Mike G

"well done Rockford region. getting 4 new members is valuable . rich mc" And I renewed for 2 years.

That's a winner. Everything you need and only what you need to catch fish like Tap's Bug, Lefty's Bug, and Tom's Sexy Craw. I will make some on 60 deg hooks with Craig's ringers so I can change up the weight. Thanks for showing this one, Ryan.

Will we be set up to register New members?

I should check in. Mine came a few days ago. They all look great and will go in my box right away. Make a note to collect a set or two from every swap for the Blow Out.

I'm out. The Great Bunny has brought us enough warmth to loosen the icy grip of Old Nix from the lakes and rivers. I'm going fishing during the hours that would have been spent tying. It sounds like there are some great flies in the swap already; so I I made the decision reluctantly - but only somewhat. I will be thinking of you all while I fish, maybe.

Terry, I will do that. Any requests on what I should tie? See you next Saturday.

A good man with a vice will not limit his artistry to tying only flies. Some remember the great Crawford Jig patterns from the late 60s and 70s. (Rich's are better.)

Pat, It sounds like you have a family heirloom there. I would go slow on any repairs or refinishing since old items are frequently more valuable with their original finish and hardware no matter how bad it is. I know this by sad experience after I messed up an old clock by refinishing it. A collector should be able to tell you what you have. It could have been built by a master and sold by Abercrombies, or it could have been mass produced for Sears. Either way it is a family treasure that I would keep to pass along. I am not sure I would use it since, not knowing how it was cared for, it may have become brittle over time. The tips without guides are curious. Can you show us some pictures of it?

You have perfect conditions for dabbling. High waters drive bass to within inches of the shore. Your only mistake is casting to the middle of the creek. There needs to be a sticky on this since Eric has explained it a number of times. If you use a fly rod, think old it as Czech nymphing for Smallmouth Bass.

Oh! It's an O. How does it compare to a similar sized graphite rod?

The Spy Flies are on the way. Two things old , two things new, one thing borrowed, nothing blue. The two old things are Lefty's Red and White color scheme and the Pistol Pete Prop; the two new things are materials - Gilt Eyelash and Monkey Shag; the borrowed item is Tom's substitution of CF for Marabou; no blue. I am adding a bonus B-fluke Body that, tiers can finish off by attaching to a hook of choice. I recommend a 30-60 deg or an offset worm hook. I get best results by tying the Fluke right behind the eye of the hook and then folding back to rig Texas style. Enjoy. [ing] http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o46/MikeG742/2014/DSCF1772.jpg]

29 more days, I think. It sounds like you already have a full plate. Assuming Tim or someone else will talk about kayaks etc., I will come by car instead. I don't want to turn it into a boat show.

A voice said to me, "What would Larry do?" I have this book published in 1992 that shows how Larry tied them, p.26-27. The link opens on page 27. Be sure to page back to 26 to see the original. The longer tail and 50+ strands of flashabou should give some action. There is a note on page 27 explaining the long tail.It is also interesting to see how he trimmed the head on his "Dahlberg" diver. http://books.google.com/books?id=85jo5CPwn9UC&pg=PA27&lpg=PA27&dq=original+dahlberg+diver+farrow+allen&source=bl&ots=53arJy-BhO&sig=XVqhQgFazcn1D41LH58pDVfyGtM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=qfIiU7vTOKiIyAHQxIDoBg&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=original%20dahlberg%20diver%20farrow%20allen&f=false

Thanks.

Here's the high water mark for drifted and plowed snow on my mailbox. I hope this is gone soon.

Ausgezeichnet! My canoe wants to play with your canoe.

I am green with envy!

I have to print a retraction due to circumstances beyond our control. The 455 is a Eagle Claw even though Netcraft listed it with their Mustads. Bad Janns. On the brighter side, I got a package of # 2s yesterday, and the real ones look as good as the picture. Nice and sharp right out of the pack.

Thanks for the reminder Scott. DST Sunday is one of my favorite Sundays. Because of the change,I run an hour late and get to the Sunday Service for my favorite part-the end.

I really would like to see the Wiggle Bug in person but can't make the meeting. It has been around a while. I can't tell if it would be much different from the old Fly Rod Flatfish. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw/113098fotw.php

1 gold star for being first. And one for being early.

Forrest, Think about whether you want your address out in public view where any guest can take and use it for who knows what. A PM to the participants gives you more privacy.

Hey, I can't make it this Sat.

Do we have the makings of a hook swap here? Just like a fly swap without having to tie stuff on the hook. It is a good way to get a look at all the hardware that's out there.

You got me Rob. I confused your 1/2 hour hook with Ryan's 1/4 hour Gami. If you are cutting the point off, why even use the Mustad? We can get you some 3 hour hooks.