Ultra Fine Rubber Legs For Small Flies

[Wildfisher]

Anyone tried giving flies like march browns, olives etc the irresistible  leg treatment?

[haresear]

Not upwings, but I have used rubber legs on small beetles down to a 16.

I would imagine rubber legs would suit some of the larger upwings, but sparse parachute hackles do that job pretty well and keep the fly afloat, which rubber legs wouldn't do as well.

Alex

[Wildfisher]

Oliver Edwards had his "footprint dun" that had legs made from microfibbets. To my mind this misses the point of having legs on a fly as microfibbets are too stiff to impart movement. Getting a fine enough flexible rubber / silicone rubber might be a problem. Maybe splitting flexi-floss would be worth a try. 

[Highlander]

I think knotted feather fibres from such as Cock Pheasant centre feather or fibres from say Goose would be a midway approach to Micro Fibres or rubber.
Never thought about using them on upwings but suppose it could be done but don't really see the point on small flies. Still if you come up with it would be good to see how they worked.
Tight Lines

[haresear]

Splitting flexifloss is a good idea for smaller flies, but in truth I doubt if they would be very mobile on a dead drift. Stu Tripney uses stiff bristly stuff for legs on his upwings. He told me but I can't remember what it was called.

With the possible exception of cdc and really long rubber legged beasties like we used in NZ, I think mobility of hackles etc. in dead-drifted dry flies is a bit of a myth.  :crap

Alex

[River Chatter]

I've got a couple of upwings from Stu in my box with those brisly legs and they look brilliant.  If you ever remember the material Alex please let me know as I'd love to experiment with it.

On the rubber leg front, I've been tying my favourite upwing pheasant tail dry with brown barred centipede legs and they've been great.  Although the plain hackled fly is good anyway, so there's no way knowing if it adds anything worthwhile.  When held up against the light and viewed from beneath it does look more buggy.  I've also used the same material on klinks and they've worked well too.  Downside is that they're fragile and the legs break off after just a couple of fish. 

[haresear]

The Stu Tripney stuff just came back to me - Supreme Hair   http://www.taimen.com/en/us/product/wapsi-supreme-hair_2547/90097

Alex

[River Chatter]

The Stu Tripney stuff just came back to me - Supreme Hair   http://www.taimen.com/en/us/product/wapsi-supreme-hair_2547/90097

Alex

Jeez Alex, I wouldn't have thought it was that he used.  I was thinking it must be something completely off the wall.  Need to have a rummage through my saltwater materials, I might just have what I need already!  Thanks Alex

[Wildfisher]

While sorting out  my sea fishing gear today I think I  found the elusive fine rubber legs.

Bait elastic, it looks perfect.

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Spool of 8/0 uni thread for scale

[Bobfly]

The inner multi-strand core of most "elastic" drawcords from jackets and things is usually a thin black rubber bunch of strands and they might suit quite well.