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I
was pleasantly surprised at how well the fly turned
out. In hindsight, maybe it really shouldn't have
surprised me as much as it did, since the majority
of the fly's visible attributes are in the wing assembly.
Whether tied in a vise or by hand, if one is tying
this style of fly in the manner it was conceived (pre-assembling
the wing/shoulder/cheek by hand), there should probably
be little or no noticeable difference. Alignment and
setting of the wing is a different matter. While it
didn't give me great trouble, I think it is easier
to view the alignment of the wing assembly in a vise,
when you have the luxury of moving your hands/fingers
away from the fly. Belly and herl also weren't too
bad, though, as usual the crests did their best to
misbehave. The most challenging and painful (hand
cramps) part for me was the body and tinsel. Keeping
a good steady grip on the hook while also keeping
tension on the materials being wrapped was tough.
My approach was to hold the hook in my left hand and
wrap with the right, and then pinching or holding
each wrap with free fingers from the left hand. Worse
than any writer's cramp I ever had! I bet ol' Carrie
had a helluva handshake! :) Anyway, the resulting
body was, shall I say, less than smooth. And the rib
spacing was anything but uniform. Good thing the Rangeley
style partially conceals the body! The decent look
of the wing assembly belies the actual difficulty
of tying these flies without a vise. Heck, they're
difficult enough WITH a vise. After this, I must admit
that I am spoiled by the tools I have at my disposal.
Can't say I'll be in a rush to do another, but I am
glad the experience gave me a connection to our streamer
tying roots and a greater appreciation for the talents
of Mrs. Stevens.
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