flyline64

I usually tie them in smaller sizes (to imitate size 12-18 mayflies); I use Tiemco 2487 and 2488 for those sizes. For larger sizes, I use the Tiemco 200R--sometimes as is, sometimes bending the hook about 1/3 way down the shank, which makes it closer to the Partridge Klinkhammer hooks.

For big CDC feathers (they may be goose cdc) try the "super select" CDC from TCO in Pennsylvania: TCO Fly Shop (Make sure you order their "super select" cdc ($5 per pack)) These are actually larger than I like for using whole feathers, but sounds like what you are looking for. If you strip the strands for your tying, these will serve you well

I agree with the majority above--I just use a whip finish (or half hitches), no head cement. I think the small gain in durability is outweighed by the risk of affecting flotation. Occasionally, on large, bushy dry flies, I'll put a tiny bit of super glue on the whip finish.

Nice fly. The only slight quibble I have is that the hackle may be a wee bit long for that size fly. Just my opinion--I doubt it would make it less effective (and it will make it more stable).

I use an exacto knife and straight edge; I use scissors only if the piece is small like the wing case on a copper john. But your double razor method undoubtedly produces better results since the lines are perfectly parallel.

I agree with the initial post here--craft store feathers are generally not of high quality. However, plenty in craft stores, particularly synthetics, are good quality (often identical to what fly shops sell) in large quantities at low prices. One example: EZ Shape Sparkle body, which sells for $4 a bottle in fly shops, appears to be nothing more than Polymark brand fabric paint with sparkle, which sells for about 79 cents in craft stores. If you want to pay 400% more for the same thing, you certainly can. I won't. (The EZ Shape comes in more colors with sparkle than the Polymark. There are many more "flat" Polymark colors, without sparkle.) Here's a website selling 8 of the Polymark sparkle colors (at .99 per bottle) polymark sparkle

Good tip--sheet foam is one of the best buys among tying materials found at craft stores. You can also sometimes find thicker sheets, though usually in only in a few colors.

I got the Polymark at a Michael's store in New York City. However, based on only limited experience, the stock in Michael's is not always the same from one store to another. (I have also seen it at a Wal Mart in Norwalk CT, but they had a smaller selection.)

Well, as I understand it, zelon is no longer made, or, if it is, it is only sold in fly shops. Blue Ribbon Fly Shop has the best selection (regular, fine, straight all in many colors). Antron is carpet fiber, and I don't know what it is currently used in. Aunt Lydia's Sparkle Yarn was made from Antron, though it apparently is now made from something else (the Antron version of the Sparkle Yarn was Lafontaine's preferred material for his deep sparkle pupa and emergent sparkle pupa). (I foolishly threw out giant skeins of the old stuff in more than half a dozen colors, thinking I would never use it, though I kept a few yards of each.)

Hey Flyline64 how hard is the Polymark to work with? Great idea btw. Just as hard (or easy) as the EZ Shape Sparkle Body. My experience is limited. For me, pretty easy to put eyes on, tougher to get larger areas uniform--such as two-tone sand eel bodies. (Here's a youtube video on tying the sand eel.) It appears the EZ Shape is just re-labeled Polymark sparkle fabric paint, though the EZ Shape comes in more colors with sparkle than the Polymark. (There are many more "flat" Polymark colors, without sparkle.) Here are photos of the two:

I almost always twist it, usually around a strand of thread for support. If not, I usually run the thread up and back through the wrapped herl in widely spaced loops.

I buy things from craft stores that fly shops have at a much higher price, as well as things fly shops don't carry. I see nothing wrong with that. It is called competition--the basis of our entire economic system. If fly shops can only survive by overcharging customers on synthetic materials (which is mostly what we buy at craft stores--the feathers and such are typically poor quality) then they have a business model that isn't viable long term. For example, you can find small bottles of fabric paint with glitter--from a manufacturer called Polymark--that is EXACTLY the same as EZ Shape Sparkle Body. The only difference is the Sparkle Body is about $3.95 per bottle, the fabric paint is less than $1. If anyone wants to pay 4 times the price for the same thing, they certainly can. I won't.

This raises a question I've had for a long time. Why do beginners tying classes always teach "standard" hackling with rooster hackle (what we sometimes call catskill sytle) when fewer anglers actually use these flies anymore? I realize you are teaching techniques, not filling a fly box, but why teach a method that has largely fallen into disuse. (In the beginners class I took, we spent a fair amount of time on this, but I can't remember the last time a fished a "catskill" style dry or saw a friend use one.) In my opinion, wet fly hackling and parachute hackling are more important to teach these days.

First, those are big "IFs". They won't be using the "same" steel, since it will presumably be made in China (hard to imagine they will make the steel in Norway and ship it to China). Will it be up to the same standard as before? Similarly, I don't assume they are shipping all the equipment to China either. Finally, the "other factor" is the one I mentioned before--quality control. Even if the product is the same, if there are more mistakes in manufacturing and/or mistakes that aren't weeded out and corrected, the consistency will suffer. I've previously found Mustad's quality control slightly lower than the premium brands like Tiemco. I've gotten packs of Mustad hooks with one or two without an eye. Never had that happen with Tiemco or Dai Ichi. Will the frequency of that kind of problem increase? We'll see.

Sorry Royal Wulff, this is the fly tying board, not the "we are so politically correct, we're afraid to discuss a foreign country for fear we might offend someone board." If you think something specific in any post here is offensive or off-topic, by all means alert the moderator. If not, please don't tell others what fly tying subjects we should discuss--personally I find that very offensive.

Sorry, but I don't think it is political or offensive for a customer to be concerned about the quality control of products made in a developing country--including China. If you don't think quality control in China is a legitimate concern, ask the parents of 50,000 children who got sick from bad infant formula there in the last few weeks. The head of national quality control was forced to resign. Do Norwegian (or American or German) companies sometimes have similar problems? Of course, but not as often. That is simply a historical and economic fact of development and industrialization. Japan once made cheap toys and radios. Now they make some of the highest quality and most technologically advanced products in the world. As for hooks, I'll stick to Tiemco--made in Japan. I hope that isn't considered political or offensive.

For what it's worth, though I recommended the Feather Craft herl above, I should also note I bought mine from Feather Craft more than 5 years ago. I can't say if their herl is the same quality today, and several others above indicate it may not be.

I second the recommendation of Feather-Craft. I have some of their peacock herl, along with some from one of the major distributors (which I use when appearance isn't critical). The difference is stark.

A couple of large foam sheets (I use light blue or tan, depending on the fly color) will do the job at minimal cost.

I think this post belongs somewhere other than a fly tying board.

I've never used the veniard or fly dye (or kook aid)--only RIT. I think these work pretty well, but if you are demanding about exact colors you may need to experiment a bit with mixtures and dying times. For me (and I think for the fish as well) close enough is fine. Dying can save money when you are only tying a small batch of an odd-color and don't want to buy a whole new (neck, cape, patch). A couple of tips: use disposable roasting pans, rubber gloves and apron, and be sure to cover all surfaces with newspaper or other protection. Also I find disposable chopsticks are useful for stirring and turning the material.

FYI, if anyone wants to do a google search, its "Galloup". Also, he has a DVD for tying streamers (and a separate one for fishing streamers) that might show this fly. His Sex Dungeon is probably on the disk, since it is well known.

I think some of the problems with super glue can be avoided by using the kind with a brush on applicator. The brush is too big for anything but very large flies. It can be cut down, but instead I like to touch a pin to the brush, then use the pin to put a tiny drop of super glue on the head. With so little glue, there is no absorption into dubbing or hackle, but the threads are sealed tight.

For anyone looking to buy a whip finish tool, spend the extra money and get the original and still the best. I also like the matarelli bobbin holders, with their nice, thin tubes, though I use several other brands too.

I would add Fly Rite Poly II to my previous list. Besides being the original recommended dubbing for the Klinkhammer, I like it for all larger dry flies (say 14 and up). Dubs easily and comes in a very wide variety of colors, including some that are hard to find in other brands, such as claret.