Unconventional tying materials

[reelman]

I have some interesting materials that I use for some of my flies: orange, brown and red latex from a popped balloon for my crayfish patterns; foam from the dollar store for posts for the parachute, wrapping for the bodies, and twistings for the abdomen of some of my dries; chunks of a dryer sheet for shucks. Does anyone else have some unorthodox materials they would like to share?

Reelman.

[BentRod]

reelman, glad I'm not the only one who does this. LOL.
I've used pieces of mylar balloon, pieces of ribbon and material from my daughter's cast-off toys and various other things from random stuff I find. Nothing is safe.

[G-Man]

Plastic straws cut into strips make a great body for Damsel flies. Also, "eyes" can easily be made out of heavy monofilament with the use of some heat and permanent markers. My favorite is silver and gold stretch cord. You take out the rubber insides, which you save and use for legs on other flies, and use the remaining hollow "tube" to make up minnow bodies.

[fish_4_all]

Oh where to start: Dog hair, cat hair, mylar wrapping paper, foil candy wrappers, rubber bands, bungee cords for leg material, fish fins for wings, party wigs for everything, dryer lint for dubbing, curly straws for tubing, scrap leather and scrap canvas for claws and tails on craws, hot glue for bodies, decoy cord for eyes, ear exam black thingies for tubes and poppers, melted crayons for spots and eyes, pipe cleaners, dead bug legs and bodies, pretty much anything I can find that I can tie on and make work uncluding my wifes hair.

[reelman]

I found that cutting open a pom pom makes great poly dubbing. I'm on the trail of braided heat shrink tubing to make minnow bodies.

[Anonymous]

Reelman, you mean this stuff?




http://cableorganizer.com/uv-reactive/u ... eving.html

[reelman]

That's the stuff.

[HillbillyGeek]

The fibers from cheap feather dusters can be substituted for marabou. It's a little stiffer and has a nice sheen.
I buy em from the dollar store. :money:

[Marc Martyn]

Copper wire from old lamp, phone and electronics cords. Cellophane from cigarette and gum packs. Rod wrapping thread for tying large flies.

[natetreat]

I sometimes tie little bits of kitchen sponge in different colors to my jigs to hold scent. I've used little bits of plastic and wire from inside extension cords to make bug legs and eyes. But I put hackle on my jigs, so I'm weird.

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

cheap bead necklaces, where the beads are bonded to the string. Like the mardis gras beads

cut them into sets of two beads, to get a pair of "barbell" eyes that you can tie to a hook

[Lotech Joe]

I've used Scotch Tape folded in half sticky side to sticky side, then cut to shape for caddis wings. Also used the thin foam that computer keyboards come in for a foam back instead of a deer hair back on humpies.

[deepbuzzer]

Anti static bags, VCR tapes, dorrito bags, netting, shrink tube, I can go on and on..

[knotabassturd]

Stole a couple pieces of light pink pipe cleaner to use for pinks but it isn't terribly unconventional tying material.
Was thinking of going thru the Christmas decorations too but thought the Mrs might catch me.
Shame on me for not dubbing tho considering I have a Nor Vise LOL ('bout the only expensive piece of fishing equipment I have left, thank goodness I have it- love that thing). At least the wire in it will help get the fly down a bit.

PS- was able to confirm I STILL suck at tying flies. Worse than ever. Thank goodness they weren't small dries.

[zen leecher]

Some of my recent purchases have come from craft shops and fabric websites. It looks like the fly fisher cruises these sites and selects what is good. The fabric stores probably use many times what fly tyers do.

My latest are different colors of glass beads, different color foam, kreinik croquetting thread, "paint" for eyes on the foam flies and yarn.

[MotoBoat]

I have been known to recycle the bead chain found on the end of a off/on light cord and also found on lucky Rabbit foot key chain's. Wire snip off two, for weighted sinking fly eyes. Also, not sure about the new money. But the older stuff had a cellophane strip inserted width wise, on each end of the bill. They have the denomination of the bill written on them. They are sandwiched within the paper,. Easily slid out with common tweezers, and used as tinsel. It is pearl essence in color. If I remember correctly, they are in 20's and larger bills. Or maybe it is just the 20. I read about this author, that used these to make a fly. During a life or death, emergency outdoor, need some food, type situation. Let's see........oh ya, used narrow strips of sandwich baggy for the shell back of "Jameson Shrimp" fly. Wire in the twist tie for ribbing. Regular rubber band cut appropriately for rubber legs.

Unrelated to fly making. Cocktail straws to tie boober stops. I mean bobber stops. Can get 16 or so on one straw. Takes two straws, side by side to tie the bobber knot. Use a rod wrapping thread or jig type thread instead of the fly line backing or whatever the specialty thread sold for this knot is. Once I got the hang of it, takes some dexterity. I used 4 and 6lb fishing line as the thread. Works really good.......got to wet the fishing line bobber stop knot before tightening on the fishing line your fishing with!!

[reelman]

I haven't fished with tube flies yet, but I have used the clear, plastic ink reservior from a bic pen (blown out and cleaned of course) to tie a tube fly-like strike indicator. I wrap strips of foam around the tube and I keep a dozen toothpicks in the fly box to act as stops for setting my depth (I like the thing-a-ma-bobbers more).
I find myself involuntarily squirrelling stray strips of that iridecent cellophane stuff that is used in fake floral arangements. It makes a great thorax cover or shell back.
Kool-aid is awesome for dying feathers and fur. For example: 1 pack lime Kool-aid, a dash of cherry Kool-aid and a dash of grape makes a nice olive color. Wash feathers/fur with soap and rinse well, pat dry. In a microwave safe container mix 8oz of water, 2T of white vinegar and Kool-aid. Place feathers/fur in mix. Cover with cling-wrap. Nuke for 2min on high. If water isn't clear and materials are not as dark as desired, give them another 2 min in the microwave. Once done, rinse with cool water and dry. I used a blow dryer. A side benefit is that the dyes safe for human consumption. In comparison some dyes that are used on some feathers are known carcinogens (aniline dyes cause a horrible form of bladder cancer). I can't count how many fly tiers I've seen put marabou in their mouth to make it more manageable.