Guest Report post Posted October 18, 2003 I was just at walmart with my girlfriend. She wanted to go look at the christmas section to get wrapping paper (she'll forget where it is by christmas time) I was bored and looking around and lo and behold I saw it: A huge rack of flashabou!!! It's a little wider than I'd like, but will be great for bass and saltwater tyes. It is also the expensive holographic type. It came in 18 ikn shanks about 2 or 3 times bigger than the ones the fly shop sells. It came in silver, gold, red blue and a fleshy color. I got one of each except for the flesh. The best part of it all ONLY $.87 EACH!!!!! I got about 20 bucks worth of flash from teh fly shop for 3.60 at walmart!! HOORAY!! they also had large plastic bead chain for eyes for less than 2 bucks for 18 feet. Another bargain! well i just wanted to pass this along to yall. tight lines Dan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 18, 2003 Man I was just at Walmart, sounds like an awesome deal!!! I'll be sure to check and see if they have some at the local Walmart. Thanks for the info Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 18, 2003 You would be surprised at the tying material you can get from Wal-Mart or Jo Ann’s fabric, or even the Dollar store. Just recently I sent SmallieHunter a small piece of yarn that I have a skein of bought at Jo Ann’s (just great for ESL’s of leach patterns) 1.99 Christmas tinsel in all kinds of colors, Chenille Colored Feathers, Peacock sword tails At the Dollar Store beads, little boxes for flies, even envelopes for fly swaps. I don’t want to sound cheap or anything, but I don’t like to pay fly shop prices for anything if I don’t have to. Sorry Jim (I know you don't like to hear that) but I will say that there some things that theres no getting around buying at Fly Shopps and Fly tier supplys. OSD. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 18, 2003 Actually, did you know the guy who created flashabou was inspired by Xmas tinsel. Guess he was decorating the tree, and some of the tinsel fell. He noticed the way it fluttered, and the rest is history. Yeah, I still buy stuff at certain shops. BUT, I will warn you about this. Some of the feathers and materials you will find are NOT made to be put back into water. They are not steadfast colors. Not all of them, but quite a bit. Have watched feathers bleach out after a few casts. Some after a day or so. Just depends on how they dye the materials. But I myself buy some more "natural" colored stuff at the craft stores too. Just depends on how much cheaper it is. If it's about the same price I pay at my prices, I just buy them from the distributor. Give them my business. But when I was a "non pro" I did ALOT of scaveging. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 19, 2003 Dan D - Thanks for the tip. I make the rounds of the craft stores and Wal-Mart all the time (since the nearest flyshops to me in Lake Charles, LA are about 140 miles either east or west in Baton Rouge or Houston). The "fleshy" colored stuff was actually a holographic copper & gold which is what I was hoping for...it'll be killer on redfish flies. I figure I got off cheap yesterday, spent less than a total of $12.00 after visiting Michaels, Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby. Did have to resist the new collection of Krienik braid at Michaels to do that - just don't need the stuff (at the moment!) Mark Delaney Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 20, 2003 I just made it back out to Wal-Mart today and found the same deal that Dan D did, and I would guess that you get at least 100 18" strands for $.87. It's a little thick like Dan said but I just used it to tie up some Clousers and it works and looks awesome. I only got a few packs because I wanted to test it out first and now that I know it does the job I'm gonna head back up there and get a year's worth of the stuff. My favorite color is blue on one side of the tinsel and silver on the other Dan you get the "member of the day" award for hooking me up with that little tidbit. I'm not good at thinking of other sources for material like that besides at the fly shops, with that type of deal I'm gonna do a little scouting around! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 20, 2003 I've found the wide, heavy looking Christmas stuff works better in saltwater patterns than anything freshwater oriented. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 21, 2003 I found some cheap dubbing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tailgate77 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2003 I also found this bonus at Walmart. I also use embroidery yarn from Walmart. It comes in loads of colors and its cheap. Under .50 cents for 6 meters. I use it for Spratley bodies and under bodies for leetches etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 22, 2003 Dave Fix..I maybe wrong on this but my experience with Xmas tinsel is that it was not strong... have you actually tried to tear it apart... Unless they are making it differently. I have poured over crafts stores and found this to be the case... take the Xmas stuff and try tearing it..then the usual flashabou and compare.. The good stuff will streatch first before breaking but the Xmas stuff... tears quite easily. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 22, 2003 I believe that the tinsel they sell for christmas decoration will melt with head cement too. Mark, your michael's store stocks the kreinik ribbon? Mine only has the damn blending filament. John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 22, 2003 ridderbos - the Michael's stocks the Krienik braid in several sizes and lots of colors, but that is new for them...they don't stock any of the blending filament or Krienik threads...to get those you have to go the Hobby Lobby about 3/4 miles away. As for the Christmas tinsel, I've had no problems with it using Sally Hansen's as head cement. Some brands however, will curl and "wilt" if they get too hot (very common in the summer months here in Louisiana. I don't get upset about it, since I'll just tie a few more to replace what I need. Mark Delaney Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 22, 2003 John- I'm not referring to the super thin silver or gold mylar, I'm referring to the pearlescent thousand strand hank that's about two feet long; that's thicker than the fine 'tinsel' we actually expect to see on a tree. Tied in and coated with Sally Hansen or epoxy, it seems to work fine. Besides which - who'd use pearlescent plastic strips on a Christmas tree, anyway? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 22, 2003 My wife would! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted October 22, 2003 More cheap materal speak now or I will have them all. http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/sh...&threadid=50821 OSD. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
