Follow Up on Robs Idea

Les Elm

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Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19689

Rob,

I found the smallest tied flies I could find, but they are too large for a Sierra series pen blank.
Will have to see if I can get some that are much, much smaller.

Any fly fishermen out there with any ideas?

Les

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I tied flies as a kid, and an uncle gave me a pack of some ridiculously small hooks, something like size 22 or 24, as I recall. (He said they were the secret to catching big trout.) The little guys were probably between 1/4" and 3/8" long. I did a quick Googling and didn't see anyone selling hooks that size, but surely there's someone making tiny fishing flies out there somewhere.
 
check out orvis, they must have some smaller flies,, back in my younger years we used to tie flies as well and like vaughn said the smaller ones were better..
 
Les I will check out my stock. Problem i see is the smaller they get the less spectactular cause the "typical known fly" patterns are sort of streamer types with spectacular colors. But let me take a look and i will get back to you by PM.

The fly on the pen barrel sure looks good with the feather. :thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:You sure have an artistic touch for the design. :thumb:We gotta be able to get you a hook.:eek:

I am out later this morning and while i am will also take a wiz past a tackle store here and see.

See the reason you finding the big stuff is typical of retailers selling stuff made offshore that is made without any knowledge of the art of flyfishing and its way easier to use a bigger hook and get the imitation right than doing it with tiny ones which in reality imitate the insect more.

Lets see what we can do before we kill this off.;):thumb:
 
It would be hard to improve on that.
I live in an area that attracts thousands of fly fishermen every year. And, each year there is a huge convocation for fly fishermen.
I'm sure pens made like that would sell quickly. These guys are not poor, very upscale for the most part.
And many specialize in selling their own design flys. Pens with those custom flies would 'fly' off the table.
I don't do much with plastics but that concept is very tempting.
Beautiful, beautiful. :thumb::thumb:
 
Afterthought. I bought some mini-stuff at one time to make desk pen stands for fishermen. Tiny working reels, rods, etc. They didn't sell. But that's another sad story.
I might have a miniature fly around I never used. Will look for it. And, I can check into one of our several fly fishing speciality shops (including Wal-Mart) and ask for tiny flies.
In the meantime, you might want to go online and check out Bass Pro Shops offerings. The store in Springfield, Missouri has a large separate department devoted just to fly fishing.
 
Just had a......"Duh" moment.......:eek:

Locally, we have a company that sells fly tying supplies. They claim to be the world's largest in this speciality. I know one of the owners. I'll contact to see what they might have.
 
I may have some around the house or in storage that my dad gave me. I may be seeing him this weekend too. He fishes for trout daily down at Cassville MO, so I'm sure he's got something that will work for you. He does his own and sells them, so he's got both.

Are you wanting a finished fly or just small hooks?
 
Hey Les, Would be fly tyer here. Dug up some examples and took this picture. These are certainly not professional quality and if you were trying to sell to a fly fisherman you might want to buy some. I thought you might like to see some different styles and sizes. Anything here you could use? Just say so.
Victor
 

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I've tied a few size 22 before but truth be told, they are neither very good nor pretty. The smaller the fly, generally speaking, the harder it is to tie. If you'd like, I'll look in my supplies and see what I can find. I've got something else to send you anyway so I'll try and remember to add this to it.

Not that it serves your purpose any, but nothing beats a salmon fly for shear beauty. If it didn't interfere with my giving blood, I've often thought of getting one tattooed on my shoulder. ;)
 
Hi Les

I stopped in at a store on my way from a client the other day and they had nothing like needed. All commercially made stuff and the hooks are big.

Have not had a chance to dig out my own but will do an let you see what i have with a picture and ruler then if it works you say the word and its on its way to you.

Yeah Peter i was thinking salmon when i initially motivated the idea. Especially a double hook salmon where the hook could sort of fold round the pen on either side.

I will get some pics Les. Dont give up this is a hot idea when i see that picture you posted.:thumb:
 
Les don't use a tied fly. Just glue down the feathers and or hackel as you would one of your feathered pens. If you need to add a hook cut off the hook eye so it's not so wide. Then bend the hook around the tube.
Dennis
 
I'd tie my own, and first I'd heat up the hook and then let it cool off, annealing it, then you could easily form it into whatever shape you want, then I'd tie the fly, something not too thick or too flashy.

Stick with it Les, I'm sure you will work it out and come up with a total winner! :thumb:
 
I went to a local fly fishing shop to see what was available.
The owner showed me flys so tiny I wouldn't think they would be useful.
Flys come in sizes by number, bigger number the smaller the fly. Very tiny were #30. Those that looked like they would be most useful for Les seemed to be in the #20 to #24 range.
BTW, Les, did you mean 0.65" thick or 0.065". 0.65" is more than half an inch?
 
Ok Les got my flies out and had a look. Here are some pics to help you choose.

I also lined up next to it for scale a ruler in inches and my wood pen which Mack Cameron made for me. Just for sizing this pen is about 1/2 inch diameter. But you can also take the dimensions of the pen from the flag kits that are available as this is the Canadian Flag pen.

Mack will be able to tell you exactly all the details of which kit he used if need be for sizes.

So i got a double hook salmon trout fly. I had originally felt that this could be cast such that the double hooks are bent in a way that it staddles the barrel of the pen.

Salmon Fly on ruler.JPG You can see this type of fly is colorful and typical of the fly that people associate with the sport. I have shown it on a ruler scale in inches so you get an idea of size.

Then here is a pic overview of my box of flies. Loads of them. All sorts of sizes. I aint too good with hook numbers:( even after all these years. Its a stupid numbering system imho no dimensions all relative.

Flyfishing Flies.JPG Anything you want i will send it. We just have to get the size right first.

Here is a the pen and flies and one that is a single fly.
flies and pen.jpg

Then i took a small one and used tape and stuck it on the pen barrel of the Canadian flag pen so you could see.

flies on pen.jpg

Just doing this made me realize if you use a fly like this you going to have to sort of cut it in half so it lies flat cause the feathers span out around the head 360 degrees. A simple cut with the scissors will flatten it and i reckon a little super glue will hold it on your base barrel while you cast. This would be real neat if you can get the feathers to stay pointing up while the casting material flows around it. Give it a sort of 3D look. Like looking through the looking glass.:D

So I make the hook on this one to be 3/8 in length and 3/16 in hook width.
I have samller but then they get so minimal that it aint great to look at unless you getting some magnification effect with the cast clear material :doh:

So you decide i have no clue on the casting and what is doable. You might need to think of a different pen kit. I cannot advise you in that area i aint a pen turner .......yet:D

Just thinking aloud and trying to get out the box, i would think you would first cast a thin layer of material like say white around the barrel of the pen. Then mount the fly and get it to stay put, heck maybe some mono filament would do this. If fish cannot see it in water, i mean the real thin stuff we use for tippet in flyfishing, then dont see why it could not be used to stop the hook floating off the pen barrel. Then cast again with clear.

If the salmon hook with a double hook was used and "flattened out the height aspect would only be the thickness of the feathers and the hook shaft.

I am prepared to post you anything you want to give it a go if you like. Heck its only feathers and bit of steel. I wont use up all these flies with the amount of time i get to fish.

Choose the small brown one to match your feathers. :)

So balls in your court Les.;):):thumb:
 
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WOW!

Thanks Rob for all the great info.

I think this little size 32 fella is going to work.
Stay tuned.:D

I even saw some size 50 hooks, but I don't think it could be used for tying?

Les

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