New tyer

[Biggie]

As a long time FF but brand new at tying. I tied up some caddis puppae with a beadhead and used a small amount of dubbing next to the bead. I watch a video on how to attach the dubbing to the thread. The flies looked good. Went out today to catch a trout on my first fly. After fishing it for a few minutes, when I checked the fly, some of the dubbing was coming off. What the heck did I do wrong. There is still some on there. Thanks. BTW no bites on my fly.

 

[Dave_W]

Welcome to your new addiction, you'll be ruined for life Keith. :lol:

 

[huntfish]

Congratulations! Try not to pinch off big clumps of dubbing and put it on your thread. Use smaller pinches to make a thinner dubbing noodle, this should help. If you need thicker areas of dubbing on your fly, make more wraps using the thinner dubbing noodle.

 

[Dave_W]

Regarding the dubbing, try the following:

- I like to use a bit of wax on my thread when I twist the dub on with my fingers. This wax will make the thread a bit more sticky and will help.

- Also, try twirling the dub onto the thread a bit more firmly so as to produce a bit denser and thinner dubbing.

- Make sure when you wind the dubbing around the shank of the hook, that you use some tension to cinch it down tighter.

- Finally, I like to coat the thread on the shank with a bit of head cement before I wind the dubbing over it. This helps "glue" the dubbing down and secure it.


Hope this helps.
Post a pic of the first trout you get on one of your flies!

 

[Biggie]

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I think I had the dubbing too thick. I tie some more and work on keeping minimal. I like the head cement idea. I will def. put up a pic when it finally all comes together. I think I'm already addicted to tying.

 

[blueheron]

It sounds like you had way too much dubbing on the thread, before you add head cement try using just wisps of dubbing and really twist it between your fingers onto the thread , it shouldn't be very thick on the thread.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

above and keep twisting you thread every coup of turns as you wrap and even go back and re-tighten your dubbing. the act of wrapping twists the dubbing loosening the section not wrapped

 

[dc410]

Welcome to the ranks of the fly tying addicts. Lots of great basic dubbing tips given above. When twisting the dubbing onto the thread make sure you are only twisting the dubbing on in one direction. I also use dubbing wax in my tying or maybe just a little bit of moisture or saliva would also help you to form smaller and tighter dubbing noodle. Good luck with your tying, I wish you the best as you will continue to develop many tying techniques.

 

[Biggie]

Well, thanks to all of the advice, I tied a few up today and they look great. And the problem was.............waaaaay to much dubbing. I can't believe how just a wisp of dubbing is all I needed. Now when the water goes down I will catch something with one and I will be happy.

 

[shakey]

use less dubbing than you think you need,then ,take even more off.

 

[shakey]

Biggie wrote:
Well, thanks to all of the advice, I tied a few up today and they look great. And the problem was.............waaaaay to much dubbing. I can't believe how just a wisp of dubbing is all I needed. Now when the water goes down I will catch something with one and I will be happy.

Fantastic! When you catch your first fish on a fly you tied, you will freak! Nothing like it.

You may also find that your catch rate goes up, because your flies may be “buggier” than store bought .

One thing you’ll find is that some dubbing is easier to use than others.
Rabbit and possum sticks to the thread easier than, say, many synthetics and squirrels.

Good luck!!