Stumbling on my vice

Notus and Eurus have combined their efforts into a humping South Easterly that has blown us daily off the flats. It has littered the otherwise pristinely white beaches with tons of Sargasso weed and loose turtle grass that fouls line and flies.

With seven weeks until the departure for South America, I figured the wind was a good excuse to spend some quality time with my vice. What I hadn't counted on is that I've spent so much time tying saltwater flies that I'm struggling to get back into the rhythm of small flies.

Tying a simple and old favourite pheasant tail yesterday led to a case of severe frustration and thread breaking. I eventually gave up, made some Bovril toast with too much butter, opened a beer and put the Patagonia edition of Trout Bum Diaries into the DVD player.

It proved rather inspirational and got me amped to tie again! Off I went and...

FAIL!

Again! Twice in an evening was too much! I opened another beer and watched Running Down The Man.

So I've decided that I should step it down slowly. Start with a few tarpon flies, then move to a few bigger freshwater streamers and smaller brush flies. Gradually decrease the hook size and thread diameter until I can once again tie up tiny, delicate flies without catching a case of the losers!

From these....

To these with much frustration!!!