Crease fly question

[nu2trout 0]

I have been toying around with the idea of tying a crease fly. I have the materials, I think.

 

Should I put 5 minute epoxy on the outside of the foam or will something like hard as hull work?

 

can I get away with just using the foam or do I need some mylar for the outer coating?

 

Thanks

[TxEngr 0]

Many people use epoxy to coat the fly. I feel that this takes out some of the flexibility of the fly and makes it too heavy and not float right (I like mine to float). I use a couple of coats of Sally Hansen or other coating material that leaves some flexibility. You can use just the foam and use some coloring method like markers or spray paint and it will work just fine. A friend of mine takes his outside and uses light coats of spray paint to get the color he wants. I use BuzFoil to provide the appearance I want. It comes in silver, pearl, red, and many other colors and works great. I then use markers to get the appearance I want and then coat them. Seems to work great.

 

TxEngr

[jschmidt63 0]

I have used water based finished, available at craft stores, hard as nails and epoxy. I would say over I like the epoxy, prefer a very, very thin coat of 30 or 60 minute, just enough to cover but keep wait down. Also like the water base but take several coats and doesnt hold up as well as epoxy.

 

[KayakerStan 0]

2 weeks ago I watched Joe Blados and Glen Mikkleson tie up many different flies. While watching Joe tie his crease fly he used markers to color and blend into the foam. He then applied a very small amount of 30 minute epoxy at the head of the fly and used his finger to spread the epoxy all around the fly making a very thin coat. With some flies after applying the epoxy he sprinkled some very fine glitter. Also very important to put some epoxy inside the mouth of the fly.

[nu2trout 0]

Thanks guys, I am still playing with this pattern. My first attempt came out to yellow and soft, I guess my epoxy was not mixed well

[Betty 0]

The idea of the epoxy is to give the fly a second chance so to speak. A fly that is attached by CA glue is not strong and after tying hundreds of them I know they are not durable. I have had them last thru several bluefish hits if they stay outside the mouth, bass can crush them easily so they have a short shelf life. Using 30 or 60 min epoxy, as noted above, will keep the build up modest and should be applied by a brush or as Joe Blados does use your fingers. Some importan notes; after the body is attached to the hook (make sure you wrap the hook with thread and not smoothly creat a rough coat so the CA and foam hold better) pinch the back of the fly very tight and drop a few drops of MEDIUM CA glue donw the face to coat the inside of the body. A quick shot of KICKER (important: do not look down the mouth of the fly as the chemical reaction can cause the glue to "spit" and maybe hit your eye!) to seal the deal. MEDIUM works best here as it does not crawl thru the bucktail and cement your fingers together....I know about this one. As for the foil use on the foam I have found that printing companies have tons of the stuff on rolls in every color and holographic pattern you could think of see if you know a friend in the business...or search "Jones Tones" on the web and you can buy in bulk. I find white foam with marker, epoxy and glitter the easiest way and my imagaination goes wild....here's my "Flying Tiger" Crease Fly for a WWII Vet I know, a Crease Sluggo and Crease Fly plus a Crease Green Fly...I have too much time on my hands!

[nu2trout 0]

Thanks for the help. I will look into the stuff you mentioned. Some of that is over my head at this point, but I am learning as we go.

[agn54 0]

I have used water based finished, available at craft stores, hard as nails and epoxy. I would say over I like the epoxy, prefer a very, very thin coat of 30 or 60 minute, just enough to cover but keep wait down. Also like the water base but take several coats and doesnt hold up as well as epoxy.

 

 

 

This may be a stupid question, but how does 30 or 60 minute epoxy differ from 5 minute epoxy and why are they better to use on the foam bodies? Are they thinner than the 5 minute stuff?

[buggybob 0]

Longer working time so you can do several bodies at one time and the epoxy doesn't turn yellow over time (six months to years) if you don't use the flies right away.

[Betty 0]

Longer working time so you can do several bodies at one time and the epoxy doesn't turn yellow over time (six months to years) if you don't use the flies right away.

 

The five minute epoxy cures fast and becomes brittle then because of the sunlight it yellows....it yellows no matter what but faster due to the sun. The 30 and 60 minute epoxy cure slowly and are more flexible when brushed on creating a thinner coat. And as noted above they stay clear longer. I tye lots of Crease flys throughtout the year and consider them desposable.

[flycaster1953 0]

I have been toying around with the idea of tying a crease fly. I have the materials, I think.

 

Should I put 5 minute epoxy on the outside of the foam or will something like hard as hull work?

 

can I get away with just using the foam or do I need some mylar for the outer coating?

 

Thanks

 

I have made many without the Mylar. You can color them with art markers or lay a strip of mylar flash into a light coat of epoxy followed by you final coat.

 

Top coatings other than epoxy may work provided they don't eat into the foam which is not impervious to many products.

 

They epoxy also makes them tough as nails.

 

Plan on making three or four just to get familiar with the process.

 

You can Google Joe Blados and find a link to cutters for the foam if you really get into these.

 

There is nothing like an Albie chasing one of these down as you strip away as fast as you can. "Slammin"

 

Have Fun