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Fly Tying
FlatsRoamer

Preservation of Flies

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So really interested in how you guys "preserve" your flies..

 

When I change flies or clip one off for whatever reason, I put that fly into a ziplock bag and dry it up as much as I can. Then, with those flies in then bag I rinse them thoroughly with lukewarm freshwater from the sink. After that, I put them on a napkin and thoroughly dry them some more. If I can use it again, then it goes back into the box. If not, it goes into a bowl I call the "Fly Graveyard" where it will hopefully later be scrapped for the hook and eyes, even though I never do it haha.

 

That's my method, whats yours?

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If it's still usable I dry it on the boat or on my vest then it goes back in the box at the end of the day If the fly is beat to death but the hook is good I chuck them in a small container and when I pour lead I dunk them in the lead and burn everything off them and reuse the hook. Otherwise everything not servicible gets tossed.

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When I clip the fly off, I put it back in its fly box. When I get home I air out the boxes I know I used a fly from. I toss out the flies that look beat up and tie up some more. I try to reflect back why I used that fly and try to learn something from it based on the days catchin.

 

Bob

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When on a boat, I toss used flies into the cooler which washes off the salt. I then take them out at home, wash them off to make sure all salt, blood, alone, etc are off and then leave them on a paper towel to dry. If abused, I scrape them for the hook and eyes

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I am a little "off the beaten path" with this topic. Since almost all my fishing is done from a boat ... I have 6 or 7 rods rigged up and in the boat with me. I have about 6 patterns that I routinely use, so each rod has one of my favorite flies on it. Those are usually on that rod until I lose it to a fish, tree, snag or some other fly eating entity. Then I tie on a new one.

 

Every once in a while, NONE of my flies produce, and I get the urge to try one of the other few patterns I have. Or, when on the road, I have only one rod with me, and need to change flies like any other wading angler.

 

Since I don't have tens or hundreds of the same pattern tied up, I usually only have 6 to 10 of each fly. In my fly boxes, I always have one empty compartment. That's the one my wet flies go into. When I need to tie on a new fly, I look there first. If the pattern I want is one of those, it goes back on. Basically, it's not possible for me to have a fly that's been used sitting in the box while I have a newer identical tied on.

 

If I check that box, and a fly I want to use is there, but it's obviously rusted or unusable, it gets thrown away. I don't put any effort into "preserving" them, since I can always tie up some new ones if I run out.

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Usually put back in box, open when home airout/ dry , if it's tore up or any signs of wear I strip save hook , unless that's bent up

Tie up more Most of the materials get trashed after a few times in river , I just take my notes on what worked and tie up some more

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I have a foam patch with Velcro on the back that attaches either to the front of my sling pack if I'm using it or the front of my waders if I'm not using a bag. That collects all my flies over the day as I switch em out (I'm a chronic fly changer for no good reason.) When I get home, I put the ones in good shape back in the box and the trashed ones go in a pile for recycling.

 

I have a small box with flies that are some sort of milestone (first fish caught on a fly I tied, big brown I caught, etc.). Someday I'm going to find a way to really preserve those. Would be fun the suspend them in an acrylic paperweight on something...

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I'm old enough to have a "Fly Trap" that holds my flies for drying on my vest (I don't think they sell them anymore). This is a metal box with a flip-open front and a ripple foam pad that holds the flies. The "Fly Trap" is vented (holes on the sides of the box) so the flies can dry. When I remove my flies from the "Fly Trap", I first check for the sharpness of the hook and sharpen them if needed. If the fly is matted down, I steam them. The steam restores the fly to pretty much the original condition. The steaming also reveals any flaws in the fly.

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I put them in my cargo short pockets, where they usually get a bath and rinse with downy, and a hot air dry. At that point some of them are found in the lint screen by my wife and make it back into the box, while others stay in the pockets until I may reach for them in desperation since nothing else is working.

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I do the same thing, but use a Witzi knock off case to hold my used flies. When I get home, I fill it up with tap water, close the lid and shake vigorously.

 

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I use one of the Patagonia sling packs, I the from pocket it has a foam section you stick flys in when I take on of the go here to dry out and rarely ever make it back to the box.

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Wow, I never imagined anyone actually cleaned or cared for used flies, except in saltwater of course. I simply put used flies back in my box, although I may try and squeeze out a little water if they're wet. When they're beat up I toss 'em. In saltwater I keep used flies on a foam patch and rinse them in freshwater at the end of the day.

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