Here’s the latest installment in an ongoing series of videos called “One-Minute Fly-Tying Tips and Techniques” from Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions. Each video teaches a single tying skill, from the most basic to the advanced. Ultimately, the series will serve as a sort of encyclopedia of tying skills that will be a valuable resource for anyone who sits down at a vise to create a fly.
Here’s the next video in Tim’s “How to Tie a Comparadun” series. In recent weeks, Tim has discussed what kinds of hair generally works best; hair length, alignment, tips, and color banding; and which hides produce the best hair for Comparadun wings. Here, he shows you the best ways to clean and stack the hair before tying. To see Tim tie a Comparadun, click here.
I was fortunate enough to learn material prep and tying technique from a gentleman who provided flies for Orvis over a four decade period, Tom Lentz. The mustache brush is a neat touch, and will make it easier for a beginner who doesn’t have access to personal instruction. You can obtain the same result with your bare fingers, but it’s easier to show the method than to describe it. The tying values Tom passed along were “simple, efficient, sturdy, catches fish”, I’m glad I had the opportunity to get to know him, just a little, and learn from him.
Kim,
Tome Lentz was my neighbor in Newport, RI when he lived on Bridge St., he also taught me how to tie flies, the Royal Coachman, Grey Ghost and so many others. We would fish the Moosup River near the RI/CT border and we would actually ties flies on the spot. One time the fish were biting on a green worm falling from the trees, we caught a few and took out our vises and started to tie flies on the spot. They looked like a small grub body and we added a little squirrel tail to a couple and sure enough we caught our limit in no time. Tom very pleased packed his pipe and had a smoke. One of the finest men I have ever known. Russell Allen