How many bobbins do you have?
How many colors of thread do you tie with?
I have 13 bobbins now with a different colored thread on each.
Rick
I have eight bobbins but use only five of them because three are notorious thread cutters. I also have five or six really old bobbins (Herter’s etc.) that I never use.
I have a shallow drawer approximately 12" x 14" full of a single layer of spools. I’ve never counted them but it’s a lot of thread running in size from 8/0 to D.
I guess I’ve used most of the thread colors and sizes a couple of times. 8T
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it’s a real short camping season.
I have 18 bobbins and 66 spools of thread of many colors and sizes. I do use them all at one time of another. I keep my most used sizes and colors of thread on the bobbins, It makes it easier when I am tying flies. John
[url=http://home.comcast.net/~bassman540/johnsfliesandswaps.html:d2a37]http://home.comcast.net/~bassman540/johnsfliesandswaps.html[/url:d2a37]
I wish you all everlasting flies and tight lines.
19 bobbins because I’m too LAZY to swap 
.
I do the same thing with my reels; no extra spools for me!
Thread colors is probably less than 10 excluding shade variations with black, brown, grey and olive being the most used. I stock a lot of spools of thread though; mostly because I don’t like to run out when I’m in the middle of something. A lot of reason I have so many bobbins for so few thread colors is because of thread size.
And before the question is asked:
I LOVE the long tube Matterelli bobbins and I use 8/0 Uni Thread, 70 Denier Ultra Thread, and 12/0 Benecchi.
[This message has been edited by Bamboozle (edited 29 September 2005).]
I have 3 standard bobbins and two Nor autos. I don’t mind changing out thread. I don’t know what I’d do with 18 bobbins… I prefer to stick with one til I wear it out as I get used to it and I don’t like change I guess. After using auto bobbins though, I have a hard time with regular ones now. But when I started tying I remember my dad just handing me a foot of thread or so and that’s how it was done sans bobbin. I think he had one or two only at the time as well…
Threads, I have a lot of thread. I will buy the multi color packs as it’s easier than sitting there and selecting all the colors you want if you are getting multiple colors. Probably around 100 spools or so. I have one of those tackle boxes with 4 pull out trays and they are all full with threads… All kinds of different stuff but I prefer 14/0 Gordon Griffith and Uni 8/0 isn’t bad for big stuff.
I have many Griffin ceramic bobbins and large boxes of thread in every color and size. What do I use most—black red and white. Have taught many children over the years and they cant stop tying once they start. Good thing I also have thousands of hooks.
Bill
Call me a luddite, but…
I only have one bobbin 6 threads. Probably more shocking to some of you, I only really use two black threads of different thickness, and a very light grey one. Although, for clausers and decievers, I’ll sometimes bust out the heavy duty olive thread, and red when I’m tying royals or foam poppers.
I also only tie for freshwater (warm and cold). My narrow focus isn’t snobbery as another thread recently debated, it’s just the kind of fishing and tying that I happen to like the most.
Currently I have 3 bobbins. One is a Tiemco Ceramic Standard Sized and the others are both Griffin’s Standard Ceramic Insert bobbins.
As to thread, my current preferences and colors are:
8/0-Gray, Black, Olive, Tan, Lt.Cahill, Rusty Brown and White. This is the primary thread that I tie all of my troutflies with be is dries from 14 and smaller, along with very tiny nymphs.
Danville’s 3/0 Monocord-Black, Burnt Orange, Brown, Yellow, Olive and Green. I use this primarily for most of my nymph patters and to tie a few larger dries or streamers.
I had some Uni 6/0 that I used on some of the larger flies but have decided that instead I will turn back to either Danville 6/0 where I think 3/0 monocord is to bulky for the materials and size of fly being tied.
I have (1) spool of each of the above at this time as I am not a commercial tyer nor do I feel the need to let spools of thread sit and sit, awaiting its turn in the bobbin.
I have 4 standard bobbins and 2 Ekich auto bobbins. The Ekich is very easy to change threads, and I have not used the standard bobbins since receiving the Ekich bobbins.
I probably have 30 spools of Uni 3/0 and 6/0, but mostly use black.
2 Bobbins and maybe a dozen spools of thread. Not much.
I just took a quick look and count on my bench and counted 22 bobbins and I know there are more around here someplace. All shapes and sizes.
I “USE” about a dozen Tiemco Ceramic bobbins that I bought when they first came out many years ago. Still using the same ones.
As for thread I would not eeven try and guess how much I have. I will just say a lot. I know I have several box’s of the old Silk thread that we use to tie with in years past. Both in Black and White. I still use some of it now and then.
I find that I am using a lot of Gudebrod’s 10/0 anymore as I tie a lot of Spring Creek style flies for clients now days. I buy all of my thread by the Dozen spools and some colors 3 or 4 dozen at a time if the price is better that way. Or it is a color that I use a lot. I still use a lot of Danville thread and also quit a bit of Uni-Thread in 8/0.
As for colors I use what the order tells me to use. If I am tying an Adams I use Black thread as that is what has been used for years on that fly. If I am tying some of the new Spring Creek flies I use the color of thread to match the over all colors of that fly. Ron
Another question as an aside:
Does anybody use 6/0 anymore? When I started tying that was the standard; now it seems 8/0 has that distinction.
Is it big thread=big head paranoia or are the threads today just that much stronger to allow the use of smaller sizes?
Bamboozle- The Danville thread I use is 6/0. So yes it is still being used. I like to use the thread as to the hooks size. It is much faster and takes less time using the proper thread size. I would never use a 10/0 on a size 12 or 14 fly. (Unless it was a rush and I was out of the thread I normally use) Just to much thread used and to many more wraps to get the same effect. Ron
There are three "Nor auto"s laying on the bench (white, mono, and hot pink) and a couple ceramic “normal” bobbins (kevlar usually) that get used when spinning hair. There are many other “normal” bobbins laying around that get no use any longer.
We generally have white, black, hot pink, mono and kevlar threads threaded. Very much we use white thread and “magic marker” it to the color of choice at the head.
Lazy we are! 
…lee s.
I have 8 bobbins, which is not enough (defined by having to change them).
I usually tie in black, red, 2 shades of orange, 2 shades of olive, 3 shades of yellow, 2 shades of brown, and then the odd ones. I have a rack that holds 60 spools and an Oacis bench that holds a bunch more. Still not enough room.
Did I ever explain my theory on how fish do not really care that much about color?
- rriver
How many bobbins do you have?
Two but I usually use the ceramic one to help keep the thread from breaking.
How many colors of thread do you tie with?
Too many to count. I should take an inventory sometime .
Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL
“Flip a fly”
From RonMT: The Danville thread I use is 6/0. So yes it is still being used. I like to use the thread as to the hooks size. It is much faster and takes less time using the proper thread size. I would never use a 10/0 on a size 12 or 14 fly. (Unless it was a rush and I was out of the thread I normally use) Just to much thread used and to many more wraps to get the same effect. Ron
Thanks Ron, it makes perfect sense to me. I guess I’ll keep my 6/0 and buy a few more bobbins .
3 Griffin ceramic’s and a threader that sees a lot of use…have threads in pretty much every color and size made…from 8/0 to kevlar and gel spun…and backup spools in the most popular colors and sizes I commonly use.
You really are’nt wanting a number are you…???..cause I am NOT going to sit and count em all…lol…still have some floating around here in the bags, from the shops I bought them at,that I hav’nt gotten around to sorting out…I’m a tyer and a fisherman…I only have so much time
“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best
“Wish ya great fishing”
Bill
Not enough space? I know you meant for all the thread spools. But…for the bobbins…you might try having your wife run the threads off onto regular sewing machine bobbins. They take up a lot less space when hanging or storing them…I mean having many bobbins equipped with sewing machine bobbins. You would be surprised how many flies the thread on a sewing maching bobbin will tie. And the plastic ones are real cheap.
Gem
I tie almost exclusively for warm water. I’ve never convinced myself that thread color is all that important.
I have four standard bobbins which I lapped when put into service. Never cut a thread. I keep the four loaded with black, light Cahill, red, and yellow. I’ve got dozens of spools tucked away, in lots of colors, just in case I feel the need to tie a “proper” fly.
Jim