50 years of fly fishing and tying

[Master Carper]

Talking about small flies, these are the 2 smallest that I use, and have caught trout on both of them.

A 2 pound tippet is too big to go through the eye, and I have to go down to a 1 pound tipped, with a long taper cut in the line to be able to thread it through the hook eye.

I don't have any, but I have seen flies well under half this size.

The last trout I caught, last winter, was a 3 pound rainbow at the Lower Illinois River, and it was caught with the top fly that is shown on my fingernail. With all of it's aerial acrobatics, and on 1 pound tippet, I was shocked I was able to get it in the net.

 

[NomDeBoom]

Yup. Fun 2 Ketch tho.
....Suicidal idiot fish.
Tasty, too!~

Talking about small flies, these are the 2 smallest that I use, and have caught trout on both of them.

A 2 pound tippet is too big to go through the eye, and I have to go down to a 1 pound tipped, with a long taper cut in the line to be able to thread it through the hook eye.

I don't have any, but I have seen flies well under half this size.

View attachment 475981

The last trout I caught, last winter, was a 3 pound rainbow at the Lower Illinois River, and it was caught with the top fly that is shown on my fingernail. With all of it's aerial acrobatics, and on 1 pound tippet, I was shocked I was able to get it in the net.

Impressive! Trout ain't stupid. Big fish too.

 

[Master Carper]

Impressive! Trout ain't stupid. Big fish too.

Not as smart as a carp, but still pretty smart.

Trout have to have some dang gone good eyesight to be able to see these small flies, and that is for sure and for certain!

 

[enuf]

I'm also a Fly-Fisher and kinda tie my own flies, I just really suck at it. What I can do is, when I want a particular pattern, I will visit YouTube University and just tie and tie and tie that pattern, they come out ok doing that. But the next time I want it, which will be a while because I now would have so many - I'd have to do school again.

 

[Master Carper]

I'm also a Fly-Fisher and kinda tie my own flies, I just really suck at it. What I can do is, when I want a particular pattern, I will visit YouTube University and just tie and tie and tie that pattern, they come out ok doing that. But the next time I want it, which will be a while because I now would have so many - I'd have to do school again.

I have gotten a few patterns from YouTube, designed a lot of my own, especially my carp flies, and I have traveled all over the U.S. and have learned from some of the best.

My last teacher was Dave Whitlock, and he showed me how to tie the Near Nuff Crayfish, which is one of my favorite patterns. Dave, his Wife Emily and my wife and daughters were planning a big carp fishing adventure to Montana, but unfortunately, Dave passed away and we never got to make that trip.

Dave Whitlock was one of a kind, and will be greatly missed in the fly tying community, and by everyone who knew him.

 

[meatGrinder]

I have gotten a few patterns from YouTube, designed a lot of my own, especially my carp flies, and I have traveled all over the U.S. and have learned from some of the best.

My last teacher was Dave Whitlock, and he showed me how to tie the Near Buff Crayfish, which is one of my favorite patterns. Dave, his Wife Emily and my wife and daughters were planning a big carp fishing adventure to Montana, but unfortunately, Dave passed away and we never got to make that trip.

Dave Whitlock was one of a kind, and will be greatly missed in the fly tying community, and by everyone who knew him.

Dave Whitlock is a fly tying legend for sure.

 

[C_Hallbert]

I have to agree, bass are STUPID!

My grandpa flat out refused to fish for bass, he said that was one of the most stupid fish that ever swam!

For example, a spinner bait looks like nothing else, but yet a bass will eat one in a heartbeat!

I never knew of his dislike for the largemouth bass, until the day I showed up on his front porch with exactly 100 bass that averaged from 2 1/2 to 3 pounds that I had caught from a big strip in Centralia Oklahoma.

My grandpa was good enough to fillet all 100 of those bass for me, and told me if I even so much as showed him a picture of a largemouth bass, he promised he would never take me carp fishing again!

We carp fished many times after that, but never again did I ever mention the name of that stupid fish!

I truly be

I have to agree, bass are STUPID!

My grandpa flat out refused to fish for bass, he said that was one of the most stupid fish that ever swam!

For example, a spinner bait looks like nothing else, but yet a bass will eat one in a heartbeat!

I never knew of his dislike for the largemouth bass, until the day I showed up on his front porch with exactly 100 bass that averaged from 2 1/2 to 3 pounds that I had caught from a big strip in Centralia Oklahoma.

My grandpa was good enough to fillet all 100 of those bass for me, and told me if I even so much as showed him a picture of a largemouth bass, he promised he would never take me carp fishing again!

We carp fished many times after that, but never again did I ever mention the name of that stupid fish!

In all probability, if you do not repent and pay for a dispensation, you will probably spend a lot of time in Purgatory for making disparaging remarks about Bass…..

will have

 

[dennishoddy]

I’ve fly fished for around 20 years, starting with my Grandpas split bamboo rod and no name reel with worn line. Pretty much couldn’t master it, but when moving to carbon fiber TFO, Orvis reels and line it was like a light went on.
I could fly fish.
Got into tying about 5 years ago.
Its a great hobby with YouTube university being my teacher.

Built the thread spool holder and tool holder in the shop.
Fly hooks I got from our OSA secret Santa on the lower right

Hooks, beads, flash, etc on the side board.

Fished every Rocky Mountain state so far as well as Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas.

 

[Okreddirt]

Enjoyed this post, thanks for sharing. Have any pictures from your carp escapades? I’ve caught a few different species around the state, but have never given carp a second thought

 

[Master Carper]

Enjoyed this post, thanks for sharing. Have any pictures from your carp escapades? I’ve caught a few different species around the state, but have never given carp a second thought

Thank you and you are welcome.

My daughter's are in charge of the carp pictures and videos, but because of some of the rude and nasty comments from posting videos on YouTube, they refuse to post anything on on open forums.

We just had our first of two "carp cookouts" that we have every year, and we share pictures and videos at that time, then we don't have to listen to all the negative talk and junk that people carry on about.