Pearsall's silk

[Gene L 0]

I've got about 20 spools of this stuff.  I got it about 10 years ago, in many different colors.  I haven't used it much.  Any suggestions on what do use it for?

[Sandan 0]

Nice haul. You could send it all to me. In lieu of that. Soft hackles, like Partridge and yellow, purple, etc.  In fact I don't see why you couldn't tie any type of fly with your Pearsalls. Smaller than 20s might be too small for the weight of the thread. I'm assuming you have gossamer. Corded up you can get a nicely segmented look 

[chugbug27 0]

Soft hackles and flymphs make good use of a silk thread just imo

[chugbug27 0]

Ah, Sandan beat me to it 

[niveker 0]

1 hour ago, Gene L said:

I've got about 20 spools of this stuff.  I got it about 10 years ago, in many different colors.  I haven't used it much.  Any suggestions on what do use it for?

Considering they aren't making it anymore and the loyal following it has, I've seen single, new spools of Gossamer selling for up to $40, depending on the color. 

I'd sell it.  

[johnnyquahog 0]

Or... you could purchase a nice set of ferruled bamboo blanks and use it for trim wraps and wrapping snake guides on.  I'm trying to recall if it is the purple or orange or both colors that are scarce.

[Sandan 0]

2 hours ago, chugbug27 said:

Ah, Sandan beat me to it 

I was up early today😉

[Gene L 0]

I checked out my stash...it's not all Gossamer.  A lot of just floss.  Sorry about that.  I'll hold on to the silk in case I get to tie some spiders.  Recount, about 18 rolls.  One was stored with a bunch of floss, and the label came off, so I'm not counting that one.  Wow...$40 a spool,  hunh?

[Mark Knapp 0]

I know, you could tie flies with it! 😄

[vicrider 0]

Until I read through my first thought was soft hackles (Northern Spiders) bodies with the thread. I also have several rolls and also a few rolls of the Floss. Personally, I don't like the floss as well as some other floss I bought for a classic streamer swap. Unraveling the floss is the only way I like it.

[Gene L 0]

I tried tying a fly back a few years ago with silk, but I have been ruined by 8 0 and 14 0 threads.  And realistically, I don't tie spiders and don't trust them.  So I'll probably sell the lot.

[niveker 0]

44 minutes ago, Gene L said:

So I'll probably sell the lot.

I'll give you $7 a piece, delivered.  

Joking, of course.  I like to tie spiders with silk, doubt it makes a difference to the fish, but rather as a small head nod to tradition, but I use the less expensive Kimono 100. 

[WWKimba 0]

You can tie with various threads and get a good DRY look to the fly BUT the wet look is what counts (never have hooked a jumping fish!).  Fish live in water and various waters have differing chemical makeups.  The silk reacts with the water changing color.  Simply tie a Partridge and Orange and look at it under the water, it's no longer orange but is a value of olive and that olive can change from water to water.  Where I grew up there was a marl pond on one side of a hill and the Chicago Bog on the other side.  You can't get much different than from a very basic (high Ph) marl pond to an acidic bog.  And the orange silk changes towards olive in each case.

So ALWAYS check your tied pattern in water after it is tied to truly see what the fish see.

Kim

[flyflinger 0]

Lots of ideas can be found in any of Sylvester Nemes' books on soft hackled flies.  He was a gentleman genius . . . always had time to teach folks techniques.