Sourcing Jungle Cock.

[Dave G. 0]

 

Every fly should be your best effort and plastic jungle cock eyes just have no place in fly tying.

Every fly I tie is tied for fishing, not for display. I don't care if it's not my "best effort" as long as a fish hits it and it makes it through several hits.

Plastic JC eyes worked just fine for me.

Do you also stay away from synthetic threads, adhesives and head cements, craft furs and synthetic hair?

 

Mike, those of us who don't like the fake JC eyes, just plain don't like them. It's as simple as that. I can speak for myself only, there are a few other materials I don't really care for as well but in the JC case, there is no substitute, IMO. You used to be able to buy little packages of the real eyes (I want to say Universal Vise put them out ), I tied my Gray Ghosts with those and then they were no longer available. So I bought a package of the fakes. I think I tied two flies with them, couldn't muster up the same excitement about the fly with those, so nixed the eyes or would just put in a slip of mallard flank. The fake JC eyes don't naturally blend fibers in with the feathers around them, they stand separated and look pre formed because they are. The package of fakes sat in my tying box literally for decades and I finally threw them out about 3 years ago, knowing I'll never use them..

 

It's just how it is and you certainly are free to do as you please. Tie em on there and go fishing, if that's what you have come to like !!

[flytire 0]

whats the big deal if someone wants to use real jungle cock vs the plastic substitute?

 

i would rather make them from other feathers than use the plastic ones

 

 

[johnnyquahog 0]

I vaguely recall using fake plastic JC eyes on a mickey finn. I'm guessing this was maybe thirtyfive or so years ago. I know now that the trout were laughing their fins off at the fly. Well anyway after several casts the plastic eyes start to fan out from the body and cause the fly to helicopter. The simple fix was to tear the eyes off and untwist the leader. I've seen some creative stuff done with hobby or fabric paint and feathers like the picture above.

[flytire 0]

just buy a few in the packages

 

[TheCream 0]

The packages I have seen online (and I recently looked prior to this thread) were, on average, a little more than a dollar per feather. Capes were in the range of $180+. I'm sure it's a wonderful luxury to have JC, but I don't have an unlimited/disposable income. I recently started tying a few feather wing streamers and bought some of the Pro Sportfisher synthetics. Works for me, and a whole lot of saved money that I can use on other, more important and needed materials.

[flytire 0]

My last jc cape was a grade c and $55 at a fly tying trade show

 

Very nice quality to boot

 

$$$ capes are for the museum tyers

[mvendon 0]

I would go the ebay route, BUT take your time if you don't know much about them before just snapping one up. Unlike hackle capes, there's lots of things to look for on a medium to good quality JC cape. The prices have gotten much better in the last five or ten years. The selection on ebay is usually pretty good. This cape sold a short time ago there. The same place had B grade capes too. It's a good example of a nice cape that has just about everything that you would want, nice and full, good color nails, not lots of splits, good size overall, complete cape with back feathers. It went for a little over $80.00 US, which is a pretty good price for the quality. It would have went for well over $100.00 ten or more years ago. You can find bargains over at ebay UK too. They sell quite a few partial capes that go for good prices just because everyone always wants a nice new complete one .

 

Regards,

Mark

[essequamvideri 0]

josephcsylvia

I have found A gentleman in northern Maine that has an amazing shop. I have purchased some capes and other material over the years. I finally had an opportunity to visit his shop this fall, I was completely amazed at the quality and selection he has. He grows his own roosters, sheep, and even Jungle Cock. I found it rather interesting.

 

One think that is a bit different, his internet is EXTREMELY slow because of where he lives.

His preference is that folks call him.

 

http://theriaultflies.com/aboutthefamilyfarm.html

 

Hope this helps in you search.

 

Michael

[Ed Gallop 0]

I raised Jungle Cock and it wasn't easy to obtain necks without splits, especially on the large nails. I found a solution with cement. I have used several different cements but epoxy was the most durable by far. Head cement will work fine, especially if you are not fishing the flies.

 

Put a drop on your finger, pinch then pull the nail to cover the back side. The feather takes shape when you pull it. You can't even see the cement or epoxy if you take your time and do it right. On large flies, such as saltwater flies, I did the same with epoxy. I have also used a thick CA glue (super glue) used to finish pens on a lathe, but it is way too fast drying and messy, even with surgical gloves. One feather on one finger and that is it. I used the easily managed head cement for display but epoxy for fishing flies. I sometimes epoxy the non split nails with a small applicator stick for a thin coat to make them a lot more durable.

 

If you have a neck with excessive split nails you should give cementing a try before disposing of them. It works. Very bad split nails may not even be worth it but with one to three splits it could save you a lot of money.

[josephcsylvia 0]

I would go the ebay route, BUT take your time if you don't know much about them before just snapping one up. Unlike hackle capes, there's lots of things to look for on a medium to good quality JC cape. The prices have gotten much better in the last five or ten years. The selection on ebay is usually pretty good. This cape sold a short time ago there. The same place had B grade capes too. It's a good example of a nice cape that has just about everything that you would want, nice and full, good color nails, not lots of splits, good size overall, complete cape with back feathers. It went for a little over $80.00 US, which is a pretty good price for the quality. It would have went for well over $100.00 ten or more years ago. You can find bargains over at ebay UK too. They sell quite a few partial capes that go for good prices just because everyone always wants a nice new complete one .

 

Regards,

Mark

something like that in that price is exactly what im looking for!, Ill keep my eye on ebay thank you

[Piker20 0]

Bransfordgame.com in UK breed JC and I have one of his £60 capes. So around $90 he does four other qualities below this one. I would suggest someone like him over an eBay one that you're not entirely sure what will arrive.