Tricks of the trade

[Clan Chief]

Thought it would be a good idea for members to pass on their hints and tips on fly tying. Also unusual but readily available sources of materials etc in something along the lines of the above topic which used to be a regular feature in FF&FT.
I'll start with a material I acquired tonight from Aldi. A mesh material which was on the packaging of a tray of Golden Delicious apples. I have used the orange stuff from bags of oranges etc but this stuff was a lovely gilden olive colour . it's bound to come in handy for ribbing czech nymphs and other flees.

[sandyborthwick]

I like to use the lead from wine bottle tops cut into strips wound on the shank for weighted flies. Also you can make a very effective lead bodied nymph using the same material with a wire rib.

Sandy B.O.

[Malcolm]

For those of you around Stirling. Pembertons in Friar Street, about 100 metres from the Thistle centre, is a great source of fly tying materials - especially metallic coloured threads. All at a fraction of the money you'll pay in a tackle shop.

[rabbitangler]

For those of you around Stirling. Pembertons in Friar Street, about 100 metres from the Thistle centre, is a great source of fly tying materials - especially metallic coloured threads. All at a fraction of the money you'll pay in a tackle shop.

The problem with buying stuff from craft/sewing shops is that you end up with heaps of stuff - sometimes far too much for your own use. For example I have eight 5,000 metre - yes 5 kilometers - spools of thread, same as sheer which will do me for my lifetime & then some. Oh and one spool with 20,000 metres :shock: of a nice brown colour. Mind you the 20k spool cost about ?8 so now you know how the people who spool thread make their money

So my tip would be to find some fellow tyers when buying in bulk to share the cost.

[harelug]

The problem with buying stuff from craft/sewing shops is that you end up with heaps of stuff - sometimes far too much for your own use. For example I have eight 5,000 metre - yes 5 kilometers - spools of thread, same as sheer which will do me for my lifetime & then some. Oh and one spool with 20,000 metres Shocked of a nice brown colour. Mind you the 20k spool cost about ?8 so now you know how the people who spool thread make their money

Depending on the thread diameter you could try furling a few leaders!

[shanksi]

I snorkel in the Jacuzzi just to see the profile of my dry flies in riffle like water  :shock:
My tip when doing this is not to breath in.

Now I know why you've been banned from the local swimming pool.

shanksi

[rabbitangler]

Depending on the thread diameter you could try furling a few leaders!

has been considered