Evening of Aug 18th

JL · Senior Member

Evening of Aug 18th

SCM · Senior Member

JL,

Quick question...where are buying (if your not tying your own)�nymphs size 20 and smaller?� I have been frequenting a few fly shops in the Northbay, but�have found they don't carry nymphs smaller than #18.� With the smaller flies often reported as being succesful, I would sure like to get some.

Thanks.

JL · Senior Member

I may someday tie my own flies, but for now I do in fact buy them.� I'm just too busy with work, family, and other hobbies to pick up a new hobby.� Plus, I just don't have room for the equipment.

Anyway,�I've been buying my flies from BlueFlyCafe.�www.blueflycafe.com� They used to be not so great quality, but they've really improved.� Best� yet, you can get flies as cheaply at 65 cents each.� I'm not much for paying 2� bucks plus for flies I'm certainly going to lose or destroy.

I usually buy several hundred flies at once, in lots of sizes.

Their dries were crap last year, but the samples they sent me this year look great.� The nymphs are good.�� You can even get tungsten bead heads for under 80 cents.

Good luck.

JL

shon42073 · Senior Member

I get most of my flies and other gear at a place called the fly fishing shop, welches oregon, Good quality and decent price, no shipping cost and no sales tax, That adds up if you buy alot of stuff at once like i do. Other place to check out is called the big Y fly co. average cost of a fly is 55 cents, The quality is also pretty good.

chemdoc · Senior Member

Like JL, I have used Blueflycafe for several years with mostly good results.� Some patterns are not as good as others, but they are very fast and inexpensive.� If I want specific flies like Mercer's Micromayfly, Cutter's EC Caddis, or Sloan's Paralyzer, I head over to Kiene's or American Fly.

Phil

bkerbs · Veteran Member

I have to add the fly fishing shop in Welches is a good shop to support. That is were I grew up and spent most of my childhood. Being from that area I have a bias, but were ever you are from support your local fly shop. Creative sports in Pleasant Hill is a good shop too.

JT · Senior Member

If you haven't gotten into it yet, you should try fly tying.� It's awesome to catch fish on your creations (or your interpretations of someone else's creations).� Then you shouldn't have any problems finding flies #20 and smaller.

Matt R · Senior Member

Jt's right its sweet to catch fish on a fly that is totally unique.� I developed a fly for putah that works ok there but when I took it to the truckee it worked like charm.��Than you start tying #24's and bending hooks on pigs like JT and I have been doing lately.� Those fish straightened another 2487 on me and that was just on the first few head shakes. I think I'm done with that size with tiemco.� And than there's�a�version of a fly JT showed me. It's becoming a top fish catcher for me. I like to call it the JT Special. biggrin

� Thanks again JT.� When we gonna tear em up?

bonefish1 · Veteran Member

What does the JT special look like?

I live in San Francisco , The only place to buy flies here is on the internet or Leland Fly fishing outfitters, great shop,good fly selection, expensive but good service. They hooked me up with my fresh and salt water fly rigs. JT is right, nothing like tying your own and catching a monster.

SCM · Senior Member

Thanks for the advice on where to buy the smaller nymphs. I would love to learn to tie my own, but its a matter of time to take lessons and getting all of the equipment/materials together. Matter of fact the point about developing your own fly creations was proven to me this weekend. I met a two very helpful anglers (thanks again Chemdoc) on Putah this weekend, one of whom gave me a home tied creation. All I can say is that single fly made last Sunday evening a rewarding trip.

JT · Senior Member

Bonefish, do you tie?

Matt, I checked out a couple of other brands of hooks last week and they seem worse than the Tiemco's.� I guess�that's what you get when you tie on #24's.

-- Edited by JT at 00:51, 2007-08-23

Matt R · Senior Member

Bonefish the special is a lil midge pattern pretty much like any midge really small. bead(or not), thread , maybe some ribbing (or not), a lil dubbing here and there.(or not) biggrin . you can make it any color you want to really.
JT yeah I might use that dam hook again but I really dont know.� It would be fine if just the 16"ers and under hit it.� I landed one fatty on it but the hook was bent just not enough to come out.

JT · Senior Member

I hear you, Matt.� I�landed a 20"er that bent the hook just enough that it still held.� At least you don't have to worry about broken tippets with those hooks.� �

bonefish1 · Veteran Member

JT,

Ya, I tie some of my own flies and I buy some as well. I tie all my midges, and all my salt water flies. I tie once a week with some friends in the city(SF). I have tried using my own patterns at Putah but they have'nt worked yet.