earn me a check every December. And that is awesome because I don’t have to worry about or justify the money I spend on tying material as it’s a net positive every year. Makes for a good answer for my wife too 🤣

This thread makes me want to get back in it and make some new flies.

Lately it’s just been grinding out a few dozen for specific trips because I don’t fish nearly enough anymore and rarely ever guide since I moved away from Utah (an old client or two will want to fly me up to hide them a couple times a year, but that’s it).

So if it’s not a set of specific flies to beef up for a particular trip (eg restocking balanced leeches and tadpoles for pyramid) then it should be trying to come up with a new and better representation of something.

Here’s a few of those:

My Green Drake nymph



Mysis shrimp


“Come at me Cray” this guy has caught some of my biggest smallmouth over the years. Those foam claws float up to wave enticingly.


“Candy Crane” cranefly larva. This thing is probably the most killer fly I’ve ever tied.


You guys should post some of yours so we can get shared inspiration!