Recent comments

Silk sources

Paul,

The sample cards and silk spools are typically available in shops catering to tyers who tie classical salmon flies, and I have seen (and bought) silk from dealers here in Denmark. Simply searching for Japanese silk floss gives a lot of possible sources for original Japanese silk.

Regarding places in Japan, I'm not able to help you right off the bat. Finding locations there will probably require some research. I have a few Japanese fly tyers in my network, and I can try asking around, but my guess is that doing some online research might unearth some tips. Silk is typically connected with kimonos in Japan and combining silk, floss and kimono may give something.

I tried: https://www.google.com/search?q=silk+floss+factory+japan and https://www.google.com/search?q=silk+floss+kimono+factory+japan and these searches did give some pointers that could be useful.

I'll see if I can find more.

Martin

Source of silk in article

I am visiting multiple cities in Japan next month. I am looking for the source that the author used to buy their silk and sample card and am wondering if there is a retail source I can visit during my trip. Thank you so much for your time.

So right!

Peter,

Your findings match my own experiences with almost any spooled material: tinsel, wire, monofilament ... you name it. We can't use terms like small, medium, large, wide, narrow, thin, thick for anything! We need absolute measurements in fractions of an inch or millimeter (preferably both), so that there can be no doubt and things can be compared.

And don't get me started on hooks where the problem is the same. I have worked on an article on hook sizes, which is just as confusing with numbered sizes that vary wildly from company to company and are totally crazy even from the same manufacturer.

It's 2024 and you'd think that the industry would be as interested as us consumers in updating these measures and units, of which most were invented up towards two centuries ago.

But that doesn't seem to be the case. We're stuck with 1/0, 5 weight, medium and all kinds of odd and almost useless units.

My thread table is a feeble try to get a little order into that part of our world. I'm glad it's helpful.

Martin

Thread Comparison Chart is So Helpful!

Thank you Martin, This is really helpful! Compiling it and updating it must take a lot of work, Thank you so much.
I recently entered a fly tying competition run by a print and digital magazine I subscripe to. The first fly is tied on a size 12 hook, the second on a size 10 hook. What I find confusing in the materials list is 'Fine Silver Wire'. I checked my stock from 3 different manufacturers, Measured by vernier calliper my discovery is as follows:
Veniards:Fine: 0.125mm (No. 27) ( actual 0.12mm), Medium: 0.155mm (No. 26), Large/Wide: 0.185mm (No. 25).
Uni-Soft: Small 0.15mm (No. 33) Between medium and large?, UTC Wire:X-Small: 0.1mm, Small: 0.16mm, Brassie: 0.22mm
Medium: 0.32mm.
Fly-Box: Micro/Small 0.10mm, Medium 0.20mm.
Again not much consistency across the sizes, so I guess we need to purchase from different suppliers so we can match diameters to the fly we are tying. This doesn't help us elderly folk dependant on our retirement pension!
Across my stock Small varies from 0.15mm, 0.16mm, 0.10mm.
Meduim varies from 0.155mm, 0.32mm, 0.20mm.
Thank you Martin for excellent work as always.
Best regards
Peter Jackson

Bead-chain as extra bling and weight...

Hey Nick,
Thanks for the heads-up on that fly tying video by Piscator. I had not seen it before at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRrTmAWvF2I
Cheers!
Rory

Bead-chain as extra bling and weight....

Hi Rory,
Glad you liked the worm.I looked up Ridj-bak flies and found a You Tube video on a Steelhead pattern that looked good. I've used chain along the back of a curved hook to tie shrimps with a dubbing loop wound between the beads and then a shell back pulled over.
Cheers, Nick

Bead-chain as extra bling and weight.

Hey Nick,
Great fly pattern and good use of bead-chain.
Back in the '80s, when looking to add some bling and weight to some fly patterns for winter-run steelhead on Vancouver Island, I used bead-chain as a ridged back on the fly body. It worked great. These patterns are now called Ridj-bak flies. The bead-chain can be attached by overwinding it with wire or coloured floss and could even have a saddle hackle wound over between the beads. Looks great and fishes well. Can't attach a photo here but will send it to you via private e-mail if you wish.
Cheers!

Merci!

Serge,

Thanks for the nice words about the site!

I'm sure you will not regret your purchase. It's a very interesting book, and one I hope you will like. Supporting books like this is important if we want to continue seeing them published.

Martin

Feather Mechanic II

Hi Martin. First, I want to wish you «une Belle et Bonne Année 2024».
I also say thanks…thanks for keeping alive and healthy GFF. I can’t imagine the time and efforts you had put in the project until now.

This book review is useful for me. I didn’t buy volume one and I kind of regret. Volume II is on the way. Fly fishing and Fly tying books are important object to me. My library has more than 150 of them. I am from this old school were the smell of the book is as important as it content.

Feather Mechanic II is different…that convinced me to put my hands on it. Knowing that some great tiers had collaborated is another good reason. Is this world of great photos and computerized images, hand drawings by the author is one more. So thanks for the review.

Stay cool

Well written. One more reason for tuning in here again. And for recommending GFF.

I was born 1962. States used to control TV. Now I can have my own weekly show and many are watching from around the globe. Super cool. Websites made many magazines redundant. Mail order catalogues turned into mainstream shopping -mobile first. Analytics.

But interesting stuff is often found in niche places. Nothing is new about this.
If GFF is to cater for the big crowds it will have to adopt. Not being niche. Not being cool.

Reply to Mark M Koscinski

Mark, I assure you those rods were cheap production rods such as Montague and H&I and were intended as entry level rods or wall hangers, the black "ink" being in homage to the minor trend of "Japanning" as black laquering was called, primarily in the 50s. He wouldn't have done that to a high quality rod from a classic maker.

Relationship to Bert Quimby

Just to correct the record. I recently discovered pictures of Bert Quimby in uniform from World War One and his letter to my Grandmother, Grace Miller Davis. They were cousins living in Whitefield New Hampshire in 1917. My twin brother, Bill Davis commented on 2018 that he believed we were related to Bert’s wife Jackie but the actual relationship is to Bert. I am looking for any information on Bert.

Framing History Ted

Give me a call Ted. Lots of work Ted and need to have this moving at this times of our life.

Brown owl orgins

Very interesting article on a fly pattern I had forgotten about for many years. The origins of a fly pattern can be very convoluted because we all build on patterns that came before us. It could be a bigger version of an old euro style wet fly. I don't know if related to a western pattern known as the Stayner Ducktail, a popular minnow pattern in reservoirs or the popular Zoo Cougar, but there are many similarities that may have influenced tyers.

A lousy old fly rod

Learning and experience can solve a lot of difficulty.

Andrej...

... is hands down the best guide for this region. He will take you places other guides don't even know exist. He is your man, 100%!

Thanks!

Carl,

Thanks to much for the donation! I wanted to send a thank you mail when I got the notification from PayPal, but my mail is still acting up, so you get a heartfelt thank you here.

Martin

Donation

Martin, I’m glad that GFF is back up and running again. The temporary loss of the site due to the ransomware attack reminded me that I hadn’t donated in awhile so when I was able to open it today I sent a PayPal contribution. Love your site and am happy to support it.

Just use the site

As it is right now, things seem to be running and most problems have been solved, even though a few glitches still need some attention.
So for the readers and users, it's just a question of returning to the site and start using it.
And my request for content contributions is of course the same.

Glad to see you alive and kicking

What can we do to help.

Not fish food

This one would go on my cap. Too beautiful for a steelhead.

Beach Science

Dear Martin,
Thanks for your positive comments. The book learns you much about waves , tsunami and what to (not) do when you end up in quick sand. All very important knowledge for flyfishers.
Greetings
Bart

The fly caster is the source

The fly caster is the source of ALL the energy, speed (and distance) of a fly cast. Fly rods do not provide accuracy or distance or energy to a cast. You can't buy a rod which will make you a competent fly caster - but competent instruction and practice can

Great article!

What an inspiring build story! I have been thwarted by the "equipment wall" many times and it's refreshing to see other ways to achieve beautiful results!

One thing that really struck me about this net was its elegant proportions...is the hoop a single strip from a 3/4" thick trim piece? How thin, in the other dimension, does it need to be in order to bend w/ stovetop steam?

thanks and, again, great build!