THREAD AGAIN - Panfish - February 14, 2011

[rtidd]

THREAD AGAIN

Contemplated some thread things as I was tying over the past year. I will probably get labeled as a total heretic for a few of the things that I have finally come to.

[Gandolf]

Hi Rick,

Thought provoking article. I have different colors of thread, and usually tie the fly using the color of thread the pattern calls for. I have never really questioned this, just did it, although when I first started out I had only a few colors, and tried to pick a color as close to what the pattern called for as I could.

However, I know that some tiers tie most or all of their dry flys with black, or black on dark flies, and one light color on all of their light color flies. They use only two colors of thread. This may be just fine, I don't know, and have never tried it. If just two colors of thread, or maybe just a small set of 3 or 4, are all you really need, it does simplify things.

One reason for using different colors, at least for me, is my own notion that a particular fly should look a certain way, and that way is normally to match the picture in the fly tying pattern book.

What ought to count for more is how well the fly works.

At any rate Rick, very good article.

Regards,

Gandolf

[maodiver]

You, sir, are a heretic.

Seriously, I tie 95% of my flies with eight ought grey thread. The thin diameter, and the neutral color don't seem to matter to the trout. The only time I use another color is if the thread is part of pattern (i.e. Sierra Bright Dot) or if the head or collar is important (i.e. Elk Hair Caddis or Amy's Ant). It doesn't matter if the fly is black or white, I use grey thread. The materials cover it up most of the time anyways.

[Steven McGarthwaite]

On-the-Road, I only carry white thread and my bundle of Sharpie Pens. Then i can dye the thread any color I need. ~Parnelli

[Flyfish Dog]

I agree with the majic of using a sharpie or any color markers. It has the potential to save a lot of space just having white thread and only a couple bobins for each size but it never happened that way. Now have a couple hundred spools of variety of colors and sizes and at least 2 dozen bobbins. Where am I going? )

[fishdog54]

Rick,

OMG!! - Do you realize that you have just disturbed the balance of the fly tying world? What were you thinking? Get a hold of yourself man! LOL!! Psychologically, I feel better looking at all the pretty colored spools of thread. Practically - not needed. Since I'm more psycho than practical (nods of agreement), I'll keep using what the fly "calls" for. I will make a few extra flies just to use up an almost spent spool. For the purpose of being practical - you could get away with white, and if you need a different color head, use the colored pens, as has been suggested. (very good tip for the traveling tyer, as per- Steven McG.)

Rick - I have a same sort of dilemma going on with a bunch of white nylon paint brushes that are to be converted to tailing materials (micro fibbets?) Do I try to dye them?, do I just use sharpies?, or do I just leave them white? (translucent actually) The fish don't care one way or the other, but its something to play around with.

I read somewhere, quite a few years ago, where a tyer used hot orange thread on all the heads of his flies that were weighted - that's not a bad idea. Carrie Stevens - streamer tyer/pattern designer from Maine used a 'signature' color-banded head on all her streamer flies - so well known was this method, that, out of respect for Carrie, most people who tie her patterns, do not use it, because it is one of the unique ID features of the flies showing Carrie Stevens provenience. How cool is that! BTW, there's no law that says you have to abide by this unwritten self-imposed rule(?), just thought I point out the degree of respect some have for those who came before us!

My arsenal of thread and bobbins are not as bad as Flyfish Dog - as far as I know?, and I might have to eat those words if I were to take an actual inventory! LOL!! Down the road - when my current supply starts to dwindle, I will have to re-think my excesses, and have to - by economical necessity, become PRACTICAL- GROOOAN!!

Best regards, Dave the thread (and hook) monger.

[Rick Z]

I am supposed to think?

Rick