Wool

[Mike Connor]

It's rather a massive subject, and some stuff is dificult to find out, so I do try to give as much information as possible. I know it can annoy some people, but there is not a lot I can do about that.

References to "Crewel" can also be substituted with mohair. Crewel is wool;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crewel

For more information on "Isabella" ( only of historical interest, but might raise a chuckle or two! );

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabelline_(colour)

[DUBBN]

Otter,

I guess I tend to forget. I use Llama for some rather large Stonefly Nymphs. So, technically I suppose I do like some wool for some applications.

I had forgotten that JohnP had sent that to me.

[Mike Connor]

Some other stuff;

http://www.flyfishing-and-flytying.co.u ... r_dubbing/

http://www.lingeriedomain.com/category299_1.htm

http://www.aussiefly.com.au/llama.htm

There are lots of suppliers for stuff like this.

[Mike Connor]

Otter,

I guess I tend to forget. I use Llama for some rather large Stonefly Nymphs. So, technically I suppose I do like some wool for some applications.

I had forgotten that JohnP had sent that to me.

Have not used Llama but it is reputed to be very good for some things.

[letumgo]

William sent me some llama to tye with, and I found it to be very challenging to work with. I posted a couple flies showing my efforts to tame the llama. (I got my ass kicked)

[DUBBN]

William sent me some llama to tye with, and I found it to be very challenging to work with. I posted a couple flies showing my efforts to tame the llama. (I got my ass kicked)

I love dubbing loops and split thread now... I had/have the same problem Ray.

I am so lucky the fish I target prefer ugly fly patterns.

[Mike Connor]

Using some stuff can be a big problem, you also often have difficulty finding out the properties and types of various stuff, Natural materials can and do vary massively. This is one reason I tend to stick to stuff I know. It is impossible to try everything anyway. There are doubtless varying grades of Llama and some other grade might be more suitable for some things? This is certainly the case with mohair, the coarse stuff is only of limited application on small flies, and can be hard to use. Also depends on the result you are aiming for and the techniques you use of course. I use a split thread technique on a few small flies and I dub others in various ways but I avoid loops as I find them too bulky on small stuff. I use 6/0 silk for a lot of things, and this is pretty thick on many small flies anyway. If you double it and add dubbing it is just too much. It is possible that this would work better with some finer synthetic threads but I prefer to stick to the silk for various reasons.

[DUBBN]

Gosh, sometimes it really hurts to be as dumb as I am. I use wool all the time for my Sculpin patterns.

[Otter]

Being from the land of leprechauns it is quite interesting that there are still very many tiers here that take the subtle differences in colour very serious indeed. Some would have dozens of olive dubbin mixes, dozens of capes in every shade of olive, claret imaginable. Seal is the primary dubbing material for the lakes where size 8/10/12 would be used quite a lot.

The lough/lake anglers whose wet patterns at face value are very definitely are in the suggestive category, yet most expert ones insist that they are more imitative than they appear - the main principles being applied are that the type of light has a major influence on which will and wont work. Bear in mind these wets are rarely sink very far and generally always moved. the dubbing mixes are treated very seriously indeed.

This however currently is not the case with many river anglers here, most follow the latest fashions from the UK,US and eastern europe. Most will be tied with the usual dubbing boxes.

For dries, the only dubbing that i have liked prepurchased is a small number of the fly rite blends.

[Mike Connor]

I have not used many synthetics at all. Simply because, as I already pointed out, I don't know how to. The dubbing on various flies particular flies has to be exactly right in order to work properly. Incorrect mixtures will not be as successful, although some may work anyway.

Since somebody asked, that is a "creeper", dressed in this case with dark green mohair;

“The “creeper” was the name used for large stoneflies, which were often used as bait. Many authors, including Stewart used these.

http://archive.org/stream/practicalangl ... ch/creeper

http://archive.org/stream/practicalangl ... ch/creeper

I knew a couple of people who used very rough imitations of these flies, and caught a lot of fish on them. Indeed, I think this may have been the forerunner of the woolly bugger! The flies are quite simple, a long shank hook ( Size 8 LS Hook shown here ) about an inch long is wound with lead, and then overwound with wool of the appropriate colour, and then ribbed with tinsel or wire. Often dark green was used, but I have also seen brown and black variations and some mixtures. These flies were also used in various sizes as “sheet anchors” on various working rigs



This is a well used example from one of my boxes. As you can see, it looks very much like a very simple Woolly bugger! When I dress these things now, I brush the wool ( it is mohair wool) out well, after dressing the fly. These flies are quite deadly on grayling. But will of course also take trout. I knew one old guy who used nothing else, and he caught a huge number of fish! On reflection, I recollect that this is why I made the Green Tailed Woolly Bugger!

http://archive.org/stream/northernangle ... 6/mode/2up

http://archive.org/stream/northernangle ... 0/mode/2up