tying with foam

[salmo-trutta]

I have been tying a lot this winter and experimenting with foam sheets I bought at craft shop.

 

[Makee]

I use foam for ants, Beatles, hoppers, some EHC, and for some top water bass bugs.

I have moved away from foam as i have learned more and have improved in my fly tying abilities.

 

[JG63]

I love it as a medium but am not excited about the environmental impact of all those foam bodies stuck in trees at the special
reg waters nationwide.

 

[MKern]

Hoppers and ants...all I use is foam.

 

[salmo-trutta]

I have a bunch of pics of my flies, but for some reason I can't seem to get them to upload?????????????? $#///#^^#! $$!/^/÷=%

 

[PAgeologist]

Go to the Site and Forum Comments section off the main page of the Forum (towards the top). There should be a list of instructions there as to how to upload photos. Watch your file size- there is a limit and its fairly small. You can also do a test run there.

 

[Fishidiot]

Yes, you'll need to reduce the file size.

I love foam and tie all sorts of dries, emergers, poppers and terrestrials with it.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Foam is my favorite material for beetles and hoppers. I also buy it at craft stores where it is dirt cheap.

 

[salmo-trutta]

Foam extended body green drake parachute

 

[salmo-trutta]

Foam extended body coffin fly parachute

 

[salmo-trutta]

Foam wing and parachute post black stone...or caddis...

 

[GenCon]

salmo, that is some pretty suite tying there. Especially like the coffin fly. Can you share a materiel list on that?

GenCon

 

[salmo-trutta]

I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you.

 

[salmo-trutta]

Okay so here's what I do. I bought sheets of foam at craft shop. There a heck of a lot cheer for a big sheet rather then a few inch square sheets you get at fly shop. I found sheets in white, tan, brown, olive and blue (dragon flies).Then I cut a thin tapered strip the size I want for the tail on the may flies. For the extended bodies, i use a surged hook. I have tied large flies and even small olives with this method. Sometimes ill take an indelable felt tip (also bought a set at the craft shop) and draw some segments on the tail, but i think thats more to impress the fishermen (and ladies) than the fish. For the caddis and stones, I clip a v shape in the wing and tie it in. For the post on the parachute I use a foam cylinder. For the big drakes and other dries, I tie in a mix of zelon (sp) or some other synthetic and I mix in some crystal flash to make the fly easier to see...then parachute rap a hackle or two, a couple half hitches (I never use a wip finisher, takes too long)...and I'm good to go.

Have fun and send me pics...

Steve

 

[gutcutter]

salmo-trutta wrote:
I have been tying a lot this winter and experimenting with foam sheets I bought at craft shop.

I hope that you've tested the foam green drake in water.
I suspect that it'll roll over and float on it's side.
The coffin fly may be ok, but I doubt the parachute will float the way you expect.

I mix in some crystal flash to make the fly easier to see.

Is that a joke? If you can't see a size 8 2xl hook at 60 feet, you should stick to 1" diameter Thingamabobbers.

(I never use a wip finisher, takes too long)

Oh, and whip finishing is just as fast as half hitching (or faster) if you know how to do it...

 

[salmo-trutta]

Well, McFly, the parachute post can be trimmed on the stream, the Cristal flash is very helpful on smaller flies of the same pattern and when I tie, I have a small pair of off-set scizzers I never put down so I can keep moving. I know very well how to wip finnish with or without the tool, I've been tying for about 35 years and won the fly tying championship hosted by cumberland valley TU two years in a row at the sportsmans show in Harrisburg. Thanks for your input...

 

[salmo-trutta]

So let's see your flies

 

[gutcutter]

salmo-trutta wrote:
Well, McFly, the parachute post can be trimmed on the stream, the Cristal flash is very helpful on smaller flies of the same pattern and when I tie, I have a small pair of off-set scizzers I never put down so I can keep moving. I know very well how to wip finnish with or without the tool, I've been tying for about 35 years and won the fly tying championship hosted by cumberland valley TU two years in a row at the sportsmans show in Harrisburg. Thanks for your input...

Biff
Based upon the grammar, spelling and punctuation of your posts, I assumed that you were a youngster. Sorry about offending you.
I applaud your tying prowess and accomplishments, and I should believe them because you posted them on an internet forum.
However, your initial post stated that you were experimenting with foam.
I again assumed that you have not tested this pattern. For that, I apologize.
My comments were about your pattern, especially the dun.
First of all, you are tying a large piece of foam that is quite curved on a light wire hook. There is no keel. That in and of itself will most likely make the fly land, float and drift on it’s side.
Secondly, your parachute is at least 3/8” above the hook shank. The hackle seems too short to stop the fly from tipping over, even if it happens to land the way you would like.
Finally, a tier of your experience should be able to pick up a wip finnish (sic) tool with scizzers (sic) in hand and complete the whip finish in under three seconds, so I don’t buy the excuse about saving time. I should not have insulted you. Sorry.

salmo-trutta wrote:
So let's see your flies

If you want to see my flies, feel free to browse this forum. Thanks

 

[Sylvaneous]

Closed cell foam is a clutch material but not for small stuff. You can wrap bigger flies with it, like Drakes and March Browns: sz. 12 and up. Anything smaller and you're better off using more conventional 'trout fly' materials. (whatever that is, right?) Super glue, gel specifically is a necessity with foam. A tiny ant I call the "chip ant" is just 2 ant-part shaped 2 mm foam chips super-glued onto a sz. 20 scud hook (big hook gap per shank length). They are quick and easy to make. If they come apart, no biggie. Tie on another one. But they foam/glue matrix is pretty tough.

I see it used as a winging material, but foam is best used when it is sitting in the water and providing waterproof buoyancy. It should sit in the water in the normal presentation of the fly.

Sylvaneous.

 

[salmo-trutta]

I'm currently in Fla so I don't have the benifit of my spell check so I should be ashamed of myself for posting on this auspicious Web site with spelling mistakes. I understand they tie up the QE II with two half hitches. I use 3 and I generally don't own my files that long so I'm not all that conserned about the head coming unraveled. The big foam drakes I tied have not been fished yeat. I'll keep you posted.