Has anyone found a material, natural or synthetic, that works really well on trout, and you really enjoy tying with, but when you run out, and go to the fly shop or internet to buy more, it’s discontinued?
I have several materials I have confidence in, and I’ll be darned if they don’t change the colors, or drop the materials all together. There’s a lesson to be learned here; If you find a material you REALLY like and catches fish, buy a bunch because you never know when they’ll be discontinuing that material for the " latest and greatest" thing in tying!!
You just learned one of the best lessons in fly tying. If a company makes a product that you like it is for sure they will stop making it. I learned that one many years ago. I would suggest if you find something that you really like you buy a life time supply of it. Even if they don’t stop making it the price will go up. So if you like it buy a good supply of it. I have several things including materials that I have done that with. Now I don’t worry about it anymore. Ron
Dark Brown Micro-Fibbets. I did locate a few in Ragins Flyshop, but they really aren’t as dark as I like. Did get a tip from Charlie. “Take a pemanent marker and make them any color you want”. Duh, cant believe I didnt think of that
[url=http://www.charliesflybox.com/:ca445]http://www.charliesflybox.com/[/url:ca445]
Then I’m not the only guy who cleans off the hook of materials in the fly shop when I find something I like.
Besides the discontinued issue, I also find that my local shops always seem to be out of stock when I need it; therefore I buy it all when it’s there. At a buck or two a bag it really doesn’t add up to much.
Another thing I’ve noticed besides the price increases is the “count”. With a lot of materials it seems like the quantity of stuff in the bag also keeps getting smaller and smaller. I have older packets of Fibbettes with a big clump of fibers that looks to be twice what I see in some bags in some fly shops.
I often wonder if they adjust the quantity to cover the flies they tie for the shop.
I have started to buy my materials in bulk for that exact reason. I have 3 or 4 rabbit skins of different colors for my dubbing, a 1 pound bag of wool in various colors for wings and underbodies (came in a two gallon ziplock, stuffed in tight), a 1 pound bag of natural maraboo (it came in a kitchen trash sack!) that I can dye whatever color I want, and three hungariun patridge skins ready to become softhackles. Other materials I end up getting in the normal size little bags, but when I do fall in love with some sort of material, i try to get it in as big a bag as I can.
You would be amazed at what you can find a a craft show! I purchase all the above mentioned materials at a craft show at the Puyallup Fair Grounds for less than $15 this past fall! I dont think I will ever use that much maraboo, but I will have fun trying!
Have fun, Jeff
Tis my time on the water, in the mountains, and in my driftboat where I can see things as they really are.
That is the biggest problem w/synthetics. They are a around for a while and then they are not. Even the once ubiquitous Antron is getting harder and harder to find. Deer hair, marabou and hare’s ear are still easy to get and proabably always will be. Synthetic materials have some nice qualities, but they “evolve”. One thing is replaced by another, you have to learn to let go.
My problem is that I do buy in bulk and have done so for years. When I finally run out of something, it’s been gone for years and years. When I ask about a beloved product in a local fly shop, the response is usually, “I haven’t seen that stuff since Carter was president.” “Billy Beer came out the same year that stuff was introduced.”
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 just experienced this same thing. I went to tie up some panfish nymphs from the chris helm panfish video. I have a couple of the colors but I was out of the red and black colors. Hareline used to distribute the stuff, it was called microbrite wire. Well, I found out they stopped carrying it three years ago.
I will probably just use ice dub and dub the body instead of using the microbrite but I would like to have the stuff still.
Any of you folks remember the old “Spectrum” dubbing? I found out the fellow that makes it was going out of businees do to a devorice and contacted him and bought a life time supply of it for a heck of a price.
For those that do not know this material, this is the dubbing that was first used to tie the No-Hackle style of flies. It is no longer made that I know of. I bought several bags of all the different colors and then bought the main colors used in bulk. Now when they plant me someone will get it and wonder what the Sam Hell this stuff was. LOL Ron
I believe this idea was written up many years ago as “Puyans’ Law”, named after Andre Puyans, they great tier from Calf. He was quoted as saying, “If you find a material you like, buy a lifetime supply, because it won’t be available again.” Words to live by, and my overstuffed flytying room in the basement is living proof. The other problem, though is materials which remain naturally abundant but fall out of favor. Take duck wing quills. I am hard pressed to believe that there is a world-wide shortage of white ducks, but I’ll be darned if I can find decent quills in all the dyed colors for the classic wet flies, which I am a fan of tying. Most of the stuff you get is either too small, too curled, has ragged edges, etc. Maybe if enough people get into these flies again, someone will breed some white ducks for this purpose.Two things I know: they’ll cost a bunch, and I’d better buy a lifetime supply, because they won’t be around for long.
[This message has been edited by Leighs522 (edited 17 May 2005).]
In reply to the question about micro-fibbets and paint brushes:
I don’t know the they’re the same thing but I can’t tell the difference. The paint brush bristles work fine for me and come in lots of different colors and much cheaper than fibbets.
China Bristled Paint Brushes, use the body hair of Chinese Boars. Later someone created similar item using man-made material and called them Micro-Fibbets, and made a fortune selling the stuff.
Ron