To dub or not to dub?

[piscatus absentis]

When I was taught to tie flies about 55 years ago the only dubbing the old boy who was teaching me used was natural mole and hare.  Mind you most of his flies were for river use.  However, he did tie loch flies and said that wool was as good as dubbing and easier to use.  So for over 50 years I used wool and still managed to catch the odd fish.  The, a couple of years ago, I stopped using wool on palmered flies and simply used a thread body.  I still catch fish.

My brother finally retired a year or two ago and started to fish more regularly and, as you would expect, cadges flies from me.  He has never noticed they just have a thread body and he catches fish now and then.

Do palmered flies really need a dubbed or wool body?

[haresear]

In my opinion, no. Not for heavily palmered ones, at any rate.
I used to use a fly which was simply red hackle, black hackle, red hackle... No rib, no tail and it did very well on most lochs (I think it was my simple version of a fly called a Rob Roy). The Loch Ordie is another case in point.

Alex

[sandyborthwick]

Just have to decide whether the cat can afford another bold spot or no!!! LOL

Sandy B.O.