Pete, Sorry to hear about your job predicament. Want me to look around Wyoming for a job for you?
BTW, in the 'old days', before all of these fancy-dancy shaped hooks, I used to bend my Mustads into all the different shapes that I needed, as did most other tiers. I never had one break unless I bent it too sharply, and I never had a bent hook break with a fish. I bent keeled hooks, hopper hooks, nymph hooks, and rounded. I did find one Mustad hook that was not tempered, about a size 10. It was a really weird piece of wire, as I twisted it many times and tied it in a knot, and it still didn't break. Then they started making all these shapes and charging an arm and a leg for them. To get stronger large-fly hooks, I would buy Eagle Claws and take the kirb (bait bend) out using a needle-nose. In fact, I still do that for my stinger hooks on my blue-water flies. But now there's half a dozen makers to choose from. I like the quality of the new hooks, though, along with the diversity. Even Mustad had to step up to the competition. The points are way sharper and the micro-barbs are a good comromise. It's just harder to keep track of all of them now. I must have well over a hundred different styles and sizes. DonO ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 4:13 PM Subject: [VFB] Mustad 80150BR's + OT > > Hello, everyone! > I was just looking at my hook 'collection' and realized that many of the hooks I have come to love are not being produced any more. One such hook is the Mustad 80150BR - a Swimming Nymph hook with a 45 or 50* bend in the middle of the shank. This has proven unbelievably useful in my cased caddis pupae patterns. I'm curious if anyone knows of another hook manufacturer who still makes a similar, if not identical, hook. Just curious as I get my "year's end/ gift-money" order started for Line's End... > > OFF TOPIC ALERT! > On a totally different note, if you'll put up with this on the list, I was just informed today that it "doesn't look promising that our lab's grant will be renewed", what with NIH reform and such. In essence, this means that come the end of February (yes, a month after closing on the house), I'll be out of work. Yes, there is unemployment and such, but I am now in the process of looking for a new place of employment, to prepare for the worst case scenario. If anyone knows of any Environmental or Laboratory positions for a Developmental Biologist with DEP experience, anywhere in the NE region of the USA, *please* feel free to drop me a line. I suppose it hasn't really set in *fully* yet, but if the picture stays the same for this grant's renewal by the end of this month, I may not be placing that order with byard (sorry!). > Also, sorry for the sob story but needed to get it off my chest before I explode - four years into a PhD program and I may have to start a totally new thesis from start or take a terminal masters. As for the swaps I'm signed up for, I have the supplies needed for them and will stay in as planned. > Thanks again, and tight wraps, > Pete > > ________________________________________________________________ > Juno Gift Certificates > Give the gift of Internet access this holiday season. > http://www.juno.com/give >
