Last night I was looking at some lanyards online. I happened to be looking at a very decorative one with many fancy beads on it when my daughter happened to be strolling by the computer. She and her sister are avid beaders, and this one caught her eye. She said “I can make you one of those”. When your 14 year old non fisherman takes any interest in dad’s hobby, one should jump right on this 
. Having never owned one, my question is what are they made of? Some appear to be made of a rather stiff material, while others appear to be just string.
Maybe not exactly what you were looking for but here’s one…
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part71.html
Wayne
Thanks. I should have known the answer would be right here all along.
.080 inch diameter weed whacker line works too. heres one
cut the line to 36 inches long
crimp one end with electrical splice
string it up
finished lanyard
heres another
i want to add that the latest ones i make are using the cord locks shown above to make the lanyard a quick release in case the lanyard gets snagged on something. i also add a badge clip in the center of the lanyard so you can clip the lanyard to your shirt and it wont hang in the way when releasing a fish.
by the way, these are very comfortable around your neck. if youve never wore one you cant say they are uncomfortable.
Normand,
Thanks for those excellent pictures, and explanations. I believe a hardware store/craft store trip is to be included in today’s plans.
Normand: Could you use a length of fly line to make a lanyard? A lot of us have an old line around soemwhere.
Tim
I thought about the fly line idea as well. I like the idea of the stiffer trimmer line material though. I think the ability to hold the round shape would keep the things dangling from it better separated. I know I am going to do some experimenting to find out.
Any time you put something around your neck you create a potential ‘noose’. Commercial lanyards have a ‘weak link’ built into the system to allow your neck to break free in the event of an accident. Those of us that make our own lanyards should be adding a weak area just in case, the tensile strength of weed wacker cord, light wire or even fly line is enough to hang you if it gets caught in the wrong place.
My lanyard is made from 1/8" dia. nylon cording, for a weak link I simply cut the cord and spliced it back together with some heat shrink tubing. A strong steady pull will seperate the cords.
If you have access to some Neoprene, or tube foam (which I can’t seem to find) You can use that on the back side of the lanyard, to stiffen it up and make it more comfortable on the neck. You would have to cut a strip of Neoprene then sew it into a tube shape. If i had an old pair of neoprene waders laying around…that would do quit well. Just another idea for recycling materials.
yes but please use some sort of quick release when assembling your lanyard
Normand’s lanyards are very well made and very functional. I have the honor to own and use one of his most of the time I am out fishing. Thanks again Normand. It is a pleasure to have the one I have. John
Consider Normand’s advice on a release on the lanyard. I for one have no desire to be strangled, either intentionally or unintentionally, by a nifty flyfishing gadget, which is why I never use a lanyard. I wouldn’t, personally, use fly line, backing, heavy mono, parachute cord, bootlace, or anything else with a breaking strength of more than a few pounds.
Make sure that the breaking strength of the lanyard is LESS than what it would take to cut off your air, if you happened to fall down and get it caught on a branch.
They make magnetic connectors for necklaces, which might work.
I have simply tied an overhand knot on each end of the line so the ends slide on each other so it is adjustable…seemed more of an issue with my duck call lanyards.
Someone in another thread mentioned using the rubber tube from an eyeglass holder for the back of the neck area. I have not been able to find a good source for any sort of tube…anyone have sources?
Also I see more and more interesting and suitable beads e.g. at Wal-Mart…remember to consider the size of the hole relative to what ever cord you use…I’ve been known to drill out beads that I particularly wanted to use.
Tangle-free decoy line makes a nice source for cord.
Home-made lanyards make a nice gift for a guide whose work you particularly appreciated. 8)
heres one i just made 5 minutes ago. hopefully osha approves
please provide some kind of quick release.
ive been using the weed whacker one for quite a few years and have never hung myself yet. i try to wade carefully.
please make and use lanyards at your own risk.
For the back area of the neck, you could use surgical tubing easily obtained from a surgical supplier or even some pharmacies.
My kids have a few of these magnet stones from a museum gift shop that REALLY stick together. I am thinking of using a couple of these as a connector.
I made mine with a craft lace called RexLace.
It worked really well,Except I seem to have lost my lanyard. 
(nothing fly fishing related was clipped on it when it was lost in the house though.)
At some point, you’re going to have to string those beads onto the cord. Will it be “two light, one dark, two light, etc.” or “three dark, one light, two dark, one light, one dark, one light, etc.?”
While you’re considering the aesthetics, there’s also a “practical” consideration. After I made mine – and this was entirely by accident – I discovered each of the darkest wooden beads were exactly three inches apart. In addition to a practical tool and tippet holder, I had inadvertently created a nifty measuring device for photos.
I used malin titamium leader (60lb) for mine http://www.malinco.com/fishing/boa.html I made a double loop for extra stiffness, but i think next time I would use a triple. I got the neoprene for the back from an old pair of gaiters, and added an aligator clip from the hardware store at the bottom to clip to my shirt. I’m pretty happy with it, but might use a few less beads on the next one?
Not to Hijack this thread or anything :? but I notice that some people who have posted picts (here and on other sites) hang their hemostats by the handle from a swivel, do you remove it from the swivel to use it on a fish or just bend over real far. or do you take the lanyard off? I have a small piece of leather on a swivel attached to my lanyard and just clamp the hemostats on it. I take them off when I need them and re clamp them.
Just curious
Eric