I hate using it. It is bulky and I don’t think it looks natural at all. I don’t really like fishing with foam flies and havent had any luck the few times I have used them (mostly hopper patterns for panfish). Anyone else have this view?
I very rarely have a problem with my dry flies sinking so the floatability of the patterns isn’t a plus for me. Anyone have any other benefits I am not seeing that would give me a reason to try them again?
I do use hard foam for poppers, but I am talking about the softer foam for tying onto the hook.
I’ve got a few flies I like to tie with foam. Some extended body green and brown drake dries and spinners in particular. The fish don’t seem to object to them too much and I think they are kind of fun to tie. I’m experimenting on a couple of beetle patterns using foam. It sure does hold up better for me than deer hair. I think it’s got it’s place and uses. I wouldn’t use it for every fly I want to float but I’ve got some around to use for those things I think foam works for and that I like to tie. Just my opinion.
I would be lost without my little yellow foam spiders for bluegills. Hands down the best gill fly out there, IMHO. Of course, I have tremendous faith in this fly, and I think that makes a big difference in how it’s fished. If I try a fly that I think is not going to work, I’m seldom disappointed in my results. If you have another fly that works better for panfish, then stop tying foam and use the other. No reason to put yourself through that exercise for no gain.
I like foam for foam flies such as foam beatles, Chernobyl Ants, Gurgle Pops, Crease Flies and Big Foam Bass Flies. I very seldom try to mix foam on other flies. Part of your frustration may come from the mixing process. Foam is bulkly and doesn’t always blend well with other material. Just my 2% of a dollar, I’m sure others will disagree. 8T
Im guessing he doesnt like foam…lol
The reason I am interested in foam flies is simple …it gives me yet another reason to ty a fly.
I am a newbie to tying and fly casting and I enjoy catching small bass and blue gills on the foam flies I have purchased as well as the ones I have tied to date.
Easy to use, floats forever without dressing, and available in amazing variations thanks to guys like Bill Skilton.
I use it for as many patterns as I can especially terrestrials but I also use it for both regular and extended bodied mayfly imitations. I have NEVER found anything that works as well and ties as easily. I also tie an EWC with a foam body that I call a “Foamie”. It works great on the rough and tumble brook trout streams I love to fish.
As far as natural looking…
…as long as the fish don’t mind; I could care less!
I have to agree with both of you. I don’t think that people who fish for brim and bass can get along without foam. It’s hard to beat a material that’s cheap, effective, indestructible and versatile. As you correctly point out, it’s also a very beginner friendly material. 8T
I kept it simple in my previous post but I agree with Bambozzle…in fact I’m continually looking for reasons to use it even in some subsurface flies ala the Boobie…
Also there was a thread recently saying nothing is new…depending how far you go back IMO foam is “new”.
Absolutely not! Foam is one the great modern innovations in fly tying. The stuffs works really well, because while it floats and does not soak water, it is also dense and sinks into the surface film just like many insects such as hoppers and stoneflies. I love tying and fishing with it. Plus it is a dirt cheap material, what’s not to like?
It isn’t that it is hard to tie with, I just don’t like the way flies look. I know I don’t count while fishing, but I can’t tie a fly that I don’t think is pleasing to the eye. Therefore I don’t fish with flies I think are ugly. It’s also hard to look at a fly on the water all day when all you are thinknig is, that is one ugly looking mess on my line.
As for durability and floatability, I don’t have problems with other materials so why change to a different material.
If anyone has any pictures of foam flies that don’t look like a kids toy with a hook in it please post it. Maybe it will change my view and I’ll give foam a second chance.
Flyrodde…this probably won’t help you much with your quandry… since you are talking panfish …but I think when talking salmonflies for trout…and hoppers…you can tie quite imitative flies…and as opposed to hair …it’s like Timex…they keep on ticking [floating].
a little while back i tied a stimulator, but for the body i used white and tan foam.
elk hair wing, and hackle still traditional, but used foam for the body.
it turned out nicely, of course we’ll have to see what the fish think.
Personally I don’t tie with foam, mostly for aesthic reasons ; meaning I just think they look odd to me. I know some people swear by them though.
Now, my personal predjudices aside, there is a fellow from the South Island (Stuart Tripney) who is a big foam fly guy. You asked if there was any reason to use foam aside from extra floatablity since your dries float fine. Stuart has a pattern that he calls the “Pogo Nymph”, and I think this might be something to consider as “here’s something you can’t do without foam”. The Pogo Nymph is basically a GRHE or PTN, but for the wing case he uses foam. Now, he ties this off the bend of a heavy nymph, that takes the whole rig down to the bottom. The foam wing case makes the pogo nymph bounce around as the rig drifts down current, as if on a pogo stick. I’m not sure how one could achieve the same thing without using foam while still maintaining the basic nymph shape (i.e. not tying on some nylone bags with styrofoam balls, like a booby fly).
speaking of the pogo nymph.
i tied an emerger a while back that i used foam for a wing case, the body hangs below and is only supported by the wingcase of foam.
pretty cool really.
