A few stones

I'm in the process right now of tying up nymphs. I tied a bunch of sz. 6 out of primarily turkey and dubbing that look like oversize hare's ears. They worked before, and I suspect they'll work again. No. 1 fly on salmon for me. Pafisher uses similar.  I also am tying some smaller sizes out of horse tail and crow feather. I see no problem with your ties, Clint. I haven't found steel  to be that fussy about perfect proportions and lifelike appendages and shape. Size and color are more the key. The one thing I that I'm thinking about for this early winter/late fall is low, clear water and steel getting quickly clued in to flies. I'm tying lots with little to no flash, other than the material itself.  Since the river is loaded with brown stones that are around an inch for the second year in the river until hatching, I don't think 6 is too big at all. I just don't want to have too much flash make them refuse .  I'm hoping to make bigger, duller nymphs with some natural triggers,sz. 6-12,  along with some more  realistic colored egg patterns, do the job. I know I could make small flies work, but that's more a flossing deal and I'll avoid that if I can. I have no illusions that I floss fish, I just try not to most of the time. If it's 5 degrees and I'm standing in the water for 2 hrs. without a touch, the chuck and duck with a midge might be coming out. lol. No, amend that, it WILL be coming out.  I don't drive the 7 hr. round trip to play in the water. If I lived closer, I'd swing flies alot, but I don't.  Those eggs you gathered are going to be killer, I think, Clint. Tough to beat this fall.  Flies with flash might work better than those with none or little, I'm just covering bases via observations I've made in the past. Thanks for sharing the ties. I'm looking forward to the challenge of this fall's low water and how tactics may have to change to adapt to it.
 
Charlie

Not water, Clint. Just use the Aquaseal. If you want to thin it, use a small amount of  fingernail polish remover . I use it to make my pink worms by running chenille through it. There's also a product called Dave's Flexament that you can take a feather and coat it, and after it dries, just cut off what you need. I do this with turkey flats and it works great. I also do it to crow primaries for black wing covers. For a little sheen and protection on the wing covers and for sealing thread heads, Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails, has been used by fly tiers since it came on the market.  They did away with the original product and split it into separate, specialized ones. Look for the one that says Strengthening Top Coat. It does just that to your flies.
 
Charlie

Clint, There are two aerosol spray adhesives that you could use, Tuffilm Fixative and 3M Super 77 Multipurpose adhesive.  I like to burn my stone fly wings with a burner set and Hungarian Partridge feathers.  After burning them to shape I give them a spray with the adhesive to stiffen them up, also makes them more durable.  Another material to use for wings is Tyvek.  Cut to shape and color with a Pantone pen with black, browns, tan and gray mottling for effect.  If you hunt turkey (or have a friend that does) keep the tail and wing feathers for your nymph patterns.   

My GOD!....that is taking censorship to a extreme

Some censorship programs won't allow the word saltwater, took me a few minutes to figure out it's the middle of the word. What's good for the goose is good for the gander... What's good for the hen is good for the ... can't say it. lol.  Good steers on the san juans and the copper johns, Jack. I tie variations, but right along those lines, and they've caught steel.   I caught 1 king on a  red  wire wrapped 10 with 1 turn of pink estaz on it. 

Clint,
Your fly from the swap was the ONE that got bit last year.. Your hook however got bent.. I think those will do FINE !!
Keep going man, I think it about the "hot spot" as in something that triggers them..
 
Charlie,  my 14' spey rod that never gets used isn't even gonna touch that.. lol

ssgt12:
Why not tie a fly from your hands that may/will  catch a fish instead ?
 Cost  0.$$ = Priceless instead of a click away..
 
Don't get me wrong , I use lures, bait and support tackle shops when I can..