh. Dyes are many and your imagination is the limit :PThere you go my friend, bet you wished you hadn't asked now? ::)I hope it's given you some ideas to get into this fascinating branch of our sport :fishing:Cheers, Tony.

[Ranger 48]

I hope it's given you some ideas to get into this fascinating branch of our sport

Hmmm............I'm afraid it's convinced me to just BUY flies instead! :-\I'm not really interested in paying exorbitant prices for Scimtar Horned Oryx scrotum hair, or Speckled Kite anus feathers, and then trying to arrange it into something which looks appealing to a fish.......sorry!I have no issue with you guys who DO go to the time and effort with all this, but maybe I'm not really cut out for this whole fly thing! :-[

[tonyb 1,017]

sorry I couldn't fire you up young fellah, one of the things which you will never now know is the true joy of your first fish caught on your very own anally, scrotumised, hand tied Oryx testicled Fly : : :

[Mickyj 3,204]

I hope it's given you some ideas to get into this fascinating branch of our sport

Hmmm............I'm afraid it's convinced me to just BUY flies instead! :-\I'm not really interested in paying exorbitant prices for Scimtar Horned Oryx scrotum hair, or Speckled Kite anus feathers, and then trying to arrange it into something which looks appealing to a fish.......sorry!I have no issue with you guys who DO go to the time and effort with all this, but maybe I'm not really cut out for this whole fly thing! :-[

Well your keeping me amused in the short time I can sit and read my monitor .

[Mickyj 3,204]

sorry I couldn't fire you up young fellah, one of the things which you will never now know is the true joy of your first fish caught on your very own anally, scrotumised, hand tied Oryx testicled Fly : : :

love it

[Ranger 48]

one of the things which you will never now know is the true joy of your first fish caught on your very own anally, scrotumised, hand tied Oryx testicled Fly

Don't get me wrong though! I would love the opportunity to travel to Tassie or NZ, stay in a lodge up by the mountain streams, tie my own fly and have a guide take me out to show me how to catch a fish with it, then eat that fish with a glass of red by an open fireplace later that evening!I just don't think I could go to the trouble of sourcing all this rare and expensive animal product to sit at home and get frustrated in front of a little vise while dropping my scrotum hairs on the carpet and destroying my anal feathers!

[tonyb 1,017]

AAAAAH, HAAAAAH, methinks all is not lost, a little nibble has been detected on my hook, dangled in the pool of wisdom, oh learned one