So I read another thread on a different forum and it was about little tricks that ppl have picked up throughout the years. And I figured I would ask and see what ppl on here have picked up over the years when it comes to fly fishing and tying?? Just remember what you think is common knowledge might only be common to you, so share!! Here are a couple that I have had shown to me, I can't take credit for thinking of them but can share them. One for tying and one for fishing. 1. tying: Keep the scissors in your hand while you tie. The way you do this is buy putting your pinky or ring finger in the loop with your thumb and when its time to cut use your pointer finger to guide the cut. This allows you to let the scissors rest in your palm and the rest of your hand to work the bobbin and stuff while you tie. It helps you be ready to cut when you need to with out wondering where those scissors went!!! And helps with the speed of this in general. 2.Fishing: I know a lot of ppl move from spot to spot and reel in there line when they do this meaning when the get to the next spot they have to strip the leader out until the line is through all the eyes. This will help you not have to do that any more. What you do is when you are ready to move to the next spot leave the line out, reeling to the point where you have 6in of line or so and all of your leader hanging out of the tip of the rod then you wrap the leader back around the bottom of your reel between the reel and reel seat where you attached the reel to rod. Bring the line up and leader up and put fly in the first eye that makes the line tight. Now for the trick when you get to the next spot just pull your line or leader off the back of you reel letting it hang. The fly will still be in the eye you put it into and the line and leader should be hanging from that eye to the tip of your rod now just rap the rod with your hand a couple of times should free the fly, this takes a little practices and works better sometimes then others, but should leave you ready to cast and go!! I hope these help some ppl I know that some will know the tricks that ppl post and others won't but thats the fun part about this and lets not knock any one for sharing even if you know it but if you know something better please share those to. I have a couple more that I will share latter on if others decide to join this thread and share.
tying: If you are tying more than one fly of a certain pattern, determine first how many flies and do your material prep for that many flies before starting. Have all your material laid out first. The only thing I found this doesn't work for me on is deer hair stacking. If I put stacked deer hair down it's uneven again. A piece of tape might help.
I used to go fishing, find a spot, suit up, string up and have at it. Now I sit, often with a pair of binocs and watch the river for a mandatory twenty minutes (most of the time a half hour) before entering the river or still water. More than fifty percent of the time, I change tactics from where I was at the start because of one or more things I observed sitting, studying and thinking about things like seams, cover and bears.
When tying, take your time, and tie to the best of your abilities. Shown a pattern of my own to a guide and he really liked it.
1. If you use your forceps with your left hand, ditch the normal ones with finger loops and get the mitten clamps. SOO much easier on us lefties. 2. Use a Amnesia or Cajun Red in 20-30 lbs as your butt section when running indicators. Easier to see what your flies are doing UNDER the indicator. 3. If you're running a bead, tie the dropper hook with a snell knot and your hook up % will increase. 4. Carry a black sharpie with you. It's faster and easier to make a fly dark than tying up a new batch. 5. Pack an old section of fly line. Can be used to fix boots, tie indicator slip knots, attach nippers to your gear, and can even be used as a clothes line when camping. 6. Crimp your barb BEFORE you tie the fly on. I'll think of more.
When night fishing, don't borrow your friends flashlight to put in your teeth for tying a knot. Especially if that person chews Copenhagen.
Fish with many different kinds of anglers. You will always learn something. Introduce someone to fly fishing.
Cover the close water before wading. So many times I've stood in the middle of the river, casting to the opposite bank, and seen fish rising behind me.
Let a kid land your fish, teach them how to catch their own. Beware the buddy who lends you his rod and fly without checking the hook is in fact intact.
watch & listen, more than you speak!! many folks are so busy talking that they don't hear or see the secrets the old timers reveil
