Foam for some of your surface traditionals?

[dixieangler]

Who besides me is using foam for some traditional surface flies? Recently I've been using foam for bodies on Deer Hair Caddis (normally calls for dubbed body) and for bodies and heads on Dave's Hoppers among others. I am using the 2mm closed cell sheet foam (like Darice Foamies) for most of these.

It just seems to me like some dry flies might float better or dryer with the addition of some foam for the bodies. Your thoughts?

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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 19 September 2005).]

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Robert,

Guilty Sir!*G* I've taken to adding a
bit of foam to many of my topwater flies.
Some using shaped bits of foam from the
dremel lathe and others using cut bits of
foam as you describe. I guess however that
the addition of the foam removes said fly
from the "traditional" designation and into
the realm of the "unknown"!*G* But the
ability of the foam to float all day long
without the addition of floatants or Flyagra
is a big plus for me. Warm regards, Jim

[darrell]

Foam ... hmms, haven't - yet .... sounds quite feasible though. Could cut it small enough if one wants to dub over it I suppose.

I have been guilty of adding hollow-hair (ie/ polar bear) to my size 16 and 18 parachutes for added floatation support. I lay these along the base wrap and head on from there (covers them up). As I tye them to sit in the film, they tend to take on water easily enough - and .... PB hair helps keep them there. I can see myself trying foam next .....

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Darrell,

It works best on larger flies though I
have done humpy style flies down to a #20.
Dubbing over the foam can compress it
elimating the air bubbles that provide the
floatation. Warm regards, Jim

[fishyfranky]

I think gummie minnows are an abomination but a bit above scenting flys or using C4 plastique as a strike putty type "indicator".

JC,

I think your bottom line question is:

"At what point do you(or some authority) draw the line between a 'fly' and a 'lure'?"

- Surface or subsurface?
- Weighted or unweighted?
- The use of scent?
- Fished dead drift, stripped, trolled, etc.?
- Except for hook and thread, is there a maximiumn ratio of natural to synthetic material?
- One hook or tandem?

Personally, I'll stick to what one Supreme Court Justice(I think) said about pornography, 'I may not know what it is but I'll know it when I see it'.

Allan

[Bamboozle]

I've been using foam for "non-traditional" dry flies for years now. They have specific uses most of the time for either very fast or very dirty water. The two main flies I do with foam are White Flies for the Susquehanna and Elk Wing Caddis for small mountain streams with fast water. In both cases the added flotation helps.

I buy cylindrical foam and cut it to the length of the body or hook shank. Then using a razor blade I slit the foam length-ways, halfway through the cylinder diameter. I then slip the foam cylinder over the hook shank with the slit opening on the bottom of the hook and rib with tying thread; voila, instant foam body. From there I build the rest of the fly the normal way. I also do extended bodies the same way.

I get my cylindrical foam from Bill Skilton:
[url=http://www.billskilton.com:e9d4a]http://www.billskilton.com[/url:e9d4a]

If 50% fake is anyone's criteria for a lure than color me a lure fisherman. My White Fly spinners are made with a Fibbette tail, foam body, and a poly wings. The dun version only has natural hackle. Beetles, bees and inchworms are 100% fake too.

In Pennsylvania the banned flies on FFO waters are molded facsimiles of bugs or baitfish. Normally constructed flies "wound about the hook" are legal and that definition suits me fine.

[Jim Hatch]

Hey JC,

Good questions! In no particular order,
my answers are no, yes, sometimes and never.

That said, I "personally" would not
distinguish between a fly and a lure. They
are both constructed of non natural (to the
bait they imitate) materials. Anything
that imitates a bug or other live prey, is
an artificial. Matters little whether you
call it a fly or a lure. It's still a man
made creation designed to lead the poor fish
to an early demise, or a sore jaw at best.
IMHO, the question should be, "Is it alright
to fool a fish for personal gain?"*G* My
answer would be a resounding YES!*G* Warm
regards, Jim

[Micropteris]

Isn't a fly just a type of lure that uses the weight of the line to cast it not its own weight?

I have some flies that are heavier than ultralight jigs for spinning gear. Does that constitute that they are not flies? I use them in flyfish only water to get those bucketmouths that nobody fly fishes for that eat all those flat nosed stocker trout. I found out an 8wt isn't appreciated on trout ponds.

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Who has time for stress when there are fish to catch.
Nick

[dixieangler]

Isn't a fly just a type of lure that uses the weight of the line to cast it not its own weight?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> They
are both constructed of non natural (to the
bait they imitate) materials. Anything
that imitates a bug or other live prey, is
an artificial. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Great reply, Nick. Jim's description of an artificial also. If I can cast an artificial on my spinning gear and can't on my fly rod (usually due to the weight of the artificial versus the line weight) then to me its a lure. If I can cast an artificial on my fly rod and can't on my spinning gear (usually due to the weight of the artificial versus the line weight) then to me its a fly.


------------------
Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"



[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 19 September 2005).]