Wrapping with the Jedis

I sat down the other day at the vice with the goal of twisting up some steelhead muddlers.

Lets just say the first ones off the production line probably wont see the light of day.   You can stare at pictures online all day in the effort to get better results,  but advancing from "ugh" to "hells yes" seems to always come from super subtle hints from the jedi wrappers that I call my friends

I have to imagine these guys, and you know who you are, were at one time in the same situation I was and they had someone help them out and now they're passing the info down the line.    That's what I love about the nature of our sport and craft.  Learn and then teach.  It's the only way.

With regard to these steelhead muddlers, the difference was made in a few subtle but very key tips.  The type of hair is critical.  What I was trimming the deer hair was all wrong.  The number of clumps of hair made all the difference.  (think less than 2).  These small hints jumped my bugs from the oh hell no category into yep, I am going to fish that with confidence land.

And without confidence in the bug, you're never going to catch a thing.

So thank you my Jedi wrapping friends out there.  Thanks so much for the tips and I hope to pass the knowledge down the line in good time.

Trout Bugs For FFC...

It's time to round up your bugs and donate to the Fly Fishing Collaborative.

2014 was a fantastic year for the FFC,  teaming up with many guides, bug wrappers and other supporters to raise enough money to build a self sustaining talapia and produce farm in Thailand.   This farm will allow the orphanage to take up to 160 more children in and out of human trafficking and sex slavery.

2015 has the FFC planning on building two more talapia farms, but their encountering a new problem....

The internet has found them.  Numerous web sites have picked them up and demand for their fly wallets is outpacing their ability to fill them with flies

It's a good problem to have, but if you're good on the vice, you have the opportunity to donate your flies and become part of the solution

Two problems really, helping fulfill the demand and bring more children in the impoverished out of sex slavery and human trafficking.

Live beyond just fishing, and turn your passion into great social justice.

Click HERE to get in contact with the FFC.   Trout bugs are in high demand....dry flies, nymphs and streamers to create trout fly wallets.    Salmon and steelhead flies will always be gratefully accepted, but as the FFC grows outside of the Northwest, the need for non-anadromous flies is growing exponentially.

Now gets to wrapping!

Fresh Bugs...

The cold months mean bigger bugs.  Here's a few fresh off the vice.

I never know what's going to pop off the vice in the beginning.  A general color pallet yes, a finished product, no.

Don't get into fly tying to save money.  Don't even try.  

What it comes down to for me at least,  is a focused art form that sometimes, god willing means a fish will like my offerings as much as I do as well.

My First Intruders...

My first intruders were complete and utter dogshit.

We all start somewhere, that is for sure.  I came across a few bugs that were amongst my first from around 2010 and I'm happy I kept them.

They make me laugh and cringe at the same time.  At one time, I was somewhat proud of my creations and in the case of the middle one....it actually caught a nice steelhead.  Couldnt believe that

The lesson to that, steelhead eat more than just pretty flies.

Sometimes, they eat junk that will surprise you.  Even one of my crappy first intruders.

Big C at the Vice...

Amazingly enough, I was the one who made the mess.

Tinsel Aint Just For the Christmas Tree...

Nope, Steelhead also have an affinity for it.  Here's a little bug that's going to get some R and D time on Sunday.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!