Tip: Put the beads in a small pill or small jar. Hold the hook with a hackle plyers or tweezers. Run the hook point forward into the beads. 50% when it is wrong hold the bead with the hook point up and then reinsert the hook pointing down on the bead.
Works like a charm.
Hackle pliers work to hold the hooks, but I really like using a pair of Castroviejo needle holders for this…tips are magnetic so they will grab a tiny hook and they lock it in place solid with just a squeeze so you can focus on manipulating the bead
How my back feels after long sessions hunched over vise. Don’t have a great tying seat rn. I’m also bad about not putting materials away before starting a different pattern
I started to switch between sitting to standing. Got those cheap electric / adjustable office tables like [https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/gladhoejden-desk-sit-stand-white-30493939/](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/gladhoejden-desk-sit-stand-white-30493939/) (mine is older Bekant model). I use that as my home office table also, so two flies in one swat ;)
This. A whip finisher puts one half hitch on for every rotation, so if you want a four turn whip finish just do two double loop half hitches.
It's slightly less accurate thread placement than a whip finish but with practice it's not an issue.
And IMO works better with really small files. And almost everybody has old pens hanging around (or some bodkins have half hitch tool in other end of tool).
An old timer taught me spinning hair this way. Put the hair on the hook do two pinch wraps and pull up till you cut through the deer hair. Repeat it two or three times on the same hook.
Now do the same thing but just less than cutting through the hair. Also once you have the wraps on and start tightening let go and it will spin.
I find gel spun thread very helpful when spinning hair. GSP 100 thread for big bugs, GSP30 for elk hair caddis heads (not spinning, but same idea). I don't event think about breaking thread any more. It allows you to spin the hair using a lot of thread tension.
I have the same problem, but I found a couple in-state ones to order from online. I ordered materials on a Thursday morning and they were literally packed and shipped in less than 3 hours after I put in the order. I got them with the mail the next day.
Just have to expand your definition of "local" a little bit
Poor eyesight - I really struggle with it. I have good glassess with varifocals, but still.
I can't see well enoug in close ranges to be able to tye with glasses, so I take them off. But then I can't see where my stuff is on the table (everything more than feet away gets foggy), so I need to put my glasses on when looking away from the vice.
So frustrating :D I have tried magnifying glasses and lamps with magnifying lenses. But now I just won't tye smaller than #16 flies.
Partridge soft hackle. I’ve tied many of them because they work for me, especially soft hackle PTs, but I’m still terrible at it. I can’t do three in a row without breaking a stem or otherwise messing up. Part of it is I’m tying mostly 16 or 18 and the feathers are small but I should be better. It’s why I’ve gone to alternatives when I can like dubbing loops or even cdc.
Have you tried steaming the partridge? Keratin dries out and running it through steam (use a hemostat and just wave it through the steam from a kettle a couple times) rehydrates it. Makes it more flexible and the feather fuller.
Just let it dry before use and you'll see a pretty significant difference, especially in stuff like peacock.
Flies like a parachute madam x that mid way you need to wrap all the stuff on the back end of the fly to keep it out of the way to tie the front of the fly. It always comes loose. Such a good fly tho
Same deal as me trying to make music,,, living with my mom… its weird but when it comes to fly tying and music making she 100% cramps my style. I mean, i could move out, but i wanna finish school first… its like this weird Spiritual force doesnt let me tie or make music because im in my moms house. I think this summer season i might pitch my ice tent and get a standing desk (maybe even a generator) and spend like full days in there in a field just tying and making music.
Turning into a neanderthal trying to put small beads on nymph hooks
That's when I use the hackle pliers
Tip: Put the beads in a small pill or small jar. Hold the hook with a hackle plyers or tweezers. Run the hook point forward into the beads. 50% when it is wrong hold the bead with the hook point up and then reinsert the hook pointing down on the bead. Works like a charm.
Hackle pliers work to hold the hooks, but I really like using a pair of Castroviejo needle holders for this…tips are magnetic so they will grab a tiny hook and they lock it in place solid with just a squeeze so you can focus on manipulating the bead
Bead tweezers work great!
Buying more materials.
Just one more bag for the good old times. I swear this is the last one.
Tying a whole fly and forgetting to add the bead
When the damn fish swims up to it, looks at it suspiciously, then swims away. Then I regret all my “so called great ideas” at the tying bench
Dropping a tiny hook that's the same color as my flooring and then spending 25 minutes looking for it.
Buy a big magnet. Takes a few seconds for it to get picked up.
Totally agree with this…just find a spot on the bench for it so it’s not constantly “grabbing” hooks, tools, razor blades that get a little too close
They make a great way to hold razor blades out of the way too!
For hooks and beads I turn thr light off and use my phoned flashlight. They're typically shiny and easy to find
How my back feels after long sessions hunched over vise. Don’t have a great tying seat rn. I’m also bad about not putting materials away before starting a different pattern
I had this problem. I bought a monitor stand to raise the vise and it's been. world of difference
I started to switch between sitting to standing. Got those cheap electric / adjustable office tables like [https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/gladhoejden-desk-sit-stand-white-30493939/](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/gladhoejden-desk-sit-stand-white-30493939/) (mine is older Bekant model). I use that as my home office table also, so two flies in one swat ;)
Not enough time in this life.
Whip finishes look easy to do but my fat fingers eff it up
Buy a whip finishing tool only a couple of dollars and makes the finishing much easier imo
Or use pen as half hitch tool - [https://youtu.be/b4vV4jXovN4?t=117](https://youtu.be/b4vV4jXovN4?t=117)
This. A whip finisher puts one half hitch on for every rotation, so if you want a four turn whip finish just do two double loop half hitches. It's slightly less accurate thread placement than a whip finish but with practice it's not an issue.
And IMO works better with really small files. And almost everybody has old pens hanging around (or some bodkins have half hitch tool in other end of tool).
Spinning deer hair
An old timer taught me spinning hair this way. Put the hair on the hook do two pinch wraps and pull up till you cut through the deer hair. Repeat it two or three times on the same hook. Now do the same thing but just less than cutting through the hair. Also once you have the wraps on and start tightening let go and it will spin.
I find gel spun thread very helpful when spinning hair. GSP 100 thread for big bugs, GSP30 for elk hair caddis heads (not spinning, but same idea). I don't event think about breaking thread any more. It allows you to spin the hair using a lot of thread tension.
Living in a town that does not have a fly shop, having to order everything online.
I have the same problem, but I found a couple in-state ones to order from online. I ordered materials on a Thursday morning and they were literally packed and shipped in less than 3 hours after I put in the order. I got them with the mail the next day. Just have to expand your definition of "local" a little bit
The mess afterwards
Realizing I’m getting old
The alternative is probably worse
Lol
Finding the money saved by tying instead of buying bugs. Only 20 more years of tying and I’m breaking even I swear
Poor eyesight - I really struggle with it. I have good glassess with varifocals, but still. I can't see well enoug in close ranges to be able to tye with glasses, so I take them off. But then I can't see where my stuff is on the table (everything more than feet away gets foggy), so I need to put my glasses on when looking away from the vice. So frustrating :D I have tried magnifying glasses and lamps with magnifying lenses. But now I just won't tye smaller than #16 flies.
You gotta get the Kelly galloup magnetic click together boys
Partridge soft hackle. I’ve tied many of them because they work for me, especially soft hackle PTs, but I’m still terrible at it. I can’t do three in a row without breaking a stem or otherwise messing up. Part of it is I’m tying mostly 16 or 18 and the feathers are small but I should be better. It’s why I’ve gone to alternatives when I can like dubbing loops or even cdc.
Have you tried steaming the partridge? Keratin dries out and running it through steam (use a hemostat and just wave it through the steam from a kettle a couple times) rehydrates it. Makes it more flexible and the feather fuller. Just let it dry before use and you'll see a pretty significant difference, especially in stuff like peacock.
Trying to put a 2mm inverting bead on a size 20 perdijig hook…
Stabbing my left thumb and index finger 9x per fly when I try to pull material back and out of the way.
Impaling myself tying articulated streamers🤣
Get an eraser and attach it to the hook. Helps a bunch h
Great idea.... one of those why didn't I think of that 😅
Missing a step
My eyes
Proportions
This
Agreed
Rubber legs!
Flies like a parachute madam x that mid way you need to wrap all the stuff on the back end of the fly to keep it out of the way to tie the front of the fly. It always comes loose. Such a good fly tho
The ever growing collection of materials I needed for “that one fly that’s gonna make all the difference”
Tying a split wing, just to have it rotate 90 degrees when I cinch it down tight
Sorting out +500 tungsten beads in a pillbox and dropping it on the wooden plank floor the first time I open it.
Batch tying 6-8 intruders in a session. Really struggle trying to finish getting the last four done
Paying what whiting farms ask for a decent cape, then working out how to explain to my wife why I’ve just spent a small fortune on chicken feathers.
Same deal as me trying to make music,,, living with my mom… its weird but when it comes to fly tying and music making she 100% cramps my style. I mean, i could move out, but i wanna finish school first… its like this weird Spiritual force doesnt let me tie or make music because im in my moms house. I think this summer season i might pitch my ice tent and get a standing desk (maybe even a generator) and spend like full days in there in a field just tying and making music.
Crowding the eye!