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Chase Creek

Ideas Wanted

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I'm teaching tying as part of the Fly Fishing Boy Scout Merit Badge. They must tie 2 flies as one of the requirements. The two flies I decided on are the Wooly Bugger and Mickey Fin. My question is this - We only have 50 minutes to tie both flies, and that's starting with the real basics; how to attach the thread to the hook, etc., so to streamline the tying process, I have put the components for one fly (hook, materials) in a small zip-loc bag (from JoAnne's Fabric Store). The Wooly Bugger is not a problem.But how would you package the calf tail material without it getting all mixed up? All the material is cut to length, and the calf tail is divided into the necessary sized bunches for one fly. It can't be an involved process, cuz I need to assemble over 100 packages for each pattern. Any suggestions?

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Rather than doing all that cutting and gathering and binding together of individual bunches of hair, why not arrange your students so that they're sitting in small groups. Instead of making a baggie for each individual student, make "group baggies" containing enough hooks for however many students will be in each small group. 1 spool of tinsel, and one small piece of bucktail (or calf tail if that's what you're using) that has enough hair for however many in the group. It would save you time, and save whoever is paying for the materials some money.

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I think you are pushing it by trying to tie 2 flies in 50 minutes. This is especially true if they are going to use a whip finishing tool. That alone will take 15 minutes for some to master. Just tie the bugger and use half hitches to finish it. The ones that finish early can help the slower ones.

 

If you insist on tying the Micky Finn and having the hair cut exactly to length, you have a problem. Instead, I would have each bundle of hair a little long and dip the base ends bundle in melted wax or hot glue. Have the kids cut the bundles to the proper length. Better yet, select a different fly or stick with just the woolly bugger.

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I think you are pushing it by trying to tie 2 flies in 50 minutes. This is especially true if they are going to use a whip finishing tool. That alone will take 15 minutes for some to master. Just tie the bugger and use half hitches to finish it. The ones that finish early can help the slower ones.

 

If you insist on tying the Micky Finn and having the hair cut exactly to length, you have a problem. Instead, I would have each bundle of hair a little long and dip the base ends bundle in melted wax or hot glue. Have the kids cut the bundles to the proper length. Better yet, select a different fly or stick with just the woolly bugger.

 

I agree with the above. Two flies in 50 minutes for absolute beginners is going to be really tough.

 

And I have seen a tip where you pre-stack a bundle of hair and glue the butts together.

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Two flies for me ... in one full hour ... would be tough. I think you had another thread where we talked about this, but a different part of the process. It's a camp ... can't you do one hour one day, then a second hour the second day ... one fly each?

Anyway, that's not the question you have.

 

The mickey fin can be tied with synthetic. Buy a paint brush. The ends are already matched, and you can cut a little off for each tier as they are ready for it.

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A foam fly could be an easy thing to teach them. Just strips of foam, some type of chenille such as cactus chenille or Estaz to wrap over the tied in foam, fold the foam strip over the top of the wrapped body and tie down and clip off the strip leaving it a protruding over the hook eye a little. They could even add some rubber legs before winding the body. It's not the best foam fly out there but one of the easiest and quickest to tie.

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I did just what you are attempting, several years ago. Make the second one a foam fly. We did a Tokyo Spider, but a Chernobyl Ant would also be good. I would avoid using super-glue with the kids, though, as it tends to get on unintended surfaces.

 

We do use super glue with the PHW vets., but they are a bit more mature....

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Most of these responses question your choice of fly. Only flytyre addresses your question. If you have decided you must prepackage all the materials you could take your clump of calftail and: tape it together; Or you could use a bit of hot glue to hold the clump together; Or you could gather the hair in a bit of paper; Or tuck it into a bit of plastic tube (or a drinking straw.)

 

Personally, I think your students should have the opportunity to handle the calf tail, gather a clump of hair and cut it off. (This is probably also the most efficient means of preparing the material for tying in.)

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Flytire- Check out CC's other thread. He is working with another teacher and (if I understand it correctly) has been given only 50 minutes to demonstrate the tying.

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The mickey fin can be tied with synthetic. Buy a paint brush. The ends are already matched, and you can cut a little off for each tier as they are ready for it.

 

 

Most of these responses question your choice of fly. Only flytyre addresses your question.

Hey !!! I addressed his original question, too !!!

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The mickey fin can be tied with synthetic. Buy a paint brush. The ends are already matched, and you can cut a little off for each tier as they are ready for it.

 

 

Most of these responses question your choice of fly. Only flytyre addresses your question.

Hey !!! I addressed his original question, too !!!

 

Mike

 

I thought the original question was: "how would you package the calf tail material without it getting all mixed up? "

If you addressed this I must apologize. I guess I missed something in your post.

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Oh ... well ... basically, my response was to NOT use calf's tail. But rather to use an easier to manage material for the same purpose.

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