Loose flies

[Dryrod]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#008000][size 3]To give my flies a solid base, I like to coat the bare hook with a layer of Umpqua Dave's Flexament Cement. I guess there are other cements that will work just as well. Anyone else coat their hooks before tying?
[/size][/#008000][/font]
[signature]

[lurtch]

WOW.. i acctually use the same stuff..i apply it on the hook just before i start..i have used super glue in a an alternative..them steelies willtear up a flie in a hurry
[signature]

[macfly55]

I dont use anything like that but have often wondered how many tiers do this..

MacFly
[signature]

[flygoddess]

Not me. I don't even own head cement. If the material is slippery like Mylar or in some cases wire, I lay down some ZAP-A-GAP. On smooth flies, I then coat with Sally Hansen's.
[signature]

[macfly55]

now how did I know you were gonna say zap a gap.. or sally... LOL>. ..

MacFly
[signature]

[flygoddess]

As Madeline Kahn said in Blazing Saddles..........t's True, It's True
[signature]

[macfly55]

lol... so you do do it if needed.. just not with the adhesive mentioned.. LOL..

MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[flygoddess]

Oh, any fly I buy from Sportsmen's warehouse gets a dab of Z-A-G at the head.
[signature]

[Dryrod]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#008000][size 3]I started using flexament a while back after reading an article written by Andy Burk. Figured it can't hurt the out come.[/size][/#008000][/font]
[signature]

[macfly55]

isnt that pretty much true of almost any store bought fly.. ??

MacFly
[signature]

[flygoddess]

No. The FLY SHOPS do carry Quality Flies. I know ORVIS did and he it is Fish Tech and Western Rivers.
[signature]

[Dryrod]

[quote flygoddess] and he it is Fish Tech and Western Rivers.[/quote]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#008000][size 3]Are you referring to Andy Burk? If so he does or did have some articles published by California Fly Fisher's magazine.[/size][/#008000][/font]
[signature]

[flygoddess]

I wasn't but I am now...LOL
[signature]

[macfly55]

do those shops tie their own flies for the customer??

.. by most I meant a lot of your mail order places .. etc.. also places like sports chalet etc where the quality control over the process is not as stringent ... or I know my local fly shop does not ties most of their own flies.. in fact most are from umpqua.. and on those its been 50/50... some are great.. some are so so..

MacFly
[signature]

[flygoddess]

I am betting that is just about every where on the 50/50.
Heck my Hubby is always yelling at me when he has a killer pattern and they chew it up, that "I" need to tie them stronger......PLEASE! Only guarantee them for so many bites.
[signature]

[macfly55]

lol.. that was part of my point sis.. if you hand tie your own you know what went into it..

certain companies and shop have built their reps on the quality of flies they sell..

others fly shops.. and non fly fishing stores (sport chalet).. usually carry a decent quality fly but in most cases it is smart to put a drop on the head anyway..

i.e. the ants I got from my local fly shop were made from a hard plastic material.. so not a lot of thread to get lose.. but have gotten flies from there (wb's etc) that were good flies.. others.. well fell apart after a few nibbles..

MacFly
[signature]

[Dryrod]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#008000][size 3]Like that old Brylcreem commercial - "A little dab will do you" lol[/size][/#008000][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#008000][size 3]From what I understand we import a lot of flies from third world countries. Like the workers will sit at a bench tying the same pattern for hours on end.[/size][/#008000][/font]
[signature]

[jigs]

i am definatly going to give this one a try, if it makes a fly last a extra fish its worth it.

as for adding some head cement. every time all the time. roundrock flies here in logan sells what i normaly call good flies but i already have a hard enough time tying a fly in the middle of the river so if the cement saves me from doing it once or twice a trip i figure its worth the work.
[signature]