Most Versatile Material?

What do you think the most versatile material is in your tying? For me I would have to say CDC...you can use it for anything...bodies, wings, dubbing, hackle, the list goes on and on.

------------------
"GET THE DRIFT?"

PT

At the moment it's Polyprop. I am in a Synthetics Period right now and having a lot of fun. Apologies to traditional tiers. Jax

------------------
I'm a much better Fly fisher when talking fishing, than when I'm Actually Fly fishing!

For me it would have to be rabbit fur. I can use it for tails, dubbing, wings, wing cases, leeches and of course streamers and Zonkers. If I were limited to one material plus thread, I would pick rabbit fur.

Jim Smith

I'll have to second Rabbit, especially if you include 'snowshoe'. More uses, more colors, easily available, inexpensive, easy to use durable. Can't ask for more than that.

Allan

Even though it may smack of a lack of traditionalism; I have to say foam.

All my beetles are foam and most of my other terrestials; my extended body flies and bass creations. If I want it to float like a cork I start with foam!

For me it is a throw up between rabbit and foam.

Strange I just did a piece on Hare's mask. Will go with that for now. You can do it all with the fur from a hare's Mask. Spin it for muddler style heads. Make "hackles" out of it for dries as well as dub it for some of the best trout flies you will ever get.

Cheers,

Alan.

AlanB: this might interest you too. [url=http://www.flyfield.com/hare.htm:bf147]http://www.flyfield.com/hare.htm[/url:bf147] and I agree, all the flies you need can come from a hare's mask. Second would be peacock, but you can't get dry flies from them. Between the two I think you can do anything.

[This message has been edited by Greg H (edited 10 August 2005).]

The most common material in my flies is thread, almost all of them have some...
second best is a tie-off between Hare's mask and hackle.

Roy

marabou...

I have to agree on pheasant tail and hare's mask. If you had only the two you could tie alot of nymphs. But I must add the Hen pheasant skin, I still keep finding new things to tie with it.

------------------
You can't catch fish with your fly in the air!

It depends on what kind of fishing I'm tying for. If it's trout I'd go for hare's mask, while if it's warm water I'd go for foam. Funny thing though, I rarely use foam in my trout tying and rarely use hare's mask in my warm water tying.

Most usefull materials I feel are most versatile not including hooks

Thread {few flies are tied without it}

Marabou {bodies, tails, streamer hair, dubbing, woven, spey style, gills etc}

Deer Tail {wings, bodies, twisted, streamer hair etc}

Rabbit {dubbing, tails, wings, strips for streamers, etc}

Chicken Feathers. {hackle wings, marabou fluff tails and fluff dubbing ropes, hackle stem bodies, streamers}

Antron Yarn { wrapped bodies, cut up for dubbing, wing post, wings, twisted bodies, woven and in a pinch streamer hair.

Bucktail/deerhair

------------------
"Nick's heart tightened as the trout moved. He felt all the old feeling" ...Ernest Hemingway

I would have to simply say the feather....It's use's and way's of use are endless.

------------------
"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best

"Wish ya great fishing"

Bill

I would have to vote for saddle hackles as the most versatile material. You can hackle wooly buggers, make streamers, tie deceivers....the list just goes on. 8T

------------------
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it's a real short camping season.

Tough one but I'll throw in a second vote for polypro; it's my latest craze right now.

Peacock herl. Bugger bodies, Wooley bodies, Nymph bodies, and under bodies on foam back beetles.

Hare's Mask,
Don't leave home without it! LOL
Jim

------------------
[url=http://www.Jimsflyco.com:3d436]www.Jimsflyco.com[/url:3d436]

Marabou!! IMHO, the best that fly tying has to offer.
Nothing else moves in the water like marabou. Any fly is so much better with marabou in it. I think it outfishes plastic!!!

Fish On