Expensive Sport

[Dxh]

Does anyone else ever notice the amount of flys that seem to come untied from either simply casting or a hard strike? Brand new from the store too at 2$ a piece. Is this normal? I'll be the first to admit my casting technique isn't perfect, but I'm deffinatly not " cracking the whip" anyone have any ideas what I might be doing wrong or is this just part of the expensive game. Thanks

[Tadpole]

Does anyone else ever notice the amount of flys that seem to come untied from either simply casting or a hard strike? Brand new from the store too at 2$ a piece. Is this normal? I'll be the first to admit my casting technique isn't perfect, but I'm deffinatly not " cracking the whip" anyone have any ideas what I might be doing wrong or is this just part of the expensive game. Thanks

 

I have never had that happen on a regular basis. That is when i used to buy flies. I suggest either put some cement on them before you head out or start tying your own. I want to tell you it is so much cheaper to tie your own but to be honest if i said that i would not believe it. I look at my set up and if only my wife knew how much i spend to tie flies. If you dont plan on tying i would really suggest dropping a bit of cement on em though.

[Conor]

Do you mean the flies come unraveled, or off the tippet?

 

 

[Dxh]

Do you mean the flies come unraveled, or off the tippet?

 

 

Oops sorry. They are coming unravelled after maybe an hours use? Also not every fly, I would say about half of them I use. Some completely, others a few feathers or some phesant tail or some small part of the fly comes off. Just wondering if it was normal to ruin so many. Like I said I don't have too bad of a cast so I don't think I'm whipping them apart? Not hitting dirt/rocks behind me as I'm usually in the water facing upstream. Maybe I'll try the cement tip thank you. Yes Ive really considered tying my own an it is deffinatly something I will be looking into, currently between jobs and money is kind of tight allready. No wife so no problems

[Weedy1]

No wife so no problems

Get a wife and have her tie your flies. Problem solved!

[jonn]

Get a wife and have her tie your flies. Problem solved!

 

Good luck with that one, I can't even get mine to tie worms.

 

2x on the head cement

 

[CDone]

Theres definitely a difference in fly quality out here. Buy from one of the more fly fishing focused shops (SouthBow, Fishtales, CP, ect.) they are carry quality flies that should last.

I rarely use head cement on flies I tie anymore (especially bead head patterns), a secure whip finish gets the job done and I eliminate one step in the process. I don't recall the last time I had one of my own patterns come unwrapped.

 

Colin

[Swede]

Its quite possible that your going a little to far back with your rod tip on your backcast and your flies are ticking the rocks behind you.

[seanbritt]

I second what Colin said. There is a variety of quality out there and any of the local smaller shops should have the higher quality stuff. I've had flies come undone before when I've bought less than quality stuff. Its funny, no matter what the product the old saying of "you get what you pay for" is typically a good rule to go by.

[adams]

Definitely try tying your own. That way you get the quality you are looking for. After a while you'll notice common unravelling problems and develop some tricks to address them. For instance, I don't use head cement (particularly on small flies where I'll just end up plugging up the eye, but I do a double whip finish (5 wraps and tie it off, then repeat). As long as you've got fine thread it doesn't bulk up the head.

 

Adams

[Tadpole]

Get a wife and have her tie your flies. Problem solved!

 

i love it. do you offer a train your wife dvd by chance. I just cant seem to break mine.

[kungfool]

Never seen this problem since the first season I learned to fly fish. My guess it's the quality of your flies if your cast is tight.

[ironfly]

Dxh, it's not you. That used to happen to me all the time, before I tyed my own. The way I remember it, I would've been happy to get an hour out of a fly. I had lots fall apart after two casts. Head cement will work, but make sure you dry every one completely, in an open space, and away from other flies and materials; once the stink of that glue gets in your fly box it seems like you'll never get rid of it. People still debate whether smells can put fish off. I think they do.

 

Forget about the money; the first three years of fly tying cost me a grand total of about $200. After three years at The Fishin' Hole, it's probably twenty times that. Whatever you do, don't take a job at a fly shop for the discount. You don't need a Renzetti vise, my Super AA cost me $18, has held a thousand or so hooks, and still makes a good back-up. Scrounging materials is a proud fly tying tradition.

 

It seems like hardly anyone ever mentions the best reason for tying your own; catching a fish on a fly you tyed is at least twice as much fun!

[SanJuanWorm]

250 san juan worms, tied 8 bucks. Nuff said. I think my wife's fingers are sore though. Better get her back to baking pies.

[Dxh]

Hahaha, too funny. Thanks for all the input from everyone. Also I just got a call I got the job I've been waiting for. AWESOME! Now I'll have to make a budget out.

 

 

Bills/rent/grocerys < Fly tying

[Argentis]

Bills/rent/grocerys < Fly tying

 

Well at least you've got this figured out before you start. From the sounds of it, this idea takes awhile to sink in for most.

 

Congrats on the new job.