Strange Tying Material

[mexashaggy]

Hopefully it's not just me that does this, if I am, I'm gonna look pretty silly, hehehe.

What are some of the strange/non-typical materials that everyone uses to tie flies??

You see there are no fly shops in the town I live in, so a lot of times, I have to substitute materials with what I can find. The main thing that I use for this is wire. Since I cant find a spool of ribbing wire, I have used small stranded electrical/communications wire that I have had laying around the apartment.

So does anyone else do things similar to this???

[Dana Parmelee]

I cut off my grundle (flavor savor... whatever) and tried to tie a human hair wooly bugger once.
I've got it somewhere, it's pretty nasty.

[Kevin Krai]

I have substituted Yellow Lab Hair from my dog Jake for Elk Hair on my Cicadas once for giggles, didn't look too bad. Not as coarse as Elk Hair though. My wife put an end to that as Jake is a momma's boy...

[adunham]

Dog hair works well and cat fur (underfur) makes for good dubbing.

[fshfanatic]

I have a fly that is deadly when the conditions are right. I named it "Fanatic's Ass Crack Emerger" I also have one Called "The Montana Moose Knuckle" & Finally "Clete's Cameltoe Emerger".

You can only imagine what materials were used to create those.

[Seldomseen]

I have a fly that is deadly when the conditions are right. I named it "Fanatic's Ass Crack Emerger" I also have one Called "The Montana Moose Knuckle" & Finally "Clete's Cameltoe Emerger".

You can only imagine what materials were used to create those.

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....hu....hu...EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW W.

I don't care how many fish it catches...carp, pike, or chub.

You can keep that one for yourself.

No spagetti for you.

[CHIEF]

Please do a demo for the Cameltoe Emerger at the demo on the 22nd and I will do the Hair Pie Caddis....

CHIEF

[Azshoer]

Do the mats come from the famous "Double-Brested Matress Thrashers"?

[Flats Man]

Getting this post back to a G rating... I have found a lot of great materials at craft stores like Michaels or even Wal Mart. Mostly for my saltwater patterns but there are some great materials out there that are free. I have also found that electrical stores have some killer wire. My Chironomid parrens are tied with what looks like silver wire, but in realiity it is titanium wire that is indestructible. I tried to cut it with my teeth once and ended up with a bloody lip... That #$@% is strong... Anyways, fly shops are not the end all-be all for materials. Javelina hair make great baetis split tails and antenna.

[TRTopping]

Flatsman, The titanium wire sounds like a great idea. The ribbing always gets chewed up. Where is a good place to find it?

As for the thread, I use hair from a pet Guinea Pig (it sheds a lot) for the antenna on my "super scuds" that are killer at the Ferry. It is thinner than deer hair, but stiff enough to work well.

[Flats Man]

Any electrical supply shop should have it. No joke you will cut your hands before you break it. It is fine enough to tie all the way down to #26 hooks and it still looks great. I thin they also make a copper as well, although it isn't nearly as strong. I actually quite tying with Ultra Wire as the stuff break every fish or two...

[Dana Parmelee]

I'm an electrical contractor and I just went outside and checked the piles of aircraft wire we have in the shop. The strands when unbraided are about a size 24 or smaller and they are tougher than hell.
Not sure they are titanium but they are strong.
The cable is 1/16" in diameter and has 49 strands.
A couple feet would last a long time.
I've got a bunch if anyone wants some.
It's just stuff laying around from an old job.

[fshfanatic]

Please do a demo for the Cameltoe Emerger at the demo on the 22nd and I will do the Hair Pie Caddis....

CHIEF

I will see if I can get a donor for the materials I will be needing..