The Barb, The Pliers, The Same Old Question

This post is about two things related to fly tying and fly fishing: the barb and the pliers needed to remove a hook from a fish. It usually should be an easy deal right? You barbed all the hooks as you tied the flies or you barbed the flies as you stuck them into your fly boxes. Right?

My waders hanging between uses. The telltale sign of hardware store pliers sticking out of my chest pocket.

Admission: Note to self to correct! I have at some point fallen into a habit of not barbing my hooks at the vise. I have become neglectful re this simple task. I rationalize that I will ‘simply’ de-barb the hook out on the water..no muss, no fuss. I suppose that is alright, but I have taken to using old, needle nose pliers. The groves extend up to the very tip and getting the barb between the grooves and flattening the barb has not been effective. How do I know this?

 When I hook a fish, the hook, which should, if de-barbed, easily back out of the fish doesn’t. It stays stuck because of the slightest elevated barb my pliers failed to flatten. I also notice this on the off chance the hook catches fabric. Again, the hook should back out through the fabric without snagging. Hmm? it seems to snag. So, I ask ‘the same old question’ Why don’t you barb the hooks at the vise where the process is easiest? Well, I kind of ask it like that…it is more like a sigh, an utterance and some thought of me at the table blowing off the process and pay for it now.

Beautiful Fly…but, there sets the barb.

So, two, no three obvious solutions: (1) barb them all at the table (2) buy barbless hooks (3) buy better pliers.

I cannot, personally, justify the $125.-175. spendy/trendy pliers suitable for freshwater/saltwater applications you see in shops. I imagine I would if I dealt with heavy wire, heavy mono etc. I know there are less expensive needle nose pliers out there so I will find them, if for nothing else removing the occasional fly that is inhaled deeply by the fish charging up from the rear.

So, the best solution for me, if I am adhering to Catch and Release, is to buy barbless hooks or de-barb all the hooks in advance and then proceed to tie….really no big deal. I just need to break the lazy habit I adopted.  

A Euro style Barbless Hook…Barbless hooks have been available for sometime. I never bought them preferring to barb my own. We see where that went……

Another side note here…a practical on the water issue: if you are teaching someone else and providing them the flies, a problem arises when they hook a fish on a fly you did not earlier barb and did not barb on the water. You assume they know to do that. They don’t. They might not be fully outfitted. Now if they get that fish in, they will most probably stress the fish repeatedly attempting to remove the barbed hook. If they hook themselves the hook will not back out nice and easy. If you are teaching someone make sure they have the tools and that their flies are barbless.

Marjin Fratnik’s “F” Fly Revisited

I have highlighted Marjin Fratnik’s F fly series before. I think it is a perfect beginner’s fly pattern that has many variations in color, size and applications (caddis, mayfly, chironomid, stonefly). My only personal caveat is regarding cutting the ends of any feather. I would rather spend the time to stack/sort the feathers so they are uniform in length rather than trim them….just my personal choice. None the less, it is a simple tie and the CDC is magical. I am linking to the always helpful FlyForumUk for the step by step (SBS) visual tutorial on tying the F Fly.

Fratnik’s F Fly at The Essential Fly

 

Wes Wada Damsel Fly Pattern

Innovative stillwater damsel pattern by Wes Wada

Visit the Fly Foundry blog authored by Wes Wada. His work is innovative and inspiring.

Fly Tying Materials: Penny Sorts My Capes

In the mornings, when the birds first start their chirping, Penny the Cat can be found sitting in a window listening, making this little chortling/chirping sound of her own. Her head turns and cants in all directions as she watches the temptations flitting about outside. Because she is a house cat her instincts are perhaps a bit rusty. Remember it was almost a year ago (early June) when Penny the Cat was rescued from atop a tree in my back yard. But, perhaps her instincts aren’t that rusty.

As I came through the door last night, I was met by a feathery sight. Penny ran to me and circled around my legs, rubbing up against my shins as cats do. She walked over amidst the disaster and rolled about in apparent cat bliss.

I really can’t blame anyone but me. This is about the fourth time this has happened. I have gone form capes in gallon freezer bags atop my fly tying station, to inside boxes to under a heavy object. Penny the Cat was successful at extricating two large bags of six capes and assorted loose feathers and spreading her attack not just in the living room, but into the family room and upstairs. I suspect that Harley the Maltipoo had a hand in this two, while Emma the Lab probably snored through it all. 

Every Day in May Writing Challenge: The Fly, The Creator

The Fly…hmmm? I tie flies. I tie lots and lots of flies for every imagined possibility. Here is where my mind obsesses, plans, is compulsive (note I avoided putting OC with D). I enjoy it and I have enough flies + boxes to supply a youth group, but I won’t. Nope those little gems are my creations and I share them on the water, but not otherwise. They are the Hope & Change (the real shit, not the BS) of my fly fishing experience. I love tying, creating, imagining and finally seeing it all come together as the fish comes to hand.

A few lake patterns by SwittersB

Tomorrow’s Every Day in May Challenge Topic is Fish!!!

Tenkara Bum Highlights The Unique Patterns

Check out the Tenkara sphere, which Anthony Naples does a good job demonstrating at his site Casting Around. There is much to learn here about fly pattern design, presentations and a technique that is appealing to some because of the simplicity. A minimalist approach for sure at Tenkara Bums.

TENKARA TALK PATTERNS

Every Day in May Challenge: ‘Tying’ Is The Icing

EVERY DAY IN MAY CHALLENGE TOPIC: TYING

The empty palette waits, thread, feathers and attractive materials.

I came to fly fishing two ways: back packing into wilderness areas in the Eagle Cap Wilderness area (N.E Oregon) and chasing Steelhead on the Sandy River above the Revenue Bridge over thirty five years ago. I borrowed flies from friends that tied. I came from a ‘gear’ background (mostly spinners, spoons and corkies/yarn). Fly tying was something my long departed uncle had done, but nothing I had ever witnessed.

I learned from others about patterns and presentation for Steelhead and ‘bows and Brookies. I had come from a backgound of exciting/inciting/provoking hits with ‘hardware’. It worked. Now, I fished with men that focused on location, presentation and the  color/movement in their fly patterns. In many ways it was the same, but different. Fly fishing seemed/was harder….for awhile. I took fly tying classes some 30 years ago and have never gone long without tying something every year.

Hey, have you checked out the topics list? Check out the topics and write about the topics as you see fit. Link to the Every Day in May’s original post and encourage others to do the same. There is a lot to learn from each other.

Suddenly mayflies, stoneflies, caddis, hoppers, ants and midges entered the vocabulary. Tying demanded ‘why’s’ and, low and behold the answers were there. Suddenly, I had to learn about what, where, when and how in the insect’s and fish’s world and accordingly tie patterns to match those questions and answers.

Thirty five + years later, I still tie. It is pretty much seasonal now. I tie in the Winter, catching up with depleted patterns and tying patterns that just seem fresh, unique, innovative to entice the fish.

Tying is creative and presents multiple paths: the established route, the tried and true patterns that by virtue of actual worth or hyped worth are tied after others tell you they are worthy OR, the innovative/creative path…experimental, unique or stretched derivations of established patterns.

Whether because I am rebellious or suffer from ADD/PTSD or am truly creative (I doubt the latter), I do tend to tie a few established patterns, at least for awhile, and then venture off into the creative side. I love it! Flies that are truly experimental. Flies that are failures or epic…part of the fun of experimentation. I am an average tier, at best, but I derive so much pleasure from the whole creative process. 

Tying offers me a buzz of ‘maybe’s’ & ‘what if’s’ during the doldrums of Winter and a sparkle of anticipation on a warm Summer evening. Pick your palette. Grab the bobbin and create. Tying (fly tying) is the icing on the Fly Fishing cake.

 

Fly Tying: Gary Borger’s Simple Wet

Fly tying, for the beginner, for all of us, can become ever more complicated in search of the perfect morsel. This pattern by Gary Borger is quite simple and I bet productive. It is open to color/size variations. A nice pattern to tie and fish for the beginner…for anyone actually.

Wet Fly~Emerger Pattern by Gary Borger

Fly Tying: While the Tier’s Away, the Cat Will………………

Fly Tying Materials: Cat invades Ziplock Bags and Massacres Capes. Investigation called for……

A massacre of epic proportions. Even hooks and scissors were thrown into the mix.

What the heck happened? I scrupulously package and store any feathers out of the reach of my Penelope, the Cat. She has attacked before and decimated a blue dun cape. Yet today, when I entered the house, I saw the remnants of chicken skin and tattered feathers by the front door entry way. I made my way toward my temporary tying station (dining room table) and ‘Whoa Nellie’ a massacre of feathers!

No shame, no remorse. Penny waltzes right in to the scene of the crime to inspect her work as I attempt to salvage the survivors. She even rolls over so I can rub her belly.

Fly Tying: Nymph’s Color Palette by Tim Barker

Unique color assortment of nymphs by Tim Barker at Planet Trout.

You have to have the imagination to conceive unique combinations of colors and materials. Then must have the self discipline to complete the numbers of flies and maintain consistent outcomes. Very nice work isn’t it….and unique?