Isn't it time?

I'll host. Room for a dozen. Due 4/30.

1. macrabbit - Aztec Sculpin
2. MissTreated -
3. Sitka deer -
4. HuntKY -
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

I was wondering if anyone wanted to do this. I'll play.

I'm not sure that I want to play with someone who won't defend herself, won't post a picture to reclaim her honor. "Purported to be", my foot!




I relent-- welcome aboard.

I'll continue your sculpin theme somehow...

I'm trying to get photos to defend myself, but the dude who has the photos isn't cooperating. I forgot to take pics before I sent them off. So just hold yer water and I'll get back to ya!

BTW, what the theme?

Glad to have you, Art. But I hope, then, that I'm not the cause of family rivalry and domestic squabbles. (Wild squabbles, in mushroom/sage gravy, are much better.)


Excuse my lisp, I'll put on thomething themeless.
What tickles your fancy will tickle mine.

You give yourself way too much credit. We can squabble without help from anyone!

I know. We here in California feel a chill from Alaska a few times each year.

That's my heart!

I'm in. How many and theme or no theme?

Themeless.

No more than 12, gotta see how many bobbinheads sign up.

And if I could find some head cement that needs wetting every nine months or so, to remain intact, I'd use it. My flies are for fishing, not admiring. (Not that I consider them particularly admirable, it's just that some of you hacklers seem to be more hoarder than fisher!)

I'll play. Put me down as tying the Silver Rat salmon fly.
Jeff

You're hired!
troutfly's gonna do a salmon fly. Do we have a member called salmonfly? -what would he tie, do ya think?

teal, jump on in, if you wish.
This isn't a show-off contest only for expert tiers.
And tying a dozen examples of a single fly, especially ones that strangers will be inspecting, is a great way to practice and to stretch oneself.
Heck, we could all make use of an egg fly, if you want to do that one.

Trying to make hair behave at the bench has caused a few riots at our house, too.

And don't let on that one needn't match the hatch exactly, that eastern salmon flies might look like something western monster trout might like to eat. If we don't wallow in our esoterica, some common folk might discover flyfishing. And we wouldn't want that!

I don't know what it will be for a pattern, but I'm game.

Doug

I'll tie some golden stone dries. "Golden Grizz"

How about something with some red rabbit?

A Bunny Leech wearing something sexy in red should be a real hooker.

"Golden Grizz" --sounds like an Eskimo idol.
If it catches fish, we might come to idolize it.

A willie Nelson might be appropriate, too...

http://www.flyfishusa.com/flies/musician-series.htm

Now, Art, let's not discuss my willie in public.

I'll tie some bug eyed conehead zuddlers.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's been 1 year and 12 days since our Boy Wonder's last post. This is a day to remember!

Glad to have you in, AKG.

Looks like we have an unofficial theme-- sculpins. I won't enforce it, but feel free to come to the party dressed like that.

Sculpania Mania?

Sumpin' like that.

Someone should design a Robert Sculp.
With that and a Bull Cosby one is ready to fish the famed Eispie River!

Was fishing Oregon's Metolius once when a kid came by and told me that run was famous for holding some big Dolly Partons. Now that I could go for.

Ya need a tandem rig for those.

Duh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Read that shortly after you posted it and only just got it!!!!!!!!! Talk about dense!!!!

I was surprised to see how infrequently he has posted, too... Normally he has so much to say...
art

Best flung with an I Spey set-up?

Again, sumpin' like that.


(Good thing these threads never stray away from important business.)

I'm in...if you'll have me. Olive Franken Sculpen.

I dunno. You seem to be one of those who just posts nonstop in order to inflate your post count, looking for Kahuna status.





Well, OK.
Google doesn't know what fly that is. Should be interesting.

Skunkedagain might be trouble...

Might just be trolling... Heard about people dragging flies through ponds about town and dredging up all sorts of big rainbows... Community Organizers arranging meetings 'twixt feathers and fleshy lips... And 'tween flyfishers in the gathering light...

Big trouble in River City, no doubt. But knows the bow and arrow cast and the trouser red tote...
art lit

Hey, glad you found your password! We should have a tying party here!

Somehow I'm getting the feeling that this Frankenskunk feller is no stranger to our northern sibs.
No ganging up allowed.

From the sound of that ramble, you must be lit.

Or I might be sober as a judge, remembering being lit...

I'll do NearNuff Sculpin.

Another lurker comes out of the woodwork.
The flies are supposed to catch lunkers, not lurkers.


Nonetheless, pull up a log and sit in. I particularly recommend Dr. McCoy's log of Stardate 4733.4. That one's a real laugher. "...not a seamstress!" What a card!

BTW, does anyone know how to tie the Rickey Binn?

Thinking it would be Carrie Stevensish... Long and complicated, lots of layers and color...

MsKeeto,
Glad you could buzz in here and join us! Beware of the title, "swat" is a word you might take offense to! Anyway, better warn them, you're part of the swarm!

M

When I have all the flies together I'll post pics and tiers.

Having said that, I can't resist putting up this one.

Do you think she'll find room in her fly box for:





And then do you think she'll be able to find it on a foggy morning?


(Pic's not quite what I wanted. It's hard to get a best angle, and to interpret it in 2-D. And it's much pinker than it appears.)

Who's "she?"

Let the bidding commence!

Per our pm, he's in for something simple, it will be his first attempt....

He's got a crush on April V. I'm guessin' grin

Nah. It's trolls that get me revved.
I just go aquiver whenever I read Three Billy Goats Gruff:

Yep, all a quiver from those trolls, glad there aren't too many here down at the fly fishing department! Yep, I'm thinkin' she needs another one of those pink numbers!

I'll cop to that!

I'll be tyer #12 if non-award winning talent is allowed.

woooo-hoooooooo! Happy to see you here, lucky to have you as one of this group!

I was wondering if you were around.
You're in.
And that makes a dirty dozen. Elvis has left the building.

Thanks M and mac!

Pondering sculpin ideas, not yet sure which of them will rate a spot in the "swat".

In the process of tying some sculpins which are a cross between what I wanted to do, what materials we had on hand and what wouldn't duplicate what Riley is tying too terribly much! So I named it the "Stealth Sculpin."

All right�� an original!

(Built on desire, compromise, leftovers, and avoidance. When is the next election?� you're a shoo-in!)

Yep, I'll do just about anything to avoid a trip to the store!

We'll probably collect from the whole swarm and send them in one pkg.

I've PMed postal address.

If you'all send your flies in a flybox, you'll get it back. If you don't, who knows how your Swag will arrive to you?! Do airport baggage handlers fill in at the Post Office?

A few of you haven't yet declared a pattern (not that it's mandatory)...

Something...grin

If it is not too late like to participate. I have a micro leech pattern very effective on stillwaters and a good steelhead fly too.

If you want to participate, take my spot and I will concentrate on helping sgt218 with his contribution...If it is okay with mac...

"Ah, the old switcheroo, eh, Chief? Agent 99, jot that one down."





What's a "ribka"? Right to Individually Bear and Keep Arms?

Nah, I can count to 11, just can't to 22, and it will be mo' cool to him to do it on his own...

Ok guys let me know. Will be out-of-town next week. Fishing the Bighorn and Rock Creek in MT.

Look forward to seeing your patterns

You're in, ribka.
Better tie up half of your allotment before you run off on vacation. I'd hate to have your anticipation of the drudgery of fly-tying looming over and ruining your fun.

Cannot imagine tying being drudgery unless you were looking at thousands...

That's not what I want to hear.
My whole purpose in starting up this Swap was to inflict torture on twelve unsuspecting dupes.
Curses! Foiled again!

Hopefully I don't get cornfuzed and mail you my tax return instead of the flies. Wonder if the IRS would consider it paid in full with a dozen ties?

I've no use for the paperwork but I can think of things to do with any checks you might enclose...

Finished my "Stealth sculpins." Will have to wait to mail all others...

Show-off

That's disgusting!!!

Besides Pinky-Poo I've finished only two and two halves. If I don't catch up with myself I'll have to fill in with some I tied before I began the Swarm.


I tied Art's tonight, using his 'favorite' Stinger hook, plus in a very tricky variation. And attempting that variation gave me fits! It's possible that this one won't pass the mustard. Catsup, anyone?
I might have to either trash it or send it along as a consolation unprize. I'll know more after I comb and trim.

Yeah, well, I had to reject 8 before I got to the final 12. Frustrating, indeed.

Next time do what I do-- pick a fly that can't go wrong, and leave in any imperfections that don't materially detract.

And it's a good thing that real sculpins have warts and blotches, 'cause you folks get my flies with warts and all, as the saying goes.


(And, thanks for being so careful for us.)

Sounds to me as if you're making "custom" flies...

M

Isn't every fly a custom fly?
And if I add a twitch here and there according to recipient, little dif. (Hmm. I wonder if I can put chevrons on the fins for Sgt217/218?)
Most of the sculpins I'm tying for this Swarm will be of different color schemes. You're my guinea pigs- didn't I tell you?.
(And I get bored cranking out clones. I gotta make it fun.)

Hmmm... clones... could that be why I left parts off, put parts on upside down and generally messed up on 8 of the flies?

Whew! It's passable. Good enough for the likes of the Cap'n, at least.
(Poke around in it enough and you'll find a bald spot or two. Come to think of it, this fly is a lot like me! Custom flies, indeed.)

Guess I should have said each one is individualized....

I am done with my dirty dozen...tied, whip finished and ready to go. I tied some sort of woolhead sculpin and I think it'll fish. I've tied literally 1000's of flies, and I think this is the first time I've ever tied 12 of the same thing. Normally, I will sit down and tie sculpins for instance and I use different materials on each of them.....always experimenting.

Ooohh-- he threw a change-up! The batter expected a Golden Grizz and swung at air!
(That's dandy, KY.)

I hear you on the same ol'.
Some people can do it. I once overheard a flyshop clerk who also tied to order, rattling off multiple-dozens he'd been tying for a customer, with no implication that he was soul-weary from it. I'm not one of those people!

The 'ol change-up, you are correct. I had to go with the theme.

I do remember having to tie a few dozen Gotcha clousers for a client one time. The redundancy drove me nuts.

I'd be very interested in doing a "Stonefly Swap". Anything in the stonefly genus. Golden stones, winter stones, Pteronarcys, Yellow Sallies, Black Stones...etc.

Give us all a little time to rest from this one, then start 'er up.

Oh yea, for sure.

if there is any more room or someone drops out let me know. i havent visited the fly section for a little and missed this

Rools is rools; ya snooze, ya lose.
But I'll keep you on the list as an alternate juror.


As an aside, folks, what's the largest swap you've heard of?

I saw a 60 person swap where everyone had to be from a different area (state and/or country) IIRC and it actually came off.

Finished half of my ties

Good going.
I'm still low, at 4 3/2; and it's weighing on my mind.

BTW, no penalty for early submission.

Hey, I have seen castandblast tie and he does just fine... and the silver salmon and dollies do not object to them at all.

Grayling has half his done, but I am still muddling around for a pattern...

castandblast didn't declare his pattern, so I simply quoted what he wrote.
Heck, I haven't gotten any awards since the day in first grade a nun licked a little yellow star and pasted it on my collar because I wrote my own name correctly and within the blue lines!



muddle
verb [intrans.] busy oneself in a confused and ineffective way

I think that describes my 'lifestyle' perfectly. I'm a muddler of the first order.
My flies on the other hand...

I'm running two different sizes: 3 3/8" on a size 4 hook, and 3 1/8" on a 6.
Although I make no promises, state your preference.
(I guess size sometimes does matter.)

Guessing I would go big or go home...

I muddled my way right into making everyone miss my muddler minnow train...

Huh?

the bigger the better

Be careful what you wish for.
I kinda need an excuse to practice the size 6/0 saltwater version.

I have the spey rod to cast that... Hook might be a little big for rainbows though.

Thanks for not mentioning the way the fish showed a noticeable preference for my 10 year old daughter's flies last trip Art!

Macrabbit-
The only awards my flies have ever contended for were my Grandad's smile (he taught me), and an open fish mouth.

Since y'all are so spun up and down-right bull-headed about sculpin patterns, that's what I'm tying.

Hot diggety dog!




As I said, I simply quote what you write!

So he wrote, you quote, fish smote, and grandpas dote?

[quote=castandblast]
Thanks for not mentioning the way the fish showed a noticeable preference for my 10 year old daughter's flies last trip Art!

Macrabbit-
The only awards my flies have ever contended for were my Grandad's smile (he taught me), and an open fish mouth.
[quote]

What happens on the boat stays on the boat...

You'd better start searching for those humongous rainbows. On second thought, keep your eye out for a pod of orcas- I tied that 747 of a sculpin tonight.

And I'll be happiest if I never tie another one. I didn't keep track, but it'll come out something over 2 hours by the time I finish. My thumb was cramping up from gripping the yarn.

Speaking of yarn, I could have knitted a sweater suitable for an Alaska winter out of what's in the fly. It took nearly 4 yards! (Much of that will get combed out and trimmed off, of course.)


(But it was kinda fun, too!)

So that's what that stench is!
There's such a thing as taking some principles too far, ya know. So go ahead- flush off that deck every decade or so.

Make that about three hours. I expect to see a 400-lb halibut hanging off of this one!





And with mom's Pinky-Poo:

I could probably find a rainbow to eat that...

Your rainbows have bigger mouths than mine!
But then, I've heard that everything is bigger in Alaska.

definitely

The land of run-on sentences...

Mac...package sent Fri to you with a box of Woolhead Rock-Nockers.

Most goody!

Last one in's a rotten egg!

Wow-- arrived in today's mail!

That's the first time I've seen a bunny strip applied that way.
Looks like it'll ride upside down.

(Helping to defray costs is a nice gesture, but let's not go overboard. I'm gonna have to toss a few extra Aztecs in your return package. )

Here's teacher leading a whole school of sculpins in the Pledge of Allegiance-



(Notice teacher's pet snuggled as close to the front as she can get.
There's probably a waterlogged Red Delicious hidden from our view.))



(Please don't take offense. No flags were harmed during the production of this fly. I mean no disrespect toward my nation's symbol.)

Good thing the teachers' pet isn't a readhead!

M

I've heard that she's "out of this world". That pink mohawk do shows in what way.

Mac...upside down? The fly rides correctly, hook up. Helps prevent snagging on the bottom. There's a little weight tied in there on the underside. Don't hit yourself in the head!

The extra $$ was to help cover cost of shipment + materials for the Tarpon Aztecs you sent you me.

To-mah-to / to-may-to

Of course a good bottom-dragger should prefer uphooking (though most of the Aztecs in that class photo are too young to have learned that skill yet).
Roots and trans-Atlantic cables are such a pain to unsnag.

And if I'm a masochist, it's none of your dang business!

Silver Rats will be out in the mail today.
Jeff aka troutfly

Good. The Rock-Nockers and Aztecs are getting tired of only each other for company. Having Rats to chase will be good for the atmosphere around my house.

These Rats can boogie so it would be a sight to see!

Where's that Pied Piper when you need him?!
I'm overrun with rats! Rats with two fangs, no less.

troutfly, what's the underwing?

Wow they got there fast.
I used grey squirrel from a winter killed critter. Good heavy markings.

I don't expect such banding on squiggel. Nice.

Thanks. I wish I could get some more of them but the shop I got it at closed about ten years ago. They carried lots of hard to find high grade natural materials.

Believe it or not, here in Alberta you have to be a trapper to kill squirrels so I can't even hunt my own resupply.

Just field-tested my Baby Daddy Black leech in some local lakes this weekend.
Caught 32 rainbows on one BD leech before it fell apart. This fly is money!!
I just might regret sharing it with others.

A pattern I developed fishing lakes in BC, ALBERTA and in MT on the Black Feet reservation lakes

O will ship his attempts on Thursday....

That's more like it! Much better than your worthless trip on the Big Horn, which did us Swappers no good.

That silence you hear is me trying to collect some bear hair.
But, as MacArthur said, "I'll be back."

What flavor bear hair do you need? I have all three and the easy ones in great quantities.

My little school of spuddlers is waiting on Riley's to grow...
art

Mac-
Mine are enroute. Used the best hooks I could find so y'all can re-use them on something else if the pattern is a reject.

Mine are done. I decided to switch to the olive sex dungeon. I didn't like how my bug eyed muddlers were looking. We should have a package of flies on the way soon.

"Olive sex dungeon"

This I gotta see! Is that the sculpin equivalent of a "cluster midge"?

I do not get it either... except he did tie it up???

With inspiration from AK, I simply MUST name my contribution to the swap "cottus interuptus"......

Google it. It was made by Kelly Galloup and was in the last issue of fly tier.

Hey, y'all-- this is a family fly swat. Keep it clean!

Art, I was after southern OR black bear hair. But chickened out, broke camp before the storm. I'm checking in remotely, might have a chance to add some jackrabbit or coyote fur before I get home.

Guessing at some point it would become a slimy sculpin...
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/fish/slimysculpin.php

Shoulda figured that out...

Did receive a neat envelope the other day... Thinking lake trout candy...

Found it AK. Much to like about that tie, for a couple lakes here with big trout and bass together. Did you find tying instructions or go from the picture alone?

Yep, that's the critter Art. I feel bad that Macrabbit tuned in remotely and cottus discussing said topic

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! That's bad..........

Riley must have a fetish, he tying up bunnies like a geezer at the Playboy mansion... And the fur is flying!

A sparsely dressed bunny pattern can have a broad appeal.....

It comes with a recipe in Fly Tier. I changed the pattern up a little bit, didn't put beads on the FireWire and used less rubber legs. I also used a dubbing brush for the head so it took about a quarter of the time.

Looking forward to seeing it first hand.

Tested my sculpin on the same river we fished together when you were here. We were missing the boat trying to "match the hatch" that day, shoulda gone big.....and under the logs.

"Hey, it's good to be back home again."

...and I found packages from castandblast and the one I've named sgt218.
All the rest of you are LATE.

castandblast, sgt217, what are the official names of your flies, for my return labeling?

c.a.b., what in tarnation is your fly? That's the strangest thing I've ever seen (even including my own earliest attempts)! Different colored rabbit on each side? And of different lengths? (I bet it swims like a drunken sailor- or an injured sculpin. Should attract attention.) And one red hanging chad? What's going on under the eyes/head, what's the flexi-body, etc.?

sgt, my compliments to the chef-ino. How old is 218?

O., thank you for the extra fly. Well done there, too.

Now I'm interested to see CAB's. Ours are postmarked the 30th so were not late.

9 years old...I think he said they were safety vest wooley worms...grin. Those were actually the first flies he ever tied after practicing on a few. He has been spending about an hour each day since then practicing..

macrabbit-
Glad you made it back, sorry the weather up here didn't cooperate.

I bet now you know why I wanted to get the opinion of the fish before submitting that pattern. It does indeed look and act like a sculpin that already got chomped a bit but temporarily cheated death. The strand of red looks like a string of coagulated blood dangling off the tail, which wiggles back and forth in the current due to the uneven- length rabbit strips. Jay Boucher at "The Patient Angler" fly shop in Bend was nice enough to share his ideas on sculpin patterns with me and gets full credit for the pattern. It doesn't have an official name but I called it "cottus interruptus" because big trout kept interrupting the fly's progress as I tried to drift it down-stream toward downed logs.

However, like I said earlier, there is a good hook there so even if you don't like the pattern you get something usable, just snip the wire and toss the rest.

The list of places I want to dunk that fly this season far exceeds the number of free days on the calendar....

Safety Vest Woolly Worm and Cottus Interruptus it is.

So, that is coated wire, not just a type of mono. Attached to what up front?

And, yes, the fly is so ungainly that I'll have to swish it around in the shallows a bit before I can believe in it.
I do that anyway, of course, wanting to see what sort of stripping 'works'.


Ugh-- a lawyer in the family!

That's 20lb "toothy critter" secured through the eye of the hook.

I am late and there is little more to be said.

Fifteen words in two posts- there is little more to be said, indeed.

But I'll let your NearNuff Sculpin do all the talking, and rest satisfied.

I picked up a package of pecks. We're getting closer.
(Although I had expected some other flies to come in the same mailing. ...?)

Art, you made me look up the definition of 'roving'. But my sister would have understood.

AK, I guess you're demonstrating Stinger Hooks for me.
What is your connecting material?
Are your Sitka Blacktails naturally green, or was that hair dyed? (You needn't answer that.)

And you made the Post Office suffer for offering flat rate boxes, sending coinage to cover return postage!
But thanks-- I might not have the DC quarter in my collection already. I was really hoping to find a Maine quarter, though-- it's the only state I've not found. (Hint, hint to the rest of you.)


This is a lot of fun!

Should receive mine by tomorrow. Express mailed it

Got 'em.
OUCH! The postage you paid! Both ways!
I don't budget that much for my kids' back-to-school clothes!
This is just a little fly swap- I could have waited a few more days.
I'll have to toss in a few extras for you, to make it [almost] worth the money.

Well, the Fairbanks fly casters (Midnight Sun Flycasters) club just sent out the notices to their fly tying contest winners... Seems a certain grayling did it again... First Place in the Open category with an incredible pink shrimp spey pattern he came up with! I even won an Honorable Mention in the Working Fly category with a Goddard Caddis. They gave a total of four prizes and had a lot of entries, so I am more than a bit proud of Riley's prize.
art

Two big congrats!
(Your post is already on Google!!!!!!)

We'll want pictures....

It's only money Did not want to hold up the swap so sent express. Plus taking a fly-in canoe trip up to Canada in two weeks for pike, walleye and brookies and wanted to try the new flies up there.

The micro leech pattern will out fish any other pattern in stillwater with a clear intermediate line fished slowwwww IMHO. I use a soft hackle midge pattern as a dropper behind the leech. Very effective in pressured waters

Works great for Summer steelhead in low clearwater either swinging or under an indicator.

There I let the cat out-of-the-bag

That's a cool cat, bag or no.

A dozen Mearns Hoppers out priority mail tomorrow morning.

RR

Vunder-Ball!

Now if those last two Northerners would wake up from their winter sleep...

I'll start buggin' 'em...

Thanks.
And tell skunkedagain to check her PMs.

(Happy Mother's Day!)

Thanks!

I'll tell her...

Some Mearns Hoppers jumped in today.
The box they came in looks like it has many tales to tell, itself.
That's a neat feather on the fly.
Made me look up Mearns quail- quite a colorful fricassee.


The searchers are out looking for the remaining two flies.

Having hunted mearns quail in AZ with RedRabbit, mostly for the tying feathers I can assure you they are as colorful and unusual as they come. They eat real good, too.

MacRabbit,
Good to hear that USPS delivered the flies and that "experienced" box.

Art,
Those Mearns feathers definitely look better than my spun deerhair heads. I boraxed the few skins from my last quail hunt in January, but have misplaced them.

RR

Got your box, MsKeeto. (Those USPS Flat Rate Boxes seem to be a popular item!)

So that plops the Red Lantern Award (or for us should it be the Red Lamprey Award?) that skunkedagain dreaded so, right into her lap.

What did you use for your pectoral fins? It looks an awful lot like the acrylic Heather Charcoal yarn I've been tying with a lot this week.

[/quote]

I'm glad my meager gang made it.

The material is felting wool. It will really hold water and then weight.

What were you making with the acrylic yarn?

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
That's a dandy batch of flies.


This is one of the things I was tying:


Fortunately for this use, acrylic yarn is not a super-soaker.
And a short swim in liquid Scotch Gard makes it work (for a time).

The tail there suddenly solves my biggest issue with deerhair mice... I like it very much!

That was vague.

The Deer Hair Bass Bug we teach in our class uses a strip of ultrasuede for its tail.

If you mean the little tie-up,
Most of the Aztecs use the Tail Support Piece to help keep the tail from fouling in the hook. But on a few where that's not practical, like this Mouse, the Puff Tail method is used: within the first half inch of tail, tie a little knot of thread around the tail and give it a drop of cement, to create a bit of stiffness in the early part of the tail.
The other main use is when adding an Aztec tail to cork poppers and such, where there's little room to be tying on materials, and where there may be hooks on rings dangling about.
(A variation of it is also used to extend the length of an Aztec tail beyond the limit imposed by the nature of a staple yarn, but we won't go into that here.)

I've begun to set up the return packages, though still waiting on the Red Lamprey's.

So, ribka-- you sent only ten Baby Daddy Leeches. Besides yourself, who was it you wanted to shortchange?
Or, if you don't want to publicly admit your animus against one of us, you can whip up another one and pop it to me in a regular First Class envelope.
(You've paid enough in postage; a 44-cent First Class stamp will do!)

Huh! The straightness of the fibers had me fooled.

That is a very cute mouse floater item! Tied in wool methinks would sink well! I enjoyed the picture...thanks.

My bad. Will send 2 more. Shame on me!

Will send tomorrow

I think Lamphreys are swimming your way.

Thanks.

And since that's the case, One-A-Day:

MissTreated's Stealth Sculpin



(If I've flipped when I shouldn't, speak up.)
(And forgive me- I'm not a professional photographer.)

i think it will feesh.....

If only it could cast itself!

ribka's Baby Daddy Leech

Mac, you need a helmet?

I've got my tin foil hat. That'll be enough.

troutfly's Silver Rat

MsKeeto's Nerenuf Sculpine

macrabbit's Aztec Sculpin

The last of the flies have arrived.

For a moment I thought Santa Claus had shipped early.
Thanks, skunky
(And watch out for her, folks-- she smokes a mean cigarillo!)

I don't wonder that the flies took longer to get here- there are quite a few elements to that pattern!

Hail, hail, the gang's all here.



Now, should I ship them back out to the members, or should I just toss them all in my vest and go on permanent vacation?

We just got handed a very cool opportunity and will be bringing a boat across the Gulf of AK very soon... Might be a chance to see what unsophisticated fish think of the flies...

I thought you did that every day, for a living.


Very soon, huh? How soon?
I've been tying up some freebies, wanted to hold off the shipping until finished.

sgt218's Safety Vest Woolly Worm

It will take at least a couple weeks before we can take off... Weather has the ultimate word on that though.

Big difference between running a boat over the same water for years and running a smaller boat across hudreds of miles of open ocean and exposed shoreline... It has been a long time since I fished SE...
art

AKGrayling's Olive Sex Dungeon

Is there a second hook hidden mid-section?

Sunuvagun-- someone's watching the thread!

No. It began with a hook, got castrated at the bend.
A wire loop connects both hooks, giving wiggle as well as length.
Three of the Swap flies are similar in that way.

RedRabbit's Mearns Hopper

Well of course we're watching! Great pics Mac.

Now that you have it in hand, can you see how the name "sex dungeon" was derived?

It's true what they say- "there are a lot of things going on in there".

skunkedagain's Olive Franken Sculpin

Reminds me of my hair in the morning.

Must be nice to have some!

But it's a chore to add head cement each day to keep it.

I love this thread....

...more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

castandblast's Cottus Interruptus

And he thought he had no talent!

Gotta be fair-- he claimed "non-award winning talent".
(And that's just what he showed)

But there were a few misplaced claims of modesty. Y'all did a dandy job. There ain't no rule that only Rembrandts can be shown in public.

Can't believe you took a pic of the wrong side of the fly mac! Don't you know the top from the bottom of a muddler pattern ?!

Sorry.
Better?

Much! Amazing what you get when you combine award-winning tying skills with award-winning photography talent!

HuntKY's Woolheaded Rock-Nocker

Hey, there is some cool stuff being tied here.

I expected to see that post as soon as I put your fly up!

Sitka deer's Woolhead Polar Spuddler

So here's the Rogues Gallery from our 2010 Fly Swap-





Though sgt218 sent along an additional Squirrel Tail Grizzly King for the SwapMaster-



The mailman will have a load soon.

Northern neighbors-- how's about I send all five of you in one package?
You can have a little party at the Sitka deer shack to play with your toys.
(That is, unless we daren't risk such an august group all in one location in the event of a terrorist attack.)

Sounds like a great idea to me, although those darned Sitka Deer people are on a mighty sea voyage and lord knows when they'll be back in the shack. I expect some lolly-gagging between ports of call for fishing and shooting stuff.

Perhaps you could hold off shipping for a few days to save SD a trip to the Post Office? Or send 'em to me or Ms.Keeto. We promise to be good and not open 'til all are present. Your call.

Yeah, right-- them on a "mighty sea voyage"-




You're the destination, then.

Man good swap here. I'd swing those. Too bad I didn't get in on this. I gotta check in more often. When I saw the SD folks tying for the swat I figured I was too late.

See what you miss when you have a life?

(Talk to your postman. He might be able to snitch the Swap flies out of the mail room. I've heard that it's not a Federal offense, you being non-contiguous. I've heard.)

Nice work Mac, thanks for taking the time to coordinate, take pictures and send all the flies out. Many thanks.

You're a tad premature-- you don't have the promised flies in your grubby mitts yet.

But, you're welcome.
This has been an absolute blast.
You folks will get more flies out of this than I will, but I got all the fun. No contest that I come out ahead.


Now if only the USPS site would come back up, I could finalize my shipping options!

Looking forward to seeing the goods! Thanks for an extra fine effort!

M

It's all in the mail, folks.

I'm not only not a professional photographer- I'm not a professional mailroom boy.
I hope to heck I put the right flies in the right boxes, put the right addresses on the right packages, gave the right fly boxes back to the right owners, and otherwise got the right right. Right.
Knowing this crowd, I'll hear about any mix-ups.

And as a reminder, HERE'S the Success Pics thread.

SwapMaster's Official Report

All 12 tiers & 143 flies accounted for.
Average return postage- $4.08
Net gain/<loss> to SwapMaster- 2 flies + $7.20 + 2 small gifts + $8.08 saved by not having to mail my own flies to myself - <several small cardboard boxes, foam to fit, rubber cement that fails, a few paper towels (clean) as packing> - <a bunch of bonus Aztecs> - <a trip to the PO>.

Some suggested guidelines for Swaps-
(These aren't complaints from this Swap, just general musings now that I know what the SwapMaster job entails. I'm ready to do it again.)
(please chime in)


Include something reasonable for return postage. $5 or less should do.
. No volunteer SwapMaster should have to shoulder the entire cost.
. But don't be over-generous. That could put an additional sense of obligation, with no way to fulfill it, on the SM.

Send your own fly box or other reusable container.
. Anything but nymphs requires more than a flat envelope, and putting together a dozen suitable boxes entails quite a bit of effort. As best you can anticipate, use a box large enough to fit the return flies (your engagement ring box might fit your dozen #22 midges, but will it fit the shark flies the others tie?).

Make up, if not install (not always packagingly convenient), your own 'toe tags', with fly name and tier handle. And avoid too large a tag.
. Another SM-saving chore.

Tie enough flies for all participants, including yourself.
. Keeps the SM's job simple, not having to track different fly sets.

Keep the SM informed.
. Being a little late is no big deal, but silence leaves the SM in anxious, and helpless, limbo.

Have fun with it all.
. That's an easy one. Should be first on the list.

Now I'm trying to figure out which infraction I committed... and how many....

Now, come on!



You've been SwapMistress. Any thoughts?

I think it confused the heck out of me.

I agree with all your comments, especially the one about tying as many flies as there are participants, including one's self, as trying to keep it straight as to who would get what would be insane. Or at least drive one to drink. Hmmm... might not be a bad thing for some...

Swampmistress, once upon a time...

BTW, troutfly,
I hope the folks at Canadian Customs have senses of humour...

Some do, some don't. lol Typical govt types. It usually is easier to send flies/materials to Canada than for me to send to US due to the materials we can legally use here that are veboten in the States ie Seal fur dubbing, Polar Bear etc.
I usually don't have problems with flies being sent back and forth.
Seriously, the only issue I could foresee would involve CITES stuff but I don't send anything tied with "controlled" materials. Looking at the rogues gallery you posted earlier I don't think there are issues. Looking forward to trying out some new patterns.

I want to express my thanks to Macrabbit for setting this up. I just returned from my trip from Ontario for pike, walleye and brookies.The pike really tore up Macrabitt's flies up there. ( Did you soak them in meth or crack cocaine?) Will post pics. I received some really good innovative flies from the guys on here.

Next week trip to Montana will try the sculpin patterns on browns and other patterns on the trout on the Blackfoot reservation.
Cheers!

Yippee!
Glad it went well.

We've a thread already started for Success Stories & Pics- HERE

"The pike really tore up macrabitt's flies up there."
I sure hope you mean that in only one sense! Durability should be better than average.

And I have one more fly to send to you, skunkedagain's (ed's note- I rushed out ribka's share because of the Ontario trip). I was holding off in case you wanted some additionals. If you do, make a quick request so I can get hers to you for MT.

And I don't know but what some of us might be willing to replace any Swap flies that won one too many battles with pike teeth.

Mac....the flies arrived today. All the flies look great, thanks to everyone for participating. Mac, thanks for coordinating.

Hope to get some of these wet in the next few weeks.

I think I should say nice job everyone. These are all great ties.

Found the flies in my mailbox today and there are some very intrigueing patterns that I can't wait to try. Thanks to all, especially macrabbit for the extra flies and for not outing me as the impetus for the list of guidelines above! (mailed them hurredly and made extra work for the swapmaster! )

See you all on the other thread with something fishy in your hands!

My last outing was with Mary Poppins. Not to fear.


That's the spirit!


Four confirmed delivered, eight to go. My commission is almost discharged.

Flies arrived...sehr gut! Thanks to all as the trout, smallies and pike need to be wary now.
Special thanks to macrabbit for being the ramrod.

Doug~RR

Alaska package has arrived!! I'll keep it sealed until we have a quorum. How long do you think we should wait for the MissTreated gang to show? Thanks, Mac!

I think the package is sufficient excuse for you all to break out Sitka's single malt. If they're out at sea, you and MsKeeto can jimmy their lock and do it together.
Or, wait a bit and have a group orgy.
But, remember, I want Riley to get the full effect of the contents of your part, as punishment for never sending pics of the Aztecs he's tied. That's the important thing!

Did I hear Scotch?
I never agreed to wait ...
Especially when the nere do well pirates took off on an adventure without us'
on the otherhand
if we are able to get a squeek out of Greylingette...
OK then we can wait.
Anticipation is creating epic expectations!
I was reserving my thanks until after we saw the goods
but I do so appreciate your orchestrating the saga MacR!
Gracias.

Use well comb.

Are they away for long?
I cannot forbid opening. Besides the Riley thing, I thought it'd be fun for all to see what every got. But you can dive in if you need to.

Are there pike in the Southwest? I've always thought of them -that is, on the rare occasions I've thought of them at all- in terms of The Great Frozen Yogurt, or North or whatever.

Sorry for the hijack, but...

Did the CA DFG ever solve the Eagle Lake (I think it was Eagle Lake) pike problem?

Looks like I was thinking of Davis Lake...and no, it's still a problem.

Macrabbit,
Most of the lakes around Flagstaff have pike, much to the demise of the trout population. Years ago, the fisheries manager from the midwest missed his pike, so they were imported. The illegal bucket stockers have since placed them in virtually all the other N. AZ lakes. This spring, AZGFD sampled Ashurst lake and found many pike up to 10 poounds, but only ONE trout. Ashurst used to be a great trout lake many years ago, as did Upper Lake Mary.

This is Owen, I got the flies and they are cool. I want to thank everyone and hope I can learn to tie flies like them soon.
Owen

And we thank you for joining in.

Don't worry- your flies demonstrate that you'll eventually get there.

Shoot! The deer are on the big transit, aren't they? The one during which Sitka hoped to make use of the flies?

Sometimes "better late than never" don't quite cut it.

They have at least 2 vices on board so surely they will make do. Plenty more opportunity in the future. SkunkAG & I are drinking all single malt to be had to quelch our anguish with leaving that box sealed. Soon enough we'll celebrate with the grand opening.

Hey, flies arrived in Alberta today, made good time in transit through the border. Great looking stuff. If only the rivers would clear so I can try them out.
We have had more rain the last three weeks than we get in a year here.
Jeff

Throw 'em in anyway- you might bonk a silty fish on the head and get a vengeful strike.

Need to add serious weight, the local river is mud thick, can almost float pick-up truck. Should clear in the next week.
I'm planning to hit the Crowsnest and the Bow River in the next couple weeks. I can see several of those flies being deadly on the Brown Trout in the upper Bow.

We'll wanna see that, too-- take the Polaroid!

Stuck in Yakutat. Waiting for weather window. Can't wait to get home. Long time gone, but have tied flies. I started a project, now have 180 flies tied for the Casting for Recovery boxes we had donated. Not all pretty, but useful.

The computer use here at the local high school ends in 20 minutes. Only open 3 days/week, wed, thurs, and saturday. No cell service in town and haven't found even one pay phone. Best bet to a phone is to buy one at the True Value store and plug it in at the jack at the boat harbor, and pray it works. Not that desperate, yet.

Typical feminist rant!


Please tell me you didn't tie 180 yourself!
I'd rather stab myself 180 times, as Sancho Panza might say. (Sorry, reading Quixote right now.)
But good for you, for the project.

Come home soon. Your left-behinds are getting antsy to open the box. (And your scotch is running low.)

Hurry home, we miss all you. The Pike should be hungry. --- Mel

I was just reading this thread yesterday, wondering if you were still in transit.

Are you heading to ANC or ADQ? If the latter, are you going to do it in small hops, or one straight shot?

Scott

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
ANC usually refers to: African National Congress, a revolutionary movement which became the ruling political party in South Africa in the 1994 election.
ADQ is a three-letter acronym that may refer to: Action d�mocratique du Qu�bec, political party in Quebec, Canada

You ask the strangest questions, Scott. This is a fly tying thread!
But I hear that Sitka takes many straight shots.

STUCK! Dear god. Explain to me why you are not down in the Seatuck fishing for early sockeyes and kings. Sure, it's been 20 years since I've done so but I fondly recall the trips there with my Grandfather.

The wait continues. MissKeeto will be leaving soon for The Real Alaska. Our other friend is chasing fish in Scandinavia. We shall never open this box of flies. Thanks heavens for single malt.

ANC, ADQ. I heard Seward was a possibility. But really, what could be prettier than to find yourself in Whittier?

p.s. I miss MissTreated.

Open it! Open it!

MsKeeto deserves her flies, as do you.
Throw the Sitka flies in the bushes near their back door. They'll find 'em sometime.

Just remember to boast over Riley that you're my favorite now!

Wonderful news today. Our seafarers called from Cordova. One more night on the water and home they'll be.

I still might throw their flies in the bushes just for fun. Can't wait to see everyone.

Yes, back from the voyage, a few stories and all that, but looking forward to the fly swap, swap 'n grab...

Riley and I did check out the Situk, it was without fish, and a one way cab fare there was $50! We hitched a ride back to the boat harbor, it was swarming with bugs, too. Miserable fishing day, but still better than sitting in the boat harbor. Main source of entertainment in Yak was setting and checking crab pots. Let's just leave it at "we got crabs in Yakutat."

M

Welcome home.

Who drove?

Mostly Capt. Art.


And yes, I did tie 180 flies myself, 10 sets of 18.

I bow.
I'm doing 90 Aztecs for a friend's group thing to Alberta. 'Tis a chore.

BTW, if you ever want some Aztecs for your CFR boxes, just ask.
(Since I've never had the honor of seeing a pic of Junior's efforts, I have to assume that you'd need to come to the source for good specimens. Dig, dig, hint, hint.)

I sense a hand being forced...

As the father of the "Fly of the Month" columnist for the AK Fly Fishers' newsletter I think I wield special powers and can get a piece written about the Aztec and a picture or two of the fly as he ties them... According to the originator's directions and using the right stuff even...

Just trying to get the efforts documented...
art

Last I heard, he was complaining about bumps on the butt. I never learned if he solved that problem. You don't want your son to have bumps on his butt, do you? (Though better a son than a daughter! )

I don't have that problem anymore. Now the tail always twists when I comb it and the mohawk doesn't ever come out right.

That's more like it.

What are you using to comb? I get more twisting if I use a poodle brush (and I don't use one, except for 'stacked' parts like the head of the Sculpin). But combing with a little anti-spin flip (Doug Swisher named it 'The Aztec Flip') helps during the process. And the yarn will straighten in use- it's really only cosmetic.
I only have a twist problem when using the Lightweight yarn from one company (LeeWards- and of course they were most available and in more colors! No doubt at all I gave you several lengths of theirs). That stuff is so tightly twisted; it just won't behave nicely. And it also needs quite a bit of 'combing' with my bodkin; sometimes as much as with the fine-tooth comb.

I don't know what to say about the Crest. Can you be more specific about your symptoms?
Seems foolproof to me. I use quite a bit of force when wrapping the Body Yarn. With 10s and smaller I'm in danger of bending the hook.
You are using just single plies in the Crest, I hope.?

(It's OK if I hijack the thread-- I started it! )

I am using single piles. They are always either too thick or too thin, and the trimming always doesn't come out looking right either.

Hmmm.
I expect that I marked the yarn cards Heavyweight or Lightweight.
You should use the HW on sizes 2 and larger, LW on smaller; as HW makes too dense a Crest on the smaller sizes; and the Body Yarn is also HW, so makes a proportionate spacing with each wrap.
And tie in the 2 Skip-a-Wrap method (one Crest-anchoring wrap, two solo wraps, one Cre...) to keep the Crest sparse and not make each ply crowd the others- that'd start pushing the row out of alignment.
And trim the Crest after combing, not before.
(I don't see how one can go wrong if following the instructions.)
I think I need specs and pics to make a good diagnosis.

I will tie a couple with your directions, in black. Then go fishing this weekend and if they catch fish, then I think my problems have been solved.
Thanks for the help
Riley

IF they catch fish?!?!

Just had the fly swat swap and meet. Met at a local burger joint sporting 39 cent ice cream scoops. It was a bonus to the flies Thanks so much, you outdid yourself! (as usual!)

m

Ms Keeto took this at the ice cream social/fly swap. Pepper to taste flies and make sure they will work.

Aztecattack! Overwhelming - I'm so glad I stuck to it and got my 12 little fish finished. (Not in my nature to do twelve of the same thing.) What an amazing assortment we ended up with. Thanks for all of your extra touches Swapman. Now to see if the fish like them.

And thanks for tech help posting pic M!

C

Enjoy, all.

And don't forget-- HERE'S the thread that I expect to grow to multiple pages, filled up with all our trophies.

I'm long overdue with posting here. Holy crow, Mr. Rabbit - that's a lot of extremely cool flies!

I did my best to get the goat of a certain grayling, but he wasn't having it. On and on with gloating I went, but non-plussed was he.

So now I have all these wonderful flies... everyone was so damm gracious - I still have all the flies you sent. They're fabulous, by the way. How is it you don't fish?

Anyway, thank you thank you. I'm going to share. Honest.

I was beginning to worry about you. I thought perhaps some pathogen had hitched a ride in the package, that I'd knocked you off.

Riley. The callowness of youth! But you tried-- thanks.

You need not share. I only suggested (or I thought I suggested somewhere- I can't find a copy. Did I hand-write something?) that any you don't think you have a use for, handyoudown to 'the family'.
But they're all meant for you.
I feed plenty enough to Sitka and gang, already.
Now, MsKeeto understandably might be feeling a little left out. You can share with her, if you wish. I felt a tad uncomfortable packing so out of balance.
But, understand, I wanted to satisfy that query you made elsewhere.

You're as welcome as springtime in Alaska.

Additionally, the final comment on it, complete with smirk from young Grayling, was, "Well, I got the great big, cool one!"

Classic!
Almost worth the three hours I put into that fly!
But tell him to fish it where there aren't many trees.
I'm anxious to know what sort of monster is hungry for it.

But leave my Gramma out of it!

MY gramma, not yers...

Uh, didn't the relatives tell you...?