I’ve been reading Charlie Craven’s new book, called “Charlie’s Fly Box” which features many of his best signature flies. The book is definitely top-shelf, five-stars, 10 on a ten-point scale and two thumbs up or in my case eight-thumbs up. There are an amazing number of step by step photos for each fly. My problem is this. For a number of flies in this book, Charlie adamantly recommends a material called fluoro fibre which he says has just the right amount of brightness without excess flash. Being the cheapskate that I am and having vowed to limit purchases of items specific to one fly, I was wondering about a substitution. Since I’ve seen the material only in pictures, its a little difficult to determine a good substitute. I would think that Antron yarn or Wing N Flash (without the flash) might work well. What are your thoughts? Much thanks in advance for your input. BTW, if you are looking for a book that will inspire you to tie some new flies, don’t pass up Charlie’s Fly Box. 8T
Antron, Zelon/Zlon, Sparkle Emerger Yarn, Web Wing, etc., would all work, in a pinch, although none of these are quite as fine in diameter nor as straight as Flouro Fiber.
Sorry 8T, but that Flouro material has been voo-dooed ! Charlie has a coven under contract. A selected group of wiccas from the outskirts of Arvada have put the mojo, magic and the Hexigenia into that material to be: " sold only at his emporium". The flies suggested in his book are worthless without it, and no, absolutely no substitutions are allowed! You’ll be damned to catch a fish on his namesake fly the jujubee without the stuff. Your just gonna have to put up the $52 bucks for the assortment of fibre… and don’t blame us. You were tempted… so guess what , “Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself…”
Charlie’s book is a good one. I managed to get it from the library a while back and enjoyed his no non-sense approach to tying. I know he’s prolly tied a billion of the devils and you have to think he can pass on some valuable tips and he did.
When I started tying Charlie’s Juju patterns a number of years ago, before the book and when I first saw them on Hans’ site, my local shop was not carrying Fluoro Fibre…so, I used Zelon. The fish didn’t know the difference…
I have a bunch of the material now and I use it for many different patterns…here’s Charlies Purple Juju Baetis - with Fluoro Fibre:
Fluoro Fibre…there is nothing just like it in my thinking. I love it. It doesn’t take much either. It is VERY FINE. It is similar to Krystal Flash…but very very thin. It is gorgeous stuff. I have some in a few different colors, and LOVE IT.
I agree whole heartedly with Planettrout, i use zelon or organza, and the trout could not care either way, i have used flouro fiber in the past,and went back to the others i mentioned
Thanks for the excellent responses. It seems like most people feel that you could substitute successfully but the real stuff is awesome good. I suppose that I’m going to have to purchase three or four hanks of the stuff in the standard colors.
Hairwing, I’ve suspected that there was something unholy and evil about Flouro Fibre all along. You know, middle of the swamp during the full moon, naked coven members chanting ancient, forgotten languages, sacrificing a new Sage or Winston to the flames for more Mojo, etc. And BTW, why do you have to sign your name in blood to buy this stuff?
Flybugpa, I admire your control and restraint—wish I had it.
Serious question. what color besides white do you find particularly useful? Thanks again, 8T
Well, my pledge not to buy new material didn’t last. I feel a little bit like a cigarette smoker who quit for six months and then relapsed. I just sent my order off to Charlie’s Fly Box for Flouro Fibre in white, brown and light olive. I still don’t understand why I have to sign in blood to order that stuff. Since I was ordering anyway, I did add a couple of hundred hooks, some UTC wire and super floss in four or five necessary colors. Hey, the shipping was going to be $6 no matter what I ordered. 8T
I hate about 5-6 colors of the Fluoro Fibre stuff. There is another material just like it, but I cannot remember the name of it. Cost is about the same. I have white, yellow, pink, chartreuse etc… The colors you need depend on the colors of flies you tie. You don’t need a lot, to get the look you want. It is a little expensive, but just a little will do ya.
Thanks for your input. I’ve ordered order three or four colors from Charlie’s Fly Box and I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of this magic substance. My color choices were a little more earth-toned than yours. I may be ordering some brighter colors for my warm-water flies if I like the stuff. 8T
