Archive for January 24th, 2011
Common sense, but just a reminder, to avoid eye strain and for fire safety: have a back drop that is neutral in color and does not compete with your eye’s focus as you tie. This is important to avoid eye fatigue and poor tying. Pick light green or tan. The color should absorb the glare of your lamp. Look at your vise and the point at which you insert the hook. What is behind it? This is the focal point where nothing in back should distract or cause focus competition. The neutral color or back drop must extend into this visual area to relieve your eyes and allow you to only focus on the jaws of the vise.
The lamp you use must provide direct, bright illumination. You cannot sustain comfortable tying with overhead lighting from the ceiling. The light-lamp must vent off heat through the hood. It has to have a safe cord that can withstand heat. The base must have a sturdy pedestal or clamp. Your tying station must allow for this lamp: shop, garage work station; kitchen table, dining room table. Keep the light down so that it does not glare into your eyes. I have had cords melt, hoods and top switches fry and cheap plastic clamps fracture.
Imagine a commercial tier and their comfortable set up. At least match their lighting and backdrop and you will enjoy tying as the pleasurable diversion it is, for the recreational tier.
As you move further into fly tying, as a beginner, you will tie the basic, often used patterns. The basic patterns are often perfect for learning how to manage certain materials and techniques. Also, the basic patterns offer another trait. The ‘basic’ patterns catch fish. Two materials frequently used in the beginner’s patterns are pheasant tail fibers and peacock herl. A single piece or two of each imparts fuzzy life to a pattern’s abdomen or thorax. Such simple effectiveness are sometimes left behind for ever more interesting materials. Etch this in your beginner’s mind: peacock and pheasant tail are must have materials for nymph bodies. Don’t forget them.
Wet-Pupa: Pheasant Tail Ab, Peacock Thorax, Partridge Wing, Counter Wrapped Ribbing, BH
