that I see in a lot of photos of flies shown on forums. Always have a consistent starting point when tying in flies, it shouldn't matter if you have 15 different materials on the hook, you will most likely be tying them on one or 2 points on the hook, make that consistent. You will be amazed in the end how well it will make your fly look.

Another thing, try and focus on not rushing the head, make sure before you even lay down a thread base where you want the head to start, from there start your thread base and do not go forward from there until you are ready to make a nice neat head and finish the fly.

I am not preaching just sharing some tips handed down to me.

good tips! i've been trying to make sure i dont crowd the head, now that i am a bit more experienced it is much easier thought i still need to wathc it

Aw now Cole the fish don't care!

I used to crowd the head, that was probably my first, and worst problem when I first started. Nothing looks worse than an eye clogged with hair. So I fixed it, bought a cauterizer...lol. No, actually that is partially true. I still get hairs in the eye now and then...especially on certain types of flies....like the Squirrely I was tying lately. On streamers I have more room, and nothing crowding the tying area like bead chain eyes. I used a size 6 hook, but should of used a ten. You invert the hook to tie in the squirrel, and I found it kind of hard that way. The hook was poking my fingers since there wasn't much room for tying in only at the head of the fly...right past the bead chain. Consistency in tying is something people look at. My flies are fairly consistent, but not always, especially if it is a new pattern, or one I haven't tied in a long time.

and clip your flippin fingernails! when you has claws you can't grab the meat of the fly material; especially tying small stuff

When ever there is hair in one of my hook eyes I just get my bodkin warm it up with a small torch and run it through the eye. Just make sure you do it before you apply glue!

Run the bodkin (or paperclip, or whatever wire diameter will do the job) through the hook eye a bit so it's up enough above the fly that you can heat it without singing the fly. With a butane torch it's easy to quickly heat the wire above the fly red hot, and you can quickly draw the wire back through the hook eye and remove all the fuzzies that may be residing there. (I usually do this after I glue, it makes sure that if I cut a thread with the wire the integrity of the head is less damaged.)

use an absorbent coaster for your bourbon on the rocks.

Good tip, but why water it down?

Obviously, the man lacks good quality scotch and has to make do with what he has available.

As for the topic at hand, I find that if you refrain from tying flies on hooksizes smaller than 6, a lot of these things take care of themselves, or at least look like you meant to do it to add more "action".

Seriously, those are all good tips.

I prefer Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey although honestly I don't often drink it on the rocks, I'm more of a take a swig out of my half pint kinda guy

Y'know, I've never been a big fan of bourbon but I hear Gentleman Jack is pretty good. I just don't like Jack Daniels or Jim Beam, too sweet. I've been more of a scotch guy, but, all whisky is preferable to the other [censored] the metrosexual types drink (anything with Red Bull, anything with flakes in it).

I found that when you tying those 22 and 24 midges, keep a well stocked cooler near by. A little buzz can take the edge off.