Foam sheets

[skeet3t 0]

Recently I was in a local Wal-Mart and just happened to pass the crafts section. A display caught my eye and I turned down the aisle to check it out. I found 9 X 12 closed cell foam sheets priced 3 for 99 cents. I got yellow, green, and black. I figure to laminate them for some combinations. They also had a mixed pack but didn't really need all the colors. Plan on trying out some terrestials this year for trout and warm water fishing. Manufacturer of foam is Darice, see at www.darice.com.

[dragnfly14 0]

Have you tested it to see if it floats. A couple of years ago I got a great deal (or so I thought) on somw foam. It looked good but felt a little denser that what I usually bought. After I got it home I found that the foam did not float. Non-floating foam does not work well for top water flies. I was able to use some of it for some sinking patterns but ended up giving most of it away.

[Guest]

Hi guys, just to add my .000002 cents into this thread. (like anyone cares) I bought some of the same foam. One piece at first. I brought it home and cut out about a 1"x1" piece and filled up the sink with water and threw the 1x1 piece in the water. I went and did something and about 5 minutes later I came back and it was still floating. I pushed it under the water and it came right back up the to top. Now this was without any type of hook. But I wouldn't think one hook would make that much of a difference. Has anyone else had the same experience with this foam?

 

Thanks for letting me ramble on. I'm doing alot of that lately. Has anyone else noticed that I'm rambling on for no real reason. Dang I hate getting old.

 

Jim

[Alex C. 0]

I justtied a frog the other day with the foam in question and it wotrks fine

[maddog48 0]

This is kind of off topic, but if you feel the foam is bad, use it as bulk to tie up a thicker bodied nymph or streamer pattern.

[conehead 0]

There is a guy who lives in my area who is an innovator with foam. Many of you have heard of Bill Skilton (not sure I spelled his name correctly).

 

Many fly shops handle Bill's foam products and other materials. The foam he sells is a little lighter (more air cells) and ties very well. He also uses craft foam (the stuff sold in wal-mart), but it does have some limitations.

 

Bill gave me a tip on changing the foam texture. Place the foam between two pieces of aluminum foil and then sandwich the foil in a towel or cloth. Iron with a hot iron I have done this with half of my craft foam supply; it makes it thinner closes the open pores and give a different texture.

 

All said, nothing ties any better than the Bill Skilton's foam; and no I don't work for Bill. I just buy his products.

 

 

Conehead

 

[Alex C. 0]

thats a great tip conehead, I'll definately be trying that out

[Sean Juan 0]

Sounds like the same foam that I use for all my Crease Fly and gurgler needs.

 

Always floated fin for me...can do a double layer on a gurgler to make it float higher but I find they work better when they are in the film a bit more.

[PoPnBuG 0]

I saw Bill at the Middleburg (Va) Trout Unlimited "show". I saw him at the Feathered Hook in Winchester (Va) a year or so ago, and bought his book...

 

He's a talented tyer, and a heck of a nice guy! [and a master with 'odd' materials like foam!]

[Flyweaver 0]

Been using same foam from craft store for years,33 cents each. Works fine.For foam patterns check out Harrison Steves book, it contains Great patterns for foam flies.

[Guest]

QUOTE (jbrowning @ Feb 14 2005, 11:24 PM)

Hi guys, just to add my .000002 cents into this thread. (like anyone cares) I bought some of the same foam. One piece at first. I brought it home and cut out about a 1"x1" piece and filled up the sink with water and threw the 1x1 piece in the water. I went and did something and about 5 minutes later I came back and it was still floating. I pushed it under the water and it came right back up the to top. Now this was without any type of hook. But I wouldn't think one hook would make that much of a difference. Has anyone else had the same experience with this foam? Thanks for letting me ramble on. I'm doing alot of that lately. Has anyone else noticed that I'm rambling on for no real reason. Dang I hate getting old. Jim

Jim- why are you rambling on like that?

 

this "new found" foam has been around and used for a while; floats great- even after being shredded by sharp-toothed fishies - problem is, it is only sold in 1/8" (3MM) thickness in the craft section or craft store, from my experience with buying it. JoAnn's, Michael's, WallyWorld, etc., I've not seen the 1 - 1.5MM stuff which is so GD expensive in the tackle/fly shops.

[Joetella 0]

has anyone tried old Mouse pads? .. I have a bunch of old ones (as a programmer for 20 years) .. closed cell .. seems to float well .. I chopped one up, but have not tried yet.

[Alex C. 0]

QUOTE

problem is, it is only sold in 1/8" (3MM) thickness in the craft section or craft store, from my experience with buying it. JoAnn's, Michael's, WallyWorld, etc., I've not seen the 1 - 1.5MM stuff which is so GD expensive in the tackle/fly shops.

 

The stuff I got at Wal Mart is 2mm

[Al Beatty 0]

Hi Group,

 

I've used the Darice foam for 8 or 9 years and it seems to work fine. Take care & ...

 

Tight Lines - Al Beatty

www.btsflyfishing.com

[dragnfly14 0]

It's really suprising how well foam flies work. It was about 4 years ago when a good friend of mine came to me to fix him up with large white strike indicaters. His visions is getting bad and he can no longer see many of the flies on the water surface. I had just read an article on tying a foam Humpy. I tied him some of these flies on #10 hooks and instructed him on how to fish a nymph off that fly. I figured the white foam Humpys would be a good strike indicator. He went fishing for land locked Salmon near the Canidian border. When he got back he left a standing order for 4 dozen flies each spring. He said he out fished everyone there on the river and that the Salmon just slambed thoses flies. I've fished them several times for LM bass and had the same results. If someone had asked me to put money on that fly to catch fish I would have kept my wallet in my pocket. Go figure!!!

 

Since then I have tied and used girglers, discos and other foam flies with good results. So I'm a believer in foam flies.