Rubber legs

[MNFisher]

Help!

Tying on rubber legs (hopper patterns, for example) is an exercise in futility for me. How to you do it so they look consistently the same from fly to fly. I have some that look great - only to be followed by one where the legs appear too close together - or too far apart. What do you do to control the angle?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

it's a matter of having a "good" place to tie in and thread tension control.

I wish I could be more specific than that. others may prove to be more helpful.

mgj

[rriver]

One thing that I do because I tend to tie a broad range of pattern's is to create a note book with specific's about the fly that I can refer to the next time I tie it. Its helps prevent those "trial and error" mistakes.

You could be having trouble in different areas: the size of the legs, where you are mounting ithem, or that you are not tying them down correctly.

When you do it right, make notes about how you did it.



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- rriver

[white43]

RAther than crossing over, V the legs and tie to the side. This was an "ah-ha" moment for me. I'm assuming you're talking flies you don't pull the legs through such as foam or cork. JGW

[mantis]

Not sure what you are doing now. R U talking about the kicker legs, or the front and middle legs? Are U using one piece for two legs? Are U tying then on straight across underneath, criss cross underneath, or at the sides. 2 legs or all 6? U using foam, deer hair, bucktail or feathers, or some plastic material like swanindaise for the body?

[MNFisher]

Mantis -

Good questions all. Sorry for not being more specific.

R U talking about the kicker legs, or the front and middle legs? Front and middle

Are U using one piece for two legs? Yes

Are U tying then on straight across underneath, criss cross underneath, or at the sides. The sides

2 legs or all 6? All 6

U using foam, deer hair, bucktail or feathers, or some plastic material like swanindaise for the body? Primarily foam

Thanks for your responses.....

[mantis]

Just a thought but you might try burning a hole with a hot dubbing needle and either super glue them in or pull thru with a crochette hook.
You could tie them in across the underside of the hook shank with figure 8 wraps of thread after piercing middle of foam strip and force over hook eye and push to where bend starts on long shank hook...unless of course you are using an extented body in which case form only the part of pre made extended body that will actually extend leaving two flaps that you will pierce with hook point B4 putting hook in vise or force over hook eye and push to start of bend. Attach thread, wind back to where foam is, wind thread back again attaching rr legs, then bring thread further forward and create front four by tying lengths of material (rubber) across underside of hook shank wind thread back to where foam is, pull both flaps of foam forward, top and bottom using thread to rib and bring the two flaps of foam to gether so legs come out evenly between them then . Head can be made by folding foam rear ward, Build base of thread where the head and body foam meet and tie in wing or wing cover. Tie off right there. Burn two holes into foam , glue in two short antennae. A simple quick Hopper. You can also leave one flap of foam longer than the other and just fold that back from eye to shoulder to form the head.
There must be hopper patterns with in these pages. Check AC's old columns too. Search it.

[This message has been edited by mantis (edited 09 November 2005).]

[This message has been edited by mantis (edited 09 November 2005).]

[mickporter]

You get hold of a copy of Oliver Edward's Essential skills, or Essential Patterns DVD's and all will be revealed in glorious colour......

[beadleech]

To help control the angle of the "V" of the legs make sure you tie in a 1/16" wide layer of thread first, place the legs, tie them in and adjust for the angle you want, and then take the thread up to just behind the eye of the hook [in one "giant step" wrap], take 3 or 4 turns and tie off. That way you don't add pressure to the legs after you have them "set". A bit of super glue on the bottom of the hook and you're all set!! Have not had one some loose yet.

Donald

[Bob Widmaier]

I just got home from a road trip and yea, after 4 hours sitting on a plane I had a bad case of rubber legs too!

OOps, sorry I thought you meant the kind you get from sitting too long.

Really, I put the rubber leg piece under a loose loop of thread, position it against a smooth piece of foam on the side of the foam body and then add a few tight wraps of thread. It takes a little practice, but after a few flies they seem to be all the same sticking out at about a 45 degree angle from the foam body.

Dr Bob