Read to cast -- (almost!)

So been off the planet lately -
Well i might have well been seeing the lack of SWOFFING and tying not taking place

You know the important things!!!!

It has been 10weeks of getting use to new Job at a new school
New programs, new students, new systems - new everything
So no time for SWOFFING

First few weeks of new role I was in the fetal position sucking my thumb - Week 10 too was in this anxious prone position -  as far there seems to be too many students 12-15 years of age who think they know everything and are constantly giving me the look that means "who the hell are you to tell me what to do" - let alone correct their poor behaviour and disrespect = sadly what the teaching job is these days 40-60% behaviour control and the rest teaching those who want to learn

New house is coming along too and eating up a lot of time too - currently putting in a concrete pad for the 25000 litre water tank so the builders will have access to water at pressure when needed

But finally to much relief and stress breaking activity - today, the middle day of the school term break, I finally got back to fly tying and have been working on my fighting crab pattern based on the crab lure used for permit in the US and in smaller versions by some of the bream comp anglers in the east coast of Australia

Added lead base, legs, carapace and claws today - all 'loon'ed in place

Used size 0 split rings to solve the problem I had with hook eyes being too small to attach to the hook shank eye I tied to side of main hook shank. A bugger to manipulate that small and a few went zipping-zinging across the room lost for ever - till I got a handle on them.

Legs look a touch too stiff and short proportionally to carapace size
also think it needs a bit more material in the mouth area
Additionally claws seem to be out proportionally as well
think I would like a finished pattern 20-30% smaller - maybe - we will see the fish's reaction first.

Water testing has the fly sinking well, landing right, and sitting perfect with the claws in the correct upright defense position

So I am still confident despite a few construction flaws mentioned above - when place in front of a fish mooching along a Darwin or Bynoe harbour flat will find it close enough to sample

It is a heavy fly - so casting it for the first time will be interesting!!!

Getting on the actual water is 99% there too

As the boat in finally on the second hand aluminium trailer I scored for a great price early December
(yeh I know - a long time ago!!)
Fixed the damage from bogging in the old owners front yard
I redid the full electrical cables, place new brake pads on it

Three things remain........before I can get on the water .
The first is to adjust the rollers and skids on the trailer to suit the different hull from what used to be on it (tomorrow second job after working on lawn mower and starting form work for concreting)

The second is a motor service and a repair to the tilt-ram of the motor which current ain't working

The third can wait - but need a new thick aluminium plate welded onto the bow of the boat to suit my new electric motor

So hoping on the water in a weekend or two to field test these new crab patterns recently tied.
More blog updates soon - and hopefully more blogs after the recent sojourn of not writing any for ages.
Been 10 weeks since I caught that little Saratoga in Manton Dam. Furthermore its another 8-10 weeks before that to the last time fly fishing - so a few decent 100% fly fishing trips are more than over due

Main fly fishing partner - Peter, is still visiting folks back in Canada till early June. He sent me a nice pic of a cold river and a nice steelhead - the one and only fish landed for a day's fishing -

But doesn't the scenery looked awesome! so off planet to the saltwater mud banks and mangroves, and the freshwater billabongs with its lilies - typical fishing locations around the Top End. No crocs for sure in cold Canada but Peter has more than enough stories about giant bears to balance the equation of which place is better.
The two-handed rod at his feet was something he had been missing casting for a while.
But with sails, macks and other good pelagics in large numbers off Darwin Harbour and Dundee I am hoping Peter is still keen to get back to the Top End and its Swoffing!

Until the next time blogging - get at it - tie some flies and go SWOFFING!!