I recently got back into Flyfishing and tying and have run up against two problems (so far).
Firstly, I bought some new materials and tyed some foam backed flies, (a wolly worm with a craft foam wing case) and I expected them to float. Well, most of them don’t. I tied some 4’s for bass and they did, but the 10’s & 12’s did not. The bodies were of peacock hearl with a red fur tail and the sink rate was significant. I, obviously, did not weight the fly. If I make the wing case bigger, to give it more floatation, I think it would make the profile too large. Any ideas?
Secondly, I did not buy any Furry Foam on my shopping trip, since I had some in a plastic envelope. But when I tried to use it, it fell apart in my hand. Does Furry Foam have a shelf life, or did I do something to it (too much heat etc) to make it destruct?
You don’t mention what fur you used for the tail, but that may be adding to your problem. The only material you have on the hook that floats is the foam. You might try using some red deer hair for the tail and underbody of the fly. This might help with the flotation problelm.
In order:
The fur is labled Streamer Hair by Wapsi and I use only a tiny bit for the tail.
The hooks are Mustad 3665A. It is a fairly light hook, though it does have a turned down eye.
The body is Peacock herl, and yes I am using the 8X11 craft foam. It is not compressed at all except at the two points where it is tied in.
The hackle is wet hen hackle.
The thing that still gets me is that I tied the same fly in a 4, the only difference is a yarn for the body and it floats. I just can’t figure out why the 10s and 12s don’t.
I will try to increase the size of the foam to the point where it floats the fly and see how much it upsets the proportion I was trying to accomplish.
I would use the suggested lighter hook,and wrap the body with a thin piece of foam first,then the herl.Just dont wrap the foam tightly,or you offset the merits of closed cell foam.
The smaller flies sink sooner because of the decreased surface area.If you ever fished midges,compared to a #12 march brown,they sink like a rock.Too much metal,not enough material.
Good luck,CJ
I think you said you were useing Furry Foam…Furry foam is great on crayfish flies…as it is designed to absorb water it is not a closed cell foam,Rather an open cell…and adds little floation by nature…
“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
Bill,
I am using Craft foam for the floaters but also asked about a 7 year old piece of furry foam (non floating) that disintigrated when I tried to take it out of the plastic envelope. I got an email from a fellow named Ray whom I assume read my post explaining how most plastic is made with elements to make it soft and after time it makes it too soft.
I spent some time on my ponds today and the weather is so hot all I got was lookers for both dry and wet flys. One 2lb bass took a liking to a rubber spider but that was it. I am looking forward to the spring when I can go to Casey Creek, about 1.5 hours away and fish for stocked trout. It is not New England but it is the best I can do for now.
That’s pretty much what Ray said in his email. The plasticizer being sealed in the ziplock just ate the foam. I recently bought a plastic file cabnet storage at the Office Max and now store my materials in it. Still in the ziplocks, but the foams and rubber stuff is just in the drawer.
BG Budd,
You prompted me to do a check of the furry foam I bought not long after I started tying,Which has always been stored in it’s orignal Bags.
And I find no probs with it,It’s gotta be atleast 12 yrs old…I hav’nt found a use for it in many years,as my crayfish patteren requires only two ingredients Rabbit fur and fox squirrel Tail…and is the only crayfish patteren I carry these days…
I think I may just host a swap for em,if for no other reason than to share my patteren …
“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