Odd materials

[mickporter]

I came across an article in a magazine recently in which a guy used the copper mesh that comes in the coax ariel cables. You know the copper sheath that surrounds the plastic tube which contains the thick copper wire.

He used it to make fly bodies and tube flys. I tried it and it looks really good, used like mylar tubing it makes decent looking scale bodies and weights the fly at the same time. I made tube flies also by keeping the plastic tube inside it pulling out the copper wire.

Another article which I discovered and use sometimes is plumbers PTFE tape. Thats that really thin white tape that plumbers use to seal the threads on pipe joints. Wrapped around the hook shank before tying makes really good bright white bases to the hook shank. Tye materials onto it very sparcely so it shows through.

I wondered what other strange materials you guys may have found that can be of benefit to the rest of us???

[Extremely Low Budget FF]

I like the coax cable idea, I'm headed to my basement and then - back to the tying bench.


My favorite alternative tying materials are:

mardi-gras beads (in pairs for eyes, use like beaded chain)

polyfill stuffing from old winter clothes, pillows, stuffed animals etc.

rubber bands

hair ties (with built in flash)

coffee beans (for a coffee bean beetle)

potato chip bags (sliced thin for flash)

nylon rope and twine (tease out the threads and use for wings and tails)

pool noodles for foam bodies

Ed

edengelman.com

[dudley]

The two things I use most are pearl mylar Christmas tinsel for a body wrap, and lobster buoy foam for poppers and sliders

[peregrines]

Mick,

That sounds like a great idea with the coax.

There's lot's of creativity out there, and it's interesting to see how "new" things get quickly accepted---- beads on nymphs, crease flies, silicone/Foto Flo, tube flies etc.

Some folks use speaker wire for ribbing, aquarium gravel and the lichen stuff used for landscaping model railroads for cased caddis, thin fast food straws and corsair type braids used in surgery for bodies on saltwater patterns, and anti-static stuff used to ship computer components for midge wings.

Came across this one the other day using a tea bag to reinforce a wing on a caddis pattern:

http://www.flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24099

peregrines

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Peregrines,

Saw the same tea-bag post and jokingly commented that we didn't have proper tea bags in the US. One of the lads sent me a stash of english tea so I would have some proper bags to tie the flies. They are a bit heavier than the typical US tea bag.

[mickporter]

Mick,

That sounds like a great idea with the coax.

There's lot's of creativity out there, and it's interesting to see how "new" things get quickly accepted---- beads on nymphs, crease flies, silicone/Foto Flo, tube flies etc.

Some folks use speaker wire for ribbing, aquarium gravel and the lichen stuff used for landscaping model railroads for cased caddis, thin fast food straws and corsair type braids used in surgery for bodies on saltwater patterns, and anti-static stuff used to ship computer components for midge wings.

Came across this one the other day using a tea bag to reinforce a wing on a caddis pattern:

http://www.flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24099

peregrines

How long before Veniards or someone similar begins to sell tea bag material and packs it for the unsuspecting fly tyer at $2.00 per packet!!!!

I am convinced that Tailing Fibbets are nothing more than paint brush bristles! Buy a brush and have several lifetimes supply. They also come in various colours.

[ducksterman]

Thanks for the post, peregrines.

The same thing can be done with Scotch "Tear By Hand" tape....and the adhesive is already there.....wish I could remember where I learned it so I could give proper credit...not my idea.

[Flyrodde]

You know, I never thought those wing burning tools were worth a poo. After that quick demo I am convinced (takes a lot doesn't it). Next time I see them on sale, I am gonig to pick up a set just because I can.

Thanks for the coax tip. I have approximatly 1487 feet of extra cable I have accumulated over the past few years. Now I have a use for it.

For other strange and unusual materials. I have used tooth picks and porcupine quills. There is a tutorial for a worm here http://www.flyguysoutfitting.com/vladiworm.html that uses a pink latex condom. Paper clips, silicon hair ties, old carpet, various fabric and mesh materials, packing foam, plastic water bottles... Thats all I can think of that have not been mentioned so far.

The tailing fibers come to a point. I have only been able to find a small number of expensive detail brushes that do the same. Most have been natural hair but a few were synthetic. The tailing packets are still cheaper. Does this matter to the fish? Probably not, but I like the look better so I still buy the tailing material from a fly shop.

[DDRRedneck500]

i always love it when these threads get started. but geeze flyrodde.... using a "RUBBER" for fly tying material?!??! of all the things that might be going through someones head when there looking at those, who the HECK was the lone person thinking "i bet i could tie a fly with that." geeze thats when you KNOW you have an addiction. not to mention the impact on the poor fish when he gets caught and released, going back to his fish buddies..."hey what did they catch you on?" "uhhh......i dont wanna say..." poor little guy would NEVER be able to live it down.

on the other hand though, that would be the GREATEST excuse for when a teenage boys parents find out he has them. "oh no mom, you see its just fly tying material."

[peregrines]

Ron-
That cracks me up... Glad you got them in time for the october caddis at the ID FI. i hope he sent an assortment of different tea bags so you have different colors. I see you can actually make teas first and let them dry. Maybe you could use the tea for cased caddis....

Ducksterman-
Thanks for that tip. I was thinking maybe nylon stocking could work too. But that tape sounds a lot easier, and would be easier to explain...

Mick-
Look for used "hand dyed" teabags in the Orvis 2009 catalog next to the caddis green and kingfisher blue condoms.

Flyrodde-
Hendrickson Pink?

peregrines