https://bugcrafters.com fly tying and fly fishing for everyone... Tue, 02 Dec 2025 17:57:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 158381895 https://bugcrafters.com/2025/11/30/tying-small-flies/ https://bugcrafters.com/2025/11/30/tying-small-flies/#comments Sun, 30 Nov 2025 18:15:38 +0000 https://bugcrafters.com/?p=6377   I have been tying flies since the 1980’s. Generally, I avoid tying small files (size 18 or smaller) because initially I thought they would be hard to tie, now because I can’t see well enough to tie them onto my tippet. After talking with Cecil Woodman at the Branson Fly Fest, I became encouraged […]]]> https://bugcrafters.com/2025/11/30/tying-small-flies/feed/ 3 6377 https://bugcrafters.com/2025/09/30/flyfest-2025-ffi/ Tue, 30 Sep 2025 20:34:12 +0000 https://bugcrafters.com/?p=6319   As I said in my previous Post, I like going to Fly Fishing shows. Michael Ames and I just returned from FlyFest  2025 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  This show was billed as a gathering of fly fishers and was a big success.  The first in person gathering since covid.    Although it was not […]]]> 6319 https://bugcrafters.com/2022/04/02/zonker-leach/ https://bugcrafters.com/2022/04/02/zonker-leach/#comments Sat, 02 Apr 2022 14:20:09 +0000 https://bugcrafters.com/?p=6133   The Zonker Leech is an easy-to-tie effective fly. In small sizes, it may represent a swimming mayfly nymph;  in medium sizes, a leech and in larger sizes, a baitfish. No matter what sizes you tie, it looks like food to the fish. Tying the Zonker Leech is straightforward. However, I do include one little trick […]]]> https://bugcrafters.com/2022/04/02/zonker-leach/feed/ 1 6133 https://bugcrafters.com/2022/03/28/sowbug-roundup-2022/ https://bugcrafters.com/2022/03/28/sowbug-roundup-2022/#comments Mon, 28 Mar 2022 18:28:39 +0000 https://bugcrafters.com/?p=6098 The 2022 Sowbug Roundup was held this past weekend after a 2 year absence. At the show, I raffled off a fly box with flies. Deb McFarland won the fly box. After a two year absence, everyone was ready to visit and see old friends and make new ones.  The three day show was well […]]]> https://bugcrafters.com/2022/03/28/sowbug-roundup-2022/feed/ 1 6098 https://bugcrafters.com/2021/08/08/bodkin-cleaner/ https://bugcrafters.com/2021/08/08/bodkin-cleaner/#comments Sun, 08 Aug 2021 17:07:02 +0000 https://bugcrafters.com/?p=5996 When tying, I use my bodkin to pick out dubbing fibers, trapped hackle fibers, poke holes in things, and add head cement to whip finishes. As a result, it gets gunky and needs to be cleaned. The gunk is easily removed with a razor blade, but it takes time. A more efficient method requires the […]]]> https://bugcrafters.com/2021/08/08/bodkin-cleaner/feed/ 3 5996