Hey Fly Tiers...What's In The Vise?

[Mac Attack]

nice bugs

[JiggerMan]

I always check in on this thread to see what is being tied up and have seen  a willingness to to answer questions so I figured I could m ok st likely get an answer to my conundrum here.   I recently purchased several packs of tungsten nymph bead heads and some wire to attempt some ice jigs.  My problem now is none of my nymph hooks or scud hooks will work with the beads.  I have tried all the sizes of hooks that the packs say to use with them and there is not one hook that any of the beads will go past the curve of the hook between the barb and the bend.  Is there some sort of special hook I need to be using or am I doing something wrong. 

[rgfixit]

Yes this can be a problem. Please tell us what you're using.
What size bead?
What size/ type of hook?

There are so many hooks out there these days and the tungsten beads, especially the slotted ones, vary greatly in design. I buy mine online and mostly from the Flyshack in Gloversville NY. Great people, good stock, fast and reasonable shipping.

There's  a fine balance between bead and hook size. If the bead is too small it won't weight the hook properly. Too big and it won't make the bend, the eye of the hook will slip through the bead or be covered almost completely by the bead. I've had good luck with these hooks.

Saber

Regular tungsten beads with no slot can also be a problem to size properly. First, you'll have to resign yourself to barbless hooks. I have no problem with that. Much easier to remove a fly without damaging it. Most beads won't pass over a barb.

Again it's a correlation between hook size/style and bead size. A 5mm bead is not going to make it around the bend of a #12 TMC 100. But it will make it around a #12 Kilkhammer or Czech nymph hook ......if........its a light wire hook.

Also, it's probably obvious to you, but a slotted tungsten bead requires a hook with an eye that's parallel to the hook shank to position it properly.

Here's an example of one of my nymphs with a pretty well balanced bead.


As you can see, the Saber hook has a nice wide gape and drop eye to seat the slotted bead.
To be honest, I don't use a lot of tungsten beads. They're ridiculously expensive, and can be a pain to work with. Brass beads and lead foil are my first choices.

But, I do like those Czech nymph jigs

Rg

[rgfixit]

nice bugs

It's a berry, not a bug........sheesh........worm fisherman

When are you coming over this way again. I'll let you buy me lunch

Rg

[rgfixit]

Here's my other berry. The Estaz berry.
#6 red baitholder hook
.020 lead wire
Red 210 Danville
Pink Estaz
Red, purple and black sharpie

Tie in a chartreuse rubber tail and .020 lead


Wrap the lead forward to the 3/4 point and cover with thread. Then tie in the Estaz  and bring it forward.... whip finish.


Color the Estaz with red and purple then dot with black.


Super simple and crazy effective on the mulberry drop.


Rg

[boondox]

since your thinking spring I am still wishing. here is one of my ties...


hook: mustad 9672 size 12
no bead,
thread: black 6/0   
tail: blue jay wing fibers
body: fire fox yarn
rib: targus fine round silver tinsel
wing: angel flash pearl mixed with white marabou
throat: guinea  foul in natural color..
finished with 3 coats sally Hansen's hard as nails clear male polish...






 

[JiggerMan]

Rg here is a pic of three sizes of beads I bought.  They have hook size, weight and size on the pack.

[RIVERRAT2]

love that copper,great for craw type flys
 
RAT

[Mac Attack]

It's a berry, not a bug........sheesh........worm fisherman

When are you coming over this way again. I'll let you buy me lunch

Rg

I have a talk I have to give to a group of engineers in N. Syracuse on 2/4/16
Starts at 10 and ends at noon or so.
So this means a late lunch............or early dinner.

 

[rgfixit]

That might work. I'm out at 2.

Rg

[Mac Attack]

That might work. I'm out at 2.

Rg

You get out of bed way earlier than that.

 

[rgfixit]

Out of "work" ( if you can call it that) at 2pm.

Rg

[Mac Attack]

Out of "work" ( if you can call it that) at 2pm.

Rg

 


Seriously, what is it really?

 

[rgfixit]

A very nice lady told me the other day that talking to me was like having a "Personal Shopper" whatever the heck that is.

Hey Bart, I bumped into a couple pics of my old fly bench.




I made the butcher block table in my millwork shop so it must have been around 1985 or so. Tied with it for many years. That was a Universal vise. Loosen the thumb lever on the front of the vise and the whole head rotated. A great little vise. I think I tied on it till 2008 when I bought a Danvise. I still have all those tools on my bench (and a few more ). I passed it on to a fellow I taught to fly fish.

Those pictures are from 2003. That was a computer desk I attached it to. I was playing on Ice Shanty and tying up some ice jigs at the same time. I laugh when I think of that old behemoth of a computer. As I sit here with my iPad on my lap and a "laboratory " in the basement. My Bride likes that description, by the way.

Everything looks a little different now.

Rg

[Bartman44]

Nice little set up but your new fly factory is impressive.  I was just having a discussion with my son about all the technology advances and I'm old enough to remember fishing when there was none. Still, fly tying (with some exceptions) is still man vs feather and fur.   

I've been playing with foam.  I'm headed out west again this year during hopper season so I stole a few hopper  patterns from You Tube. Got anything in your arsenal you think a cutthroat might like?  I did take your guys advice  and went to the craft store last week and they had foam in every color imaginable for next to nothing.

I bought my boat in 1985 - still have it.