Vote!

Last day to vote.  In case you forgot: Don't forget to vote for me in the T.F.M. spotting contest. Here is the link http://thefiberglassmanifesto.blogspot.com/2012/12/voteand-vote-again.html and the email address is tfmcontests@gmail.com
Thanks in advance!

Sigh.....

As I sit here and write this, the wind is howling outside.  The temperature is a crisp, down right cold, 23 degrees.  Snow fell yesterday for the second time this week.  Yet, despite the conditions, all I can think about is warm water fishing.  Not trout but bass and not just any bass but smallmouth bass.  I am having some serious withdrawal symptoms as of late.  All I can think about is smallmouth bass and top water, top water, top water.  I need to have an explosive strike.  I need to see it.  I need to feel it.  I need that tug on the end of my line like a crack addict needs another rock.  Too much?  Maybe.  Sorry about that but you get the idea.  I want to see the water boil as the smallie rips through it on the way to crush my popper.  Sadly, this is not to be.  I will not be throwing top water here in Maryland until at least May at the earliest.  That, of course, assumes a mild Winter and Spring.  Since I have only bad luck, I am going to say that that will be out of the question.  Now I know some of you are asking yourself why doesn't he just fish for trout?  Am I right?  Of course I am and I will believe me.  I do like fishing for trout.  Sometimes their unwillingness to eat a fly is just as endearing as a smallies willingness to eat a popper.  Each can and are special in their own right.  I am, however, a warm water fly fisherman at heart now and as such I want to do some warm water fishing.  I may need to move the family to a state that will allow me to fish for my beloved year round.

Since I can't fish for them, why not tie for them.  Great idea, right?  Yea I thought so.  However, last Sunday, my son got sick.  The tying area is in the spare bedroom since it has a television and the most room.  Well when he got sick, he stayed in there until yesterday.  Apparently in my advanced adult life I have become a germaphobe because I refuse to enter the room.  I just will not do it until Melissa cleans it from ceiling to floor, stem to stern.  So no tying either.

I do have some DVDs to watch and Youtube is also available.  For now I will have to live vicariously through movies until Mother Nature allows me the chance to throw poppers at my favorite fish.

Changes In The Fish Foolin' Frog Size 8

For the past two years or so, we have been tying the Fish Foolin' Frog in size 8 with Sili legs in Yellow/Gold/Black from Orvis.  The colors matched perfectly with the body, tail and hackle.  The problem is though that the Sili legs can be rather fragile.  It was also becoming a pain in the ass buying the legs since I couldn't always find them at my fly shop.  Sometimes we had to special order them from Orvis.  If they break, you can't replace them on the popper without taking everything apart.  Since, like I stated, they break easily, the poppers look a little sad over time with little stubs for legs.  As a result, we have decided to switch to the grizzly barred rubber legs for this popper.  These are the same legs we use on almost all of the poppers anyway.  They help with buoyancy and weight thus allowing the fly to float better.  So here is what it will look like in the future:

Still looking awesome!

SBS For A Frog Popper

From time to time, we get requests to do a step by step of our poppers.  I did a very basic one here a while ago regarding the stippling of eyes and spots on the body.  This time around as I was tying for Christmas presents, I decided to do some quick shots as I added material to the size 10 Fish Foolin' Frog popper. Sorry about the lighting.  Best I could do.   All materials used, aside from the popper bodies, are from Hareline Dubbin, Inc.  Please feel free to comment or ask questions.  There are no secrets here and we are always willing to help others.  Why reinvent the wheel if you don't have to?  Not that I am an expert but I have learned some stuff through trial and error.  Mostly, I have learned what not to do!

First up, the finished popper body is placed in the vise

Next thread is added.  I use size 8/0 for all of our poppers.  After the thread comes the calf tail.  This is tied in right behind the popper body and then the thread is wrapped back to the bend of the hook. 

Next up is the hackle.  I personally like the hackle to match the body and tail as much as possible.  For this one I use dyed olive grizzly saddle hackle.  The hackle is secured right at the bend of the hook.  The thread is advanced right to about the midway point of the hook which is usually just over the point of the hook.

After the thread has been advanced to above the hook point, the legs are added.  Again, this is really up to the tier as to what they use.  We like the grizzly barred rubber legs by Hareline.  I have found that other leg material such as Sili legs tends to (a) break easily and (b) weigh the fly down.  The rubber legs actually help with balance and buoyancy as well.  The legs are added to each side in an X.  The right side is added first and then the left.  Well really that's how I do it but not sure it really matters.  After the legs are secured with some wraps of thread, the thread is now advanced to right behind the body of the popper. After that is done, the hackle is advanced to right behind the body of the popper where it is tied off.  A few turns of the whip finisher tool and you are done.  

The finished product: 

Happy Holidays

We, at J&M Flies, would like to wish everyone a very Happy Holidays.  We would also like to say thank you for being loyal fans, followers and customers over the past year.  We do hope you continue to follow us into the new year.  We have some new ideas, a website, a possible contest and other assorted goodies planned for the upcoming year.  Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Thanks.

Jeff and Melissa
J&M Flies

Some Orders Heading Out

Here are some orders heading out for Christmas.  Good stuff if I do say so myself!

Tying Area Redone

I told you all that we reorganized and revamped the tying area.  It had really gotten out of control.  It is amazing to me just how much shit I have and how little I seem to put stuff away.  I will also state that I found some stuff that I forgot I had which was great.  So they say a picture is worth a thousand words well here is a bunch of photos:

Tying Up Some Christmas Presents

Hello old friend.  It has been a while since we last saw each other.  Yep, I spent  yesterday at the vise.  Let me tell you, it was good to be back.  Pretty sure the vise enjoyed the workout as well.  I had some orders to fill for Christmas presents with most of them being poppers.  So, I decided to wear my new T.F.M. shirt while doing so.  I have to be honest, I was hoping that this would be the first sighting of the new design. It really is a cool shirt which is why I had to have one.  The shirt has poppers and bluegill on it.  Enough said...right?  I mean what better way to spend a day off than by tying up poppers for Christmas presents while wearing your new T.F.M. shirt?   I even broke out my new T.F.M. hoodie for my lunch date with Melissa.  It was a popper tying and T.F.M. apparel wearing kind of day and boy was it a blast!