Got this idea from some of the materials I have laying around. Swap is simple: take one material that you have more than enough of and submit it to the swap. It can be a specific feather (pheasant, turkey, duck etc.), a specific hide (rabbit, deer, beaver, mink, fox etc.), material (thread, hooks, brass beads, glass beads, etc) foam, yarn, … anything you have in abundance.
The amount you submit is up to you but try to keep it smallish. Swap will be for 10 people. To give an idea of the dollar amount worth of materials keep it between $5-$7 altogether. This is just a suggested amount; you can give more or less. I’m worried that some will think they have to get rid of more than they want. If you have, say, 30 Turkey Tails – you could submit 9 tails rather than all 30. Every person would get a turkey tail and you in return would get 9 different materials.
Sign up deadline is July 3. Materials are due July 31. Please send a large return envelope, postage paid, along with your name and what you have submitted. Also, when you sign up, please include what you will be submitting in the swap. PM me if you have any questions. Send 9 sets of materials, 10 if you want want back for yourself. Please only submit one type of material.
I’ll offer a matched set of duck wing quills in slate color for each swapper. to ensure everyone gets a similar size set, they may be mallard or widgeon.
I’d like to join in with some hot pink rubber stretch. This is good for making ribbing, legs (salt water flies anyone?), or a bit of attraction for those bright salmon/steelheads.
Sounds like fun. I just picked up a good number of rabbit hides (natural-grey, snowshoe-white, and gray/red mix) . More rabbit-fur strips than I could ever use! I’ll add 2 or 3 (depending on how much I can get out of it) rabbit-fur strips for each swapper roughly 10-12" in length and probably 1/2-3/4" in width. That could provide each swapper with a good number of zonkers, “Bunny Buggers” or leeches and whatever else you like! Or shave em and blend your own dubbing!
All the materials have arrived, they have been sorted and packed in their respective return packages. Thanks to all who participated. I’ve included some beads and peacock herl for you to play with. Packages will be sent out tomorrow. If it’s not too much trouble, please let me know when you packages arrive. Again, thanks for joining.
Got my stuff today. Good looking materials guys. Here’s an idea, come up with a fly using all or most of what was swapped, and post a photo. Let’s see what we can concoct. Thanks Greg for a fun swap.
Played with some of the materials yesterday and came up with…something. Doesn’t really look like anything, but does look buggy. Nope, no pictures but used the mallard quill biots as a tail (Stonefly or Prince Nymph style), dubbed a body from the rabbit-under fur with a peacock herl thorax. Used the green rubber strectch as legs (only one on each side) tied in at the thorax slanting back toward the tail, and then added a deer hair wing-caddis style. I’m sure I’ll catch fish with it–those little BG’s will take anything, but I doubt it would fool a seasoned trout. It was tied on a size 14 hook (I forget the style) with red thread. I just could figure out what to do with those tiny beads…
You guys tired anything yet?
I’m glad everyone got their materials. The idea of tying something using the materials sounds fun. I’m so busy right now I don’t have time to experiment. Wildone, your pattern sounds enticing. Thanks again everyone.
I just started fishing a new river here. The Olentangy, which has a good population of SMB. It is full of little crawdads and last night at the bench, playing with all this new material I got something going. Give it a try if ya like.
Hook: Daichii sz 6, 4x
Thread: Brown
Eyes: Gold bead chain (tied just above barb)
Claws: Deer hair (wrapped 3/4 of the way up)
Head/Thorax: Hare dubbing on a loop (cover the deer hair butts, then a couple wraps behind the bead chain)
Body: Rabbit strip cut cross-wise and trimmed short
Legs: peacock herl (2 to a side)
Tail: Dub up the hook eye
I have since, thought of a few changes that may be nice. Adding either the rubber stretch for antannae or for legs and herl for antannae and adding a deer hair tail sticking out past the eye. I may try a few tonight like this. When I do and find one that looks good I’ll post a picture. I’m sure that there are plents of patterns out there that use these ideas, but since it came from my own head, I’m calling it the 'Tangy Craw. Any ideas where I could add some from the duck feathers? Anyone else got a chance yet to tie?