Mike G

rich, Is this comment in the right thread?

Thanks Rich, I sadly admit that you were probably imagining they would look like the other flies I tie. There's another reason for me to post pictures.

Terry is there any chance of piggy backing another event before or after Jonn' s talk. Like a regional meeting, pizza, fly tying... I still can't tie a Jude Bug.

Better stop there.You went from mocking seniors to picking on people with glandular issues. He has a right to whatever kind of body he wants. HA HA

To answer you quickly, my entire knowledge of Judaism is based on the World's Religions class I took In college. The lecturer divided Judaism into three branches-Conservative, Reformed, and Orthodox. So I guess Conservative and Reformed are the Unorthodox branches. I think all branches follow the same calendar. So regular Unorthodox Hanukkah is over; and Greek UUnorthodox Hanukkah is still running. But you better hurry. OK there are no rules. But a suggestion is that you finish the Hanukkah flies by Purim 3/16/2014.

In the spirit of the holidays I have decided to be more charitable to those who are challenged in the faculty of imagination. After all, it is not their fault. So here are pictures of the flies previously left to your imagination. Distinctive Shenk. (Shenk's original is more slender and tapered. I followed Holschlag's practice of tying a bushier fly with a blunt head.) And then there's The queen of Crafts' Muddler. Peace, Joy Love, Y'all!

Of course, if you are going to do a lot of fast stripping, you need a place to put the line where it won't get tangled. A stripping basket works very well for this purpose. A drift boat works very well also, I have heard.

A sparsely dressed Blockhead or Lefty' s Bug would work on that 4 wt. You would work it fast to emulate a Buzz bait. I am working on a fly rod prop bait that should cause a ruckus on top, but the 4 wt May not be up to slinging it due to its size and weight.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/man-fishing-in-kayak-off-maui-dies-after-shark-bites-his-dangling-foot/article15734607/ Here's something to consider when deciding whether to buy a Sit In or Sit On Top kayak.

Rob, It is a true shame that an ISA Member does not know what a Jude Bug looks like. After all it won the first prize at the now discontinued Blowout fly beauty contest. I think you fellow officer Jude can fix that. PS I am glad to see you got back to your vice. And you are still on time since Greek Orthodox Hanukkah begins tomorrow at sunset.

What has happened to this generation? Has it lost its God given ability to use its faculty of imagination? Why must everything come with pictures? If D.H. Lawrence were alive he would be forced to do pop up books. As for a camera please get me a DSLR Canon that is compatible with my EOS lenses.

Jim, I was complimenting Terry on getting John for a speaker using catch as a figure of speech. Sorry that was not clear. As for vision I am 25/20 not too bad for someone who is 71. Have a good day

Not Brutus, but a great catch Terry.

Well, it isn’t really a cast; it’s a fly. But I am using a figure of speech like “last shot of the season.” At the end I will explain where I got the idea of using the heart shaped beads for a fly head.This fly has a muddler silhouette. The Bead is set at 90 degree angle to the flat eye of the 410 Hook. Hook: #2 EC 410 or similar 60 deg hook or straight shank hook of similar size. Thread: Red “D” Nylon Rod Wrapping Thread Tail: Red Chrystal Flash about ½ the length of the hook shank Wing: Black Distinctive Sparkle Fur 1 ½ to 2 times the length of the shank Collar: Midnight Magic Yarnbee Gilt Eyelash trimmed to shape. Head: Heart Shaped Craft Bead Eyes: small stick on sealed with epoxy, CCG, or Sally Hansen’s Directions: After tying in tail, wrap the same crystal flash fibers forward to form body. Stop body about 1/3 down shank from eye. Tie in wing of Sparkle Fur guard hairs. (Leave in underfur for a fuller wing.) Tie off and trim thread. Wrap collar of eye-lash all the way forward to the 60 degree bend. Tie off and trim thread. Apply eyes to bead head. Put bead over hook eye and apply Crazy Glue to inside of hole. Align to produce a flat sculpin head and push head down over collar. Add more crazy glue where the shank protrudes from bead. Start thread in front of bead and wrap a tapered head that will keep the bead head from sliding forward. Whip finish, trim thread, cement head and eyes. So I got my last fly in about 15 minutes before the holiday ends. As I began with a Martha craft pattern, I end with another one. In 2007 at a fly fishing show in Schaumburg, I saw the trick of using heart shaped beads for heads at Mike Flyrodder Miller’s booth.

Rule 1: there are no rules. So here is a pattern without a picture. It capitalizes on the wonderful properties of Distinctive Fabric's Sparkle Fur. The guard hair has tremendous action and the underfur can be stacked or spun on the shank of the hook. I like it because you get a Shenk without having to fabricate bunny fur chenille. Hook: #4 3xl Streamer or other sizes larger or smaller. Thread: White Nylon strong enough for spinning or stacking. Tail: A thick bunch of White Sparkle Fur "guard hair" fibers about 1 1/2 times the length of the hook shank. Body: White Sparkle Fur underfur spun or stacked evenly along the length of the shank and trimmed to the distinctive blunt headed Shenk Minnow shape. There is no need to remove the guard hairs for this process. If you want add eyes and/or gills.

Of course I would give an old friend to an old friend. My version of Edmond's Stealth Bomber is ugly but it catches fish. Where else can you get a slider, a diver, and a popper all in one. An old friend would not ask why it lacks eyes, legs, and a hackle skirt. Again I will try to supply the pattern after the holidays.

Blane Chocklett's Game Changer will always be the Game Changer, but our discussion last summer determined that it is just one of many in the Genus, banjo fliensis. This 6" Shannon Shaker of the banjo genus would make a fine gift in any season. I apologize that I am not able to give the recipe here due to the busy holiday season. I will try to circle back to that after the season is over.

I would be stingy if I did not include my personal best of 2013--the Flying Fly. It works:

This is a regift. The Morrish Mouse: Though it was originally presented as a mouse imitation for cannibal trout, carnivorous bass should like it. Stare at it long enough and you see that it becomes a great dragonfly pattern if you tie it with white bucktail, chartreuse bunny for the tail, and chartreuse foam for the back. That's a #1 3366 hook.

Rob, Rule 1: There are no rules. Therefore there is no rule that the flies have to be new creations. You can regift your old favorites. Also you get a second chance. Greek Orthodox Hanukkah starts at sundown on December 9.

I think of these as gifts I might give. Nothing like a 7" Half and Half. That's a 3/0 ewg 60 deg Mustad. I used Lefty's method of pinching, twisting, and bundling saddle hackles to make the wing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoC9cDva8Fw

Martha knows about shanks too. When she held those classes for inmates, she taught forks on the left, shanks and spoons s on the right.

Casting, Spinning, or Fly I would periodically spray the guides and the line with Reel Magic. That is, if I were ever foolish enough to be out in temps where the guides freeze up in the first place. (I would test it on the fly line first or better just use an old line.)

This is Martha. When you read the recipe you will know why it is named after the queen of home crafts. Rear Segment Mustad 3366 #4 White thread Tail made of pear Flashaboo trimed to shape Body white Martha Stewart Sparkle Eyelash Hackle the same eyelash palmered foreward over the body. Front segment Home made shank Body of white bohemian chenille Hackle is Martha Stewart Sparkle Eyelash palmered over the body Gill is a few wraps of red Yarnbee eyelash Head is a heart shaped white plastic bead Eyes are holographic red Trim the body segments to taper toward the back. Enjoy1

Rich Watch for my first fly of Hanukkah coming at Sunset.