Dave Hughes Video - Flymph Tying Demonstration (YouTube)

[Randyflycaster]

Old Hat,

I'm not sure what you mean by bending the hackle back to 90 degrees to the hook shank.

Randy

[drlogik]

Watched that video. My main exception is how bushy he made the fly. Way too bushy for my taste.

I have a question though, I don't often use a dubbing twirler but I do use one when I spin the dubbing for flymphs. It's faster. I can also control how much I spin it and get the desired buggy result. Laying dubbing on a knee or that block seems to take way too much time; cool and authentic, but time-consuming. How do you guys dub flymphs?

[Mataura mayfly]

Grant..... you heathen!
Part of the fun of pre-rolled bodies is it can be done whilst you are in your easy chair watching television. Rolling on your leg whilst you watch your favourite show.
The "bodies" are then stored on the cards, giving time for the wax to cure and "set".
So, when flymph tying, the bodies are picked from the storage card, and tied in place then wrapped forward and tied off. No need to even form a thread loop or reach for your spinning tool of choice.
So which is quicker then?

If you do not count the pre-forming of the bodies as time spent tying the fly, prespun bodies are just as quick as say chenille.
Personally, I feel the taper and colouration can be controlled better with preformed bodies made on a wooden dubbing block- but then I have never really spent much time with thread loop dubbing off the shank.

By the way, welcome aboard...... has anyone told you of the initiation requirements to join such an elite group? Something to do with a dozen flies sent to each member......

[drlogik]

Mataura,

Initiation? A dozen flies to each member? What constitutes a "fly"? How long does this take? Is it painful? Does it leave a scar? Will my wife wonder where I've been? Since I've been a member of this forum for a few years now (just never posted until now) do I still have to do this or has the statute of limitations run out?

Open Kimono I just bought one of those Clark's blocks. Have not received it yet though.

P.S.
I seem to recall not getting a dozen flies from you when you became a member of The Soft Hackle List.....ahem.

Grant

[Mataura mayfly]

P.S.
I seem to recall not getting a dozen flies from you when you became a member of The Soft Hackle List.....ahem.

Grant

Ahhh, the force (of memory) is weak in this one........
I am possibly the only one that DID send you a dozen flies when I joined that perhaps more elite list, twas not my fault you neglected to update your new address after shifting house and it twas only by the good grace of the new home owners that the package was eventually forwarded on to your new abode.
Remember now?

Did you get your block from William?
You will find it a beautifully handcrafted tying tool that will bring good mojo to your tying of flymphs and will be well worth the wait.

[drlogik]

I stand corrected! I guess my Kung Fu is not strong...nor is my force, or memory in this case. I humble myself to you and, quite frankly, am deeply em-bare-assed.

Yes, purchased said block from William. Will put it to go use when it's in my hands.

Now, about those flies I owe you.....

[letumgo]

How do you guys dub flymphs?

Grant - I use a range of different methods to dub flymphs (i.e. - leg rolling, Clark dubbing block, pinch dubbing, split thread, touch dubbing well waxed thread). It all depends on the effect I am going for, and how fast I want to tie. Most of the time I use the pinch dub and touch dub techniques. I should use the leg rolling and dubbing block method more often, but find the pinch and touch dub techniques a little quicker. I have found that I can tie smaller flies with these methods, when compared with ones I've tied with spun silk bodies. In larger flies, the spun silk bodies provide more inner color to the fly, when it is being fished (there are three strands of colored silk instead of just one with the other methods). The durability of spun silk bodies is another benefit worth the extra time.

I love your signature fish, by the way. Awesome!