johnk

Could just be the style of hook or a bad one in the batch. I use Mustad C49S hooks for chironomids and 12 lb. trout can't straighten them out.

Epoxy Buzzers

The 2499SPBL grabs and holds better than most pinched barbed hooks. As for NEBC's comment/question, I use tungsten beads, swivels, splitshot and loop knots. On "breezy" days the extra weight on the tippet can be the difference between being in the zone and not!

Hey Rick, Back in the day when I was tying on a NorVise, there was no material clip so I developed a way to attach a material clip and showed it to Al Long, former owner of Kamloops FlyShop, who in turn took it to the Calgary show and it was an instant hit. Simply take a spring and pass a zapstrap through it and attach the zapstrap to the front of the mandrel behind the jaws, tighten it down and voila!

When Len Roots was doing the tour of all the shows introducing the Dubbing Machine he was offering it at an introductory price of $160 which included wire, cellire and a large assortment of llama dubbing. Now it would have a value of less than half that.

Mostly chironomids for BC customers: A few leeches as well:

I've seen lots of strains fo 3N's that retain the spawning colours.

Agreed! Living in Fox Creek affords me the benefit of making daytrips to Swan and late May-early June was a blast. Some of the longtime visitors have said that the fish size has decreased and we'll have to live with that. It's great to have a quality chironomid lake that is reminiscent of my former home, Tunkwa Lake.

Thanks, glad to be here. I do think Jack should be paying heavily though!

Ya ya, ok Jack. You win!

Marchbrownn, I've had the same problem as you and being a commercial tyer I can't afford to wait for them to reply so I gave up on them. I do agree, though, their prices are excellent but I looked around, wheeled and dealed, and got a better price elsewhere.

Figured it was time I chimed in. Wolfie brought this thread to my attention on another site. Didn't realize I haven't visited this site since Mar/09 but I'll have to visit more regularly as I see a lot of friends on this site. Bloom, correct you are. The Pumpkinhead and Bulldog are definitely two completely different patterns with mild similarities. I designed the p/head after becoming a fan of Denny Rickards and his stillwater nymph. Though an attractor pattern the intention was to simulate the size of damsels and oversized gammarus shrimp which explains tying the pattern on a size 12 (3xl) as the original was but now it is tied on a size 10 (2xl) to gain the benefit of more hook gap as well as stronger wire. I believe Brent's Bulldog is tied on a size 6 (3xl) and would probably be more suited to imitating dragons and larger leeches, possibly abstract baitfish?? In my opinion the attraction to both patterns is the dyed grizzly hackle as I've tried different beads and bodies but always go back to the dyed orange hackle.