Dry Fly Dubbing....ok for nymphs?

[BruceC2C]

Starting a Flagler #22 BH Micro Caddis pattern today w Rabbit Fur dubbing .
I do have Natural Hare, but , for now, that is my only Rabbit Dub Color.

Any reason NOT to use Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing ?....of which I have Olive & Rust.
Quick research read, leads me to think it should b ok.

 

[Nocktavius]

When it comes to fly patterns, especially simple ones, I’m typically in the zero substitutions camp- at least to start. If you’ve got 4 ingredients and you change 1 of them then it’s not the same pattern anymore. Frequently I’ll make changes after I’ve fished it a bit to improve durability, suitability for my waterways etc

That said, I typically use dry fly dubbing on small beatis nymphs and midges because that’s what whatever crumpled up coffee and beer stained piece of paper I have with the recipe on it calls for. For what it’s worth, hares ear dubbing has a certain subtle spectrumized effect that most synthetics fail to imitate. Tie a few up and try them out while you wait for the other dubbing to show up (you can never have too many colors of hares ear dubbing anyway).

Maybe they’ll work even better than the originals

 

[dudemanspecial]

I cant imagine the amount of dubbing used on a size 22 nymph would make any noticeable difference.

 

[Bamboozle]

Starting a Flagler #22 BH Micro Caddis pattern today w Rabbit Fur dubbing .
I do have Natural Hare, but , for now, that is my only Rabbit Dub Color.

Any reason NOT to use Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing ?....of which I have Olive & Rust.
Quick research read, leads me to think it should b ok.

I use synthetic dubbing for everything and have for decades.

Go for it, the fish won't care and Flagler will never know... 😉

 

[tomgamber]

i go by color.

 

[bigjohn358]

i go by color.

Exactly! I go with whatever color gives me the effect I want especially when tying nymphs. The type of material it is doesn't matter to me for sinking flies.

 

[troutbert]

You can use anything. You could use the dust bunnies under the sofa. You could use dryer lint.

Not that I've done that. But you COULD.

 

[afishinado]

I agree the dubbing shouldn't make much of a difference in such a small fly.

But I will say hares ear, or many other natural dubbing contains guard hairs and may give the nymph the impression of gills or legs on the nymph.

In addition, natural furs look more natural since they often contain a variation of colors and shades are not monochromatic like many synthetic dubbing furs.


Notice the gills and variations of color and shading on the nymph below >

Natural dubbing works well on this fly with color variation and spiky texture

Synthetic dry fly dubbing is formulated to tie a tight body and also shed water; neither is desirable on a nymph.

 

[lestrout]

Adding to afish's comments, dry fly dubbing is usually synthetic, and most types retail their color when wet. Most natural fibers absorb water and turn a bit translucent, which makes the fly buggier looking. The color often darkens and the translucency makes the thread more visible. If you are using treated dry fly dubbing, the submerged fly would be more buoyant, and could even have air microbubbles. So a dry dubbing nymph would look and act differently compared to a natural fur dubbed fly. This difference could be a positive if you design for it.

 

[poopdeck]

Yes dry fly dubbing can be used in nymphs. There are zero reasons why you shouldn't or can’t use it.

 

[Dr.J 1952]

If you are tying something that small, how about a thread body? For mayfly dries ,I tie parachutes. Size 18 and smaller, I use thread bodies . Learned this many moons ago and have caught lots of fish. I also do this on some nymphs. The thread makes a tight segmented body and keeps the bulk down.