# Some of WickedCarpenter's bugs in the photo gallery



## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

I just had to draw everyone's attention to these flies posted in our gallery:
































Click on pictures 1 and 3 for the recipe. Fine work worth some attention.


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## BIG DAVE (Mar 3, 2003)

thats some dam good artwork met him on the ice 3 years back and he gave 
me some stone flies, tied so good that i didnt want to loose them. great 
pictures and great work wicked. BIG DAVE.


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

I've looked through those pics before and wondered why he wants to swap with us:lol: 
Nice(understatement ) ties WC!


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Holy Cow !!

Nice work.


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## Jackster1 (Aug 17, 2001)

Sweet! You outta be in the magazines!


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Exceptional!


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## Blueracer (Jan 14, 2005)

Hey WickedCarpenter, ever make a crawdad?


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## trouttime (Mar 30, 2004)

Jackster1 said:


> Sweet! You outta be in the magazines!


I agree flies like that are works of art! Beautiful!!


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## wickedcarpenter (May 1, 2003)

Thanks Everyone!
Please no more posts about the flies. Your making me feel weird :lol: 
I did take alot of time on this one Stonefly... Alot of time. But anyone could tie the same pattern with close results in under a hr. Check out the instruction link for it. You could tie this fly and be great at it after a few trys.
Most of the time is spent coating it with SoftTex and coloring it with a marker then coating it again.
Dino, I'll swap with You Guys/Gals any day just not dry flies"Mine sink" LoL!
Big Dave, Wow crazy you remembered the Stones. I do remember Ypsifly gave me a pretty good hang over and I only fell about 30 times on the walk back to shore :lol: 
Thanks again! 
Brent


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Where do you buy that SoftTex stuff.


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## wickedcarpenter (May 1, 2003)

No Crawdad yet. I know the Hellgramite is a Bass fly but I like tying Steelhead stuff like Stoneflies. A realistic Crawdad would take some time to tie for sure. To think of it... I have not seen it done yet. I'll check into it.
Thanks Brent


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## wickedcarpenter (May 1, 2003)

Oops it's SofTex. I miss spelled it.
I got mine from Chris Helm.I'm sure You know Him(Master of Bass Bugs)
He only does telephone orders or at his house. Here's his Number if You want a catalog 800-579-5549. Trust me when i say he has almost everything made.
I may have seen it at Cabelas also but not sure.
Be sure to keep the lid tight and free from glue on the top or You will have major problems getting the lid back off. I use a 7" needle to dip in the jar and wipe any access off onto a paper towel not the rim of the jar.You'll need a hammer if You do.
Brent


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## 2PawsRiver (Aug 4, 2002)

> I've looked through those pics before and wondered why he wants to swap with us


I had to chuckle when I read that.....I have thought that many times myself and am just grateful that he does. Not only does he tie a great fly, but he also very supportive of us rookies.....a good guy to have around:lol:


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

It's obvious you put in a great deal of work into the detail on your bugs. Nice work.


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## twohand (Aug 5, 2003)

Hey, WC. What camera are you using for your pics. It seems that every time I set mine to macro everything turns to a blur.


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

I always wondered if you used epoxy or what to get that "shell" over the tie.I just picked up some nymph skin,but don't have the porkie quill.I'll give it a try!


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## wickedcarpenter (May 1, 2003)

Twohand, Keep the camera about 16" away when using the Macro setting. The camera should focus itself and beep to let you you know You're not to close.I'm using a Sony 4.1 Cyber-Shot.Not really happy with it. Cracked the display screen, the flash took a poop the lense won't retract if slightly wet.Like from after handling a fish.I'm saving up for the new Canon 10 MegaPixel that just came out. Super Tuff camera.My buddy dropped his Canon 8 MP camera in the river when a Bear came up on him.He retrived it 30 min's later, dryed it out and it still worked :lol: 
The 10 MP camera is $1,600 bone stock with no lense,MemoryCard etc. It better take memories of a life time pictures :lol: 
Dino, PM Me Your address and I'll get You everything You need to tie the Stonefly, except for the cream laytex for the abdomen and Ostrich.I'm low on those 2 items.
Thanks again for the kind words!
Brent


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## Blueracer (Jan 14, 2005)

Wicked this is a crawdad I have a picture of. Wish I had one of underneath it was pretty nice too.


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## wickedcarpenter (May 1, 2003)

Cool looking Craw! Is that Molted Nymph Skin across the top? What was the underbody?
Thanks for sharing! Smallmouth all over that fly!
 Brent


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## J-Lee (Jul 11, 2000)

Those surely are nice ties wc, waiting for em to wiggle.


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## Blueracer (Jan 14, 2005)

It's a fly I had a while ago that I didn't tie. I'm not sure what was used. It could of been molted skin but it also seemed like a thin plastic of some type, dark brown with small tan streaks through it here and there. The underside was pretty neat as well, a slightly lighter color and scaled with a type of plastic fibers that imitated the small little legs along the side.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

I started to buy the stuff I'd need for that fly but ran into some questsions.

1. What is dental tape?
2. How heavy and what color latex did you use?
3. What wing buds did you use and do you need the burner tool?
4. What did you use for the head?
5. Do you use thread or glue to hold it together and where do you buy your SoftTex?


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## wickedcarpenter (May 1, 2003)

Dental tape is like dental floss just bigger. Sold in the same area in any store.
I use a cream color Turnakit(sp?) for the laytex.
I cut out the wings that are printed on Ruff n Tuff paper.
The top of the head is part of the printed wing and the head it self is built up from wraping 1/8-1/4" strips of laytex, pulled tight enought to stretch it.
Everything is tied on with thread.The SofTex is used to coat everything so you can color it with a marker.
SofTex will stick to anything and takes a marker well. With out using it the marker will come right off.
Here's a link with SofTex. Good price on it to.
http://tcoflyfishing.com/1Materials_DetailViewer.cfm?type=Softex&Subcategory=Cements.
Brent


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## Wellston (Dec 28, 2000)

BIG DAVE said:


> tied so good that i didnt want to loose them.


Wow!!! Great looking flies.
Jim


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

Found SofTex on-line if this is the right stuff
http://shop.orvis.com/productc-12345/1273-1293-5086-6168-888p.htm

WC's link is a buck cheaper, guess you have to expect that from Orvis!


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

Simply awesome. Always look forward to Wickedcarpenter getting in on the swap. I still have all his flies fromt he swaps...there just to darn good looking to use!:lol: 

I figure I only need about 32 years before I tie like that. I hope I live long enough:lol: 

What vice do you use?


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## wickedcarpenter (May 1, 2003)

Thanks again for the kind words.
Wildcat,I'm using a Peak vise. Best money one could spend on a vise. For $129 it's a steal! I bought the upgraded Peak for $200, It's the same Vise with extras.
Brent


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## Blueracer (Jan 14, 2005)

Like this nearly 4 pounder with 5 wt.


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## Butch (Aug 29, 2001)

Brent, you tie some cool flies. When I got a generous package of flies from you, I immediately showed them to my wife and young kids because they look so cool. They 'ooohhhed' and aaahhhed'(all they've ever said about my ties is "don't let those things get lost in the carpet so someone steps on them":yikes: :lol: ). Like others, I haven't dared to use some of them.

However, I dispute your claim of sinking dry flies. If I remember right, I caught some nice trout last Spring on one of your patterns, after I had trouble getting them to take my old standbys for that hatch. No trouble with sinking, beyond the nice problem of washing off the fish slime and refloating them.

Butch


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

Found Softex at BassPro today for $8.95 Time to give it a go!


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## wickedcarpenter (May 1, 2003)

Butch, I was just talking about You last week on the fly tying forum :lol: I posted a picture of the black Caddis pattern I've been tying for You and alot of good things were said about it! So I know You'll be happy with this batch.
I have some where around 50 tied so far in different shades and about 15 of the black ones all size 16 drys.
Thanks for the kind words ,even after being almost 2 years late on this batch  
Brent


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## Butch (Aug 29, 2001)

WC-

I didn't see what you said about me, but if it was on the fly-tying forum, it couldn't have been good since my tying is so lame.

I did NOT chime in on this thread to milk you for flies, just to tell the crowd about my happy experience with your bugs. 

Butch


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## wickedcarpenter (May 1, 2003)

Butch, Never crossed my mind You were milking for flies :lol: I still owe Ya for the last batch of Duck feathers You sent.I'll get to the PM's tonight.
Thanks for the chime!  
Brent


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## deputy865 (Feb 7, 2004)

Hey WC very nice flies...Hope to get mine to look as good...lol if you've seen my flies in a swap, its gonna take awhile...I'm trying to tie this spider that looks extremely real mine dont look as good yet..If i get a pic of it i'll send it to you, maybe you can try it..

keep up the good work..

Shane


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## steelie (Sep 20, 2000)

Good Day,

Wicked... enough already, don't you get enough attention on the "other" sites! :tdo12: 

Only kidding of course...

Steelie


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## DryFly (Jun 4, 2001)

Nice flys but they can not be used in "flys only" water. 

You will get ticketed for using live bait!:yikes: :yikes: .


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## wickedcarpenter (May 1, 2003)

Steelie We both thrive on attention when it comes to tying.That's why We break out of the norm mold:corkysm55 I've tyed my share of Buggers,Just the next step!You're in it sicker than me Mr. 32 hook size!LOL!
We love it!
Thank you Everyone!!!!
Brent


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## steelie (Sep 20, 2000)

Good Day,

You had to mention the size 32 didn't you! Ha Ha! Now I HAVE to post it! He He!

On the other hand, with all the great new synthetics, I wonder if MDNr is going to have to re-define what a "fly" is or in other words, what is legal to be fished in flies only water. I have heard of other places that require a qualifying fly to be constructed of natural materials only! I know this to be true in New Zealand from personal experience. 

Steelie


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## Arin (Jun 2, 2004)

So, do you outfish everyone with those realistic flys?? What happens when you lose one of those? :lol:


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## steelie (Sep 20, 2000)

Good Day,

I catch fish like in my avatar all day long, it gets a bit tiring after a while... yawn.

But seriously - flies like these are really only meant to be displays or excerises. I personally like the challenge of trying to imitate nature as best I can in these flies. Now, on the other hand, I do find it beneficial for my normal tying as well. One becomes just a bit more aware of what or how they are tying something, and perhaps develop new and better means by which to do so. Since I beagn tying realistics, I have also become much more aware of, shal we say, non-traditional tying materials. There is some stuff out there that I am surprised ais not in the fly shops or catalogs... but I am sure it will be sometime soon. 

Steelie


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