Alternative material for shell backs?

[Guest]

Hello everyone, I am starting to tie sowbugs and scuds. I have went and bought the sowbug/scud dubbing and am now seeing there are quite a few patterns that are calling for all sorts of shell backs. Is there an alternative to having to buy a bunch of colors of shell backs? I have found a pattern that calls for plastic from a ziploc baggie. Now I have that.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully I will have one tied so I can post a picture of it before the end of the weekend.

 

Thanks

Jim

[flyboy 0]

Saltwater flashabou makes nice shellbacks. It's wider and stiffer than normal size flashabou. It comes in a variety of colors and it's wide enough to cover the back of most scud patterns. Plus there's enough material in a package to tie about a million flies.

[3wt 0]

 

Latex Glove works well!

 

 

[mozes 0]

You can use old audio tapes. There is enough material for MANY flies on one tape.

 

[3wt 0]

QUOTE (mozes @ Sep 25 2004, 06:38 AM)

You can use old audio tapes. There is enough material for MANY flies on one tape.

Now that's pretty inovative! Good one.

[B.C.TroutHunter 0]

Zip-loc bags and such also work great and are quite cheap

[tdeyette 0]

I tied this scud using plastic from some bubble wrap that I had laying around.

 

 

Tom

[SDHflyfisher 0]

i use krystal flash

[jlearsi67 0]

Swiss straw is my go to. The most interesting I have heard of are Brach's candy wrappers - something about that yellow color I guess.

 

Jay

[Guest]

Selafain wrap off cigarette packs

 

 

OSD.

[GlobalFisher 0]

I have been using some flashabou for the shellbacks, looks very good when you apply epoxy over it, like "Loons Salt Water Skalze". I should try using the ziplock, thats a good idea.

[Guest]

Lots of materials to use. Endless as your imagination, as you can see from above posts. I use the plastic baggy myself alot. But also use alot of edgebrite, and similar materials as well. Depending on how big I'm tying and what effect I want.

[artimus 0]

I've used the 'noisy' grocery bags. I cut it into strips twice as wide as what I need and then pull it. It stretches out and becomes very strong and shiny.

 

Art

[Guest]

Thanks guys I appreciate all the help on this. I was thinking maybe they were calling for specific materials for a specific effect. If that makes sense.

 

Thanks alot

Jim

[Guest]

I save the bags that my stuff is sold in, the bags that they hang off the rack in, and use them.