Head cement?

[Byron haugh]

There was a thread a while back about whether or not to apply head cement to the fly head.

I mentioned that I rarely, if ever, use it and do not have thread wraps coming loose.

Anyway, was reading "Hatches II" again and noticed, for the first time, Caucci and Nastasi saying this, while showing how to tie their Comparadun patterns:

"Important Tying Notes: Do not cement or lacquer head. It is not necessary and quite often the lacquer bleeds back to the dubbing affecting the buoyancy of the fly. Four or five jam knots will outlast the materials of any fly you can tie."

Page 313

Not sure that was in the original Hatches book. Will have to look again.

[Gene]

Byron I still like to cement my nymphs, if fished right they get pretty banged up bouncing the bottom. I do not cement my dries just a 4 turn whip finish. Of course if fished right they probably don't last too long anyway cement or no cement.
Gene

[lastchance]

What Gene said.

[NJTroutbum]

I use cement on pretty much everything in the nymph/wet/streamer box. I seldom use it on dries below #16. Never noticed a negative. The potential positive is obvious. The head on most aquatic insects is fairly prominent. I prefer the head on my patterns to remain a bit glossy and prominent as well. Does it matter? Maybe so...maybe not.

[Silver Creek]

I don't head cement unless I need a shiny head for streamers and such. A 5 turn whip finish is all I use.

I learned this from a professional Montana fly tyer and guide. If one of his flies unraveled due to a lack of head cement, he gave the customer a dozen of the same pattern. He told me no customer ever asked for that dozen flies; and as a pro tyer, every step saved meant more flies tied. He figured he saved enough time over his tying career to tied many dozens of flies more by not using head cement.

So I agree with Byron that head cement is not needed when you whip finish a fly rather than use half hitches.

[NJTroutbum]

Certainly....agreed, its a step in the process that if left out saves time. And for a commercial tyer, time is money.

I look at it this way. It doesn't hurt a pattern. And I'm far past filling commercial orders. Its not a step that I chafe at. If it was I may feel different. It basically comes down to personal choice.