No fear

For those of us lucky enough to be on the coast, fly tying is an easier hobby to pick up compared to those mountain trout stalkers. The idea of trying to tie size 18 or 20 blue wing olives. Using a magnifier to tie. All that itty bitty dubbing and hackling. Shoot, I would just as soon shell out out the 89 cents.

Salt water flies though, that's a whole 'nother matter. The flies are $2.00 to more the $6.00 each. And they are tied on hooks big enough to see. They are easier patterns in general too. So if you are a coastal fly fisherman and don't tie, you should give it a shot. I tie more than fish now. I have not bought a fly in ages, and all the fish I have caught this year, gators too, have been tied by yours truly.

So get yourself a $39 kit to start. They really are just fine. It won't be long before the biggest problem you have is fly management. What do you with all the danged things.

The main thing is don't worry about the first couple you tie. For goodness sake fish your flies, even if they are less than perfect. Heck, even if they seem goofy. I was FW's place a while back. As the kids ran about we settled in with wine an vises. Some decent flies were produced. Some pretty shabby flies were produced. I am still not sure if we got better or worse the more we drank.

Eventually the black standard poodle, overdue for a haircut came buy. I grabbed the dog, trimmed some bunches of strands. Then, yes, I tied a poodle streamer. brass cone head and a couple strands of tinsel. Tied it on and the next day got a nice bass with it. Poodle hair makes a good streamer, but it holds water. I suggest going light on extra weight or using for only part of the fly, say an underwing or tail.

The point is, fly tying is fun. Don't take it to seriously and don't be afraid to fish something that seems a bit weird. I guarantee those big spinner baits now so ubiquitous in bass fisherman's tackle boxes were weird once upon a time.