11-14-2007, 08:23 PM
Most beginners and some experienced tiers tend to crowd the eye when finishing off the fly; especially small patterns with hackle. I know cause I am one. The hackle and /or the glue can block or clog the hook eye area and yet you can not see it. So after completing all the flies I take a piece of 4x tippet material and see if I can pass it easily through the eye. If I can't I go to work with a bodkin and an xacto knive to clear the eye. Thats because I get very aggrevated at myself when I am stream side with a fly that I can not get the tippet into. With these old eyes it is hard to see the hook eye well enough to clean it out at the fishing hole.
I don't have the problem on flies I use bigger tippets so on them I don't bother.
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I don't have the problem on flies I use bigger tippets so on them I don't bother.
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