Fake JC

[RogueFlies 0]

I'm curios as to if anyone has ever used these imitation jungle cock eyes from wapsi? I love the look of JC, but a broke college student like myself can't drop that kind of dough on just one patch of hackle.

 

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/ti-rite-imitation-jungle-cock-eyes

[Meeshka 0]

My JC cape is over 30 years old and a lot of the larger nails are now split. They still function well for fishing flies. If I am tying a presentation fly I have bought some individual "select" nails in packs of 5 pairs, large, medium, and small - much cheaper then buying a select cape if you can even find one. However I have not seen these individual packs on the market for a while. I am not a fan of immitation JC nails

[FlaFly 0]

There was a long discussion about these things about 3 or 4 months ago. Some are using Guinea fowl feathers for the purpose. I think there was also an article posted about how to make your own fakes. Seems preferable to me than paying for them.

 

P.S. I've never used any of them since I don't tie that kind of fly

[flytire 0]

Real thing for me

[FlaFly 0]

The problem is that there are tyers, like myself, who don't tie hundreds, or even dozens, of flies that use JC or any other specific material for that matter. I tie a few of whatever I'm interested in and then move on to something else. Thus I don't need to have hundreds of JC feathers, and certainly don't want to pay for them. If I want to simulate an eye on a streamer, I'm more likely to make my own.

[Frank G. Swarner III 0]

Couple of other options:

 

http://www.prosportfisher.com/index.php/flytying-materials/synthetics/pro-jungle-cock-hd

 

http://hareline.com/fj.html

 

Ebay has jungle cock capes from $28.00 and up

[Adam Saarinen 0]

I bought fake jc once, i know axacly where they are too! But the misses has junk in the way, so i can't say right now what brand they are, used one pair & didn't like them at all! There was a brilliant idea about making them with maybe partridge? On this forum, FlaFly posted many times in that thread if it helps!?!

[flytire 0]

there is NO SUBSTITUTE for the real thing!

 

ok then make them

 

 

use starling

 

 

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=21739

 

http://www.mudhole.com/Imitation-Jungle-Cock-Feathers

 

http://www.cascadecrest.com/Imitation-Jungle-Cock-p/292.htm

[flytire 0]

I'm curios as to if anyone has ever used these imitation jungle cock eyes from wapsi? I love the look of JC, but a broke college student like myself can't drop that kind of dough on just one patch of hackle.

 

 

do these flies you are tying absolutely need jungle cock eyes for fishing? museums yes, fishing probably not.

 

youll probably spend more money buying the necessary materials to make the fakes when in the long run it would have been cheaper just to buy a package with a dozen pairs of feathers

[Dave G. 0]

I tried painting some small black feathers, ok in a pinch. But as mentioned, Ebay has some pretty nice ones. I found when you hit

$38-$45 there certainly are good ones available for fishing flies or even a bit better than that and one purchase could give the average tyer pretty close to a lifetime supply .

 

The fake ones look lousy, especially the plastic ones.

 

That said, I've caught many a fish on Grey Ghosts that had no JC on them LOL !

[vjc 0]

Bought the "pro" imitations. Not so hot. When you take them off the backing some of the paper pulls out with it and makes a little white fuzzy end that you have to cut off. It's easy to clit too much and ruin it. Besides, they don't look that good, contrasted to the natural components they look fake and out of place. And they aren't cheap at $12 a pack, three packs and you could getthe real thing.

[mikechell 0]

When I first got my fly tying kit, it had the plastic Jungle Cock in there. I didn't know what they were for, so I used them to make bright spots on the flies I tied. Now, decades later, I know WHERE those bright spots are supposed to be.

 

Anyway ... they tied on easily, they were very tough and outlasted most other parts of the fly. I don't know if they helped me catch fish ... but I did like the way they looked where I tied them in.

[phg 0]

I have to agree with most of what's been said:

1) There is no substitute for real Jungle Cock

2) Jungle Cock isn't necessary. Flies tied without it work just fine.

 

I have some, but I waited over 50 years to buy it. Now I can afford it, and it's nice to have, but when you are starting out, don't bother. There are better uses for your limited resources. Leave something for the future.

[RogueFlies 0]

I personally just love the look of them and would like to start branching out to the traditional salmon flies patterns. After checking ebay, they're not extremely high priced. I am a little concerned just because it's ebay, but I might try and snag one for a cheaper price just to see how it goes, I don't need perfect JC nails, but I do like the look personally. At the end of the day I guess it's really up to the fish haha

[Dave G. 0]

I personally just love the look of them and would like to start branching out to the traditional salmon flies patterns. After checking ebay, they're not extremely high priced. I am a little concerned just because it's ebay, but I might try and snag one for a cheaper price just to see how it goes, I don't need perfect JC nails, but I do like the look personally. At the end of the day I guess it's really up to the fish haha

Just buy from the good sellers with lots of user ratings and high score. You should be fine. Also guys here can recommend who those individuals are, I forget off hand. But there are guys there at ebay with literally thousands of good sales in this category.