Materials advise..Gift

[F/V Gulf Ventur]

Need some suggestions for material.

As a show of gratitude I would like to bring some tying materials to an old fishing friend. He is an older gentleman who fishes countryside areas and ties very simple. He is an avid fisherman and has been tying for many years, at least twenty. Is there something unique or a material that is used frequently that I could bring for around $50? I have no idea about the products and it is very important that it carries some quality. I would like to have some idea what I am looking for before I go to the fly shop. Thanks in advance.

[Foamy8]

You might look at a neck of hackle or something like that. They are always useful....and in several simple flies.
A neck or high quality saddle hackle is always very useful.

[Marty]

You never can have too many necks. The do make a great gift. You might also want to look at some new tools.

[ByteMe]

I second... or third the neck hackle suggestion.

[cheech]

If you can find him a cree neck, he'd love you forever.

A grizzly variant neck would be cool too.

[F/V Gulf Ventur]

Is one brand better than another?

Cheech- a cree neck? Any particular color? Do most shops carry this item?

Thanks everyone!

[cheech]

cree is the color. It's an extremely rare natural color on birds, and if you can find one, it might be a bit more than your $50 limit.

As far as the brand. Get him a whiting. They are far superior to any other brand.

[jdubya]

You never can have too many necks.

Or a saddle. If he ties a lot of little midges or other files that need a small hackle, try getting him a midge saddle. Necks are nice but I am partial to saddles....

[Foamy8]

I'm a saddle fan myself. Whiting is a phenominal brand of neck or saddle. I've used Metz, Hoffman, and Whiting. There are a few other brands that I can't think of. Cree is a great color, badger is pretty good....

Bottom line is it's freaking cool that you're giving him a gift that is thoughtful. I gave my dad a vise and tying kit when I was 18 for Christmas, he cried when he got it. Not saying that this guy will cry but it's cool that you're doing that. It probably doesn't matter what you give him.

[wildnative]

Good pair of quality sharp scissors would be a nice gift too.

[F/V Gulf Ventur]

Cheech- thanks for the crash course and patience with uninformed questions.

Foamy8- it's like brining a gift to Yoda, nerve racking but worth it. He'll know if I rushed it…haha, thanks for the tip

[Dale]

Give him a Wheatly fly box to put his flys in. It makes a nice gift and would be appreciated by anyone recognizing quality.

[Cary]

Give him a Wheatly fly box to put his flys in. It makes a nice gift and would be appreciated by anyone recognizing quality.
One would think, ...except my wheatly compartmnet boxes have broken springs and "windows", and the foam is falling out of the others...

I'd stick wiht a nice hen neck, Dennis at FlyDesk can pick out a great one

[F/V Gulf Ventur]

If you can find him a cree neck, he'd love you forever.

A grizzly variant neck would be cool too.

WOW, this has sure kept a rookie busy. "Yea, get him a cree".. ,whispers under his breath, see ya in about 5 years.
Well, the quest for the cree is still in effect. It seems that I am searching for the Holy Grail or something that is supposed to exist but nobody has one or has ever really seen one, but their friend has. Everyone I have inquired with has made a "snicker..laugh..snicker...cree? um no but, if you find one let me know will ya ..snicker..laugh..snicker" comment. It has been a fun wild goose chase thanks :)

so, like everyone else, if anyone knows where I might find one shout my way :P

[billyw]

There is a local company in Ogden that makes really nice wooden flytying tools.. google search "wasatch fly tying tools" and you will see his website.

[styan]

so, like everyone else, if anyone knows where I might find one shout my way :P
How much money you got to spend?
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/cree.html
Maybe this is the reason for chuckles....
"How many true Crees have been bred and offered to the fly tier in the past 50 years? I am sure no one knows but I would suspect that the low number would surprise all of us. So far we have produced over 30 Crees in two years and we only produce about 2,000 birds per year. This sort of blows the 1 in 250,000 theory."

[Doug S.]

There is a local company in Ogden that makes really nice wooden flytying tools.. google search "wasatch fly tying tools" and you will see his website.

I believe those same tools are available on sweetflies.com

[FlySmyth]

If you're paying homage to the old timer then get him some tools you can never have too many of. Al of the following recomendations have a lot of name brands my fave is Dr. Slick.

Here're a few to look at...

Hemostats,

Scissors,

Bobbins,

Good luck finding that cree.

FlySmyth.

[styan]

http://www.conranch.com/cree_article.html

[Red.Fly]

http://www.conranch.com/cree_article.html

Now that's a helpful post. It was interesting to learn that the guy that breeds and sells cree capes hasn't been able to find the origin of the name or a standard definition of what a cree is (short of developing his own definition).

[nightfish]

There is a local company in Ogden that makes really nice wooden flytying tools.. google search "wasatch fly tying tools" and you will see his website.

Actually, Wasatch Tools moved to Washington state earlier this year.

[F/V Gulf Ventur]

Thanks to all for your info.
So, looks like I will add some tools in the package along with a saddle and neck.

bobin question... Is ceramic better than non?

[cje04]

bobin question... Is ceramic better than non?

Absolutely. I wouldn't buy a non ceramic bobin. Non ceramic bobins don't last as long and can have sharp edges on them that can cut your thread as you tie. Very frustrating.

[robinsoj]

Put me on your list. ;)

I was given a really nice Renzetti Traveler vice two Christmas's ago. It was on my wish list hehe. I tyed a fly while I was there at my parents house. My uncle just got into tying and he had all of his stuff there.

I still just have that one fly (got it wet a few times), the vice, and a rubber thing :) to put the spools and stuff in. That's it. I have yet to buy any materials, tools, or anything.

I don't do as much fly fishing as I used to, but I get out every now and then. I just haven't got out of the habit of buying flys. It's easy and it sometimes takes me a while to start a new hobby. :)

Here is a photo of my uncle during that Christmas. I gave him a drawing that RAW made for me (I have one of RAW's artworks of a cutthroat right in front of me at home, too), a River Runs Through It DVD (he had not seen it yet), a case from Orvis, and other stuff. I saw RAW's offer back then to make drawings and I knew that it would be a perfect gift for me uncle. I ordered one for him and one for me and framed them. My uncle's artwork was of a rainbow and fly from the movie.

http://www.mygolfdomain.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=7&pos=14

Thanks again for the artwork, RAW! :)

[F/V Gulf Ventur]

Put me on your list. ;)

Sure, as soon as I win the lottery. There is a line though...your # 2,642,876 but at least your on there :)

Looks like you made Gramps super stoked, his enormous smile gave it away... good work!

Not to be rude but who might "RAW" be and where could I find his work?

[cheech]

Sure, as soon as I win the lottery. There is a line though...your # 2,642,876 but at least your on there :)

Looks like you made Gramps super stoked, his enormous smile gave it away... good work!

Not to be rude but who might "RAW" be and where could I find his work?

RAW = Wildnative

[wildnative]

It was me.

I'm no master at art, but it interest me and I'm getting better (I think).

I made an offer two years ago to do a trout drawing with a favorite quote and fly.

I think Curtis is going to let me put that offer on his Sweet Flies site or at least sell some stuff I have already done, once I get the photos shot.

[F/V Gulf Ventur]

It was me. I'm no master at art, but it interest me and I'm getting better (I think).

^^ probably why they are good!
I will be looking forward to previewing your skills on sweetflies.com. Get that camera, shoot those pics, light that fire son :)