How durable must your flies be?

[Scythe]

You can't beat a good hook ... Sadly GRIP don't rate as good in my book anymore.

If Owner made fly hooks of all sizes shapes and configs like they do for Bass and Circle hooks, I'd buy them, no questions asked.

Getting back to the original thread :

I normally build my flies to last through many fish, many rocks, many bushes, many etc, that's why I like quality hooks and why it's more than acceptible to deviate from "original" patterns, replacing materials with more durable equivalents.

[GGY]

Damn! That's one of my favourites for the vaal and have not had a single problem while fishing. I will submit though, that when debarbing the hooks they sometimes snap, and then i chuck them. Perhaps i am weening out the bad ones before i get to the water.

Grant, if a "hook sometimes snaps when debarbing", I would personally *definitely* not use any of the others from the same box.

[Korrie]

a little trick is to "pick" the hook as you would with a guitar string.
With the hook in the vise. As I off set all my hooks, i do this as a rule as well.
after 3 or 4 times, if it has not snapped, and still "pinging" it should be good.

[briansflyfishing]

I tied some tiger flies for a mate a while ago. I super glued each section. The report was that the flies could take a bit of a beating.
I don't know if the super glue would work on smaller flies?

[AB1]

With the lack of propper fly tying material in Bloem we use to get old and brittle pheasant tails when we do. This made a PTN if you like to fish a nymph witha tail a one fish fly. I like fishing PTN's so I now substitute the tail with springbok hair and do the body with a good ribbing to keep the pheasant tail on, the fly still takes fish and last as long as I want.

I can not see myself sitting down tying flies knowing full well that it is a one fish fly. Even if it hammers that one fish.

[GGY]

With the lack of propper fly tying material in Bloem we use to get old and brittle pheasant tails when we do. This made a PTN if you like to fish a nymph witha tail a one fish fly. I like fishing PTN's so I now substitute the tail with springbok hair and do the body with a good ribbing to keep the pheasant tail on, the fly still takes fish and last as long as I want.

I can not see myself sitting down tying flies knowing full well that it is a one fish fly. Even if it hammers that one fish.

Solution in one word.
Organza.

[smallstreams.co.za]

Solution in one word.
Organza.

Agreed

Btw, how does the CA hold up in water? Does it not go milky/white? I am using CPXtra now after tying more abdomens with flash and body quill. Takes a little longer to dry, but it's what I have, and I'm not keen on the CA for some reason.

[GGY]

Agreed

Btw, how does the CA hold up in water? Does it not go milky/white? I am using CPXtra now after tying more abdomens with flash and body quill. Takes a little longer to dry, but it's what I have, and I'm not keen on the CA for some reason.

I use Loctite Brush-on CA. Stays clear.
http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/4/2...e-Brush-On.htm

CA is only slightly soluble in water. Acetone would be the normal CA solvent.

Actually (From Wikipedia):
"Cyanoacrylate is an acrylic resin that rapidly polymerises in the presence of water (specifically hydroxide ions), forming long, strong chains, joining the bonded surfaces together. Because the presence of moisture causes the glue to set, exposure to moisture in the air can cause a tube or bottle of glue to become unusable over time."
"Cyanoacrylate glue's ability to resist water has made it popular with marine aquarium hobbyists"

[smallstreams.co.za]

Thanks Gary - will have a look at the Loctite. The UV resin is also on the list for me.

[Glans]

Very interesting that on the durability of a fly that the hook is mentioned as that is suppose to be the strongest part of the fly?
hopefully with the new debarbed range from grip the brittle effect would be improved.


I can remember only a few times where I only recover the bead from a fly to be reused.
Some beads loose their color before the material get damage so your hot spot goes missing this is due to vaal river rock knocking.

My flies never tend to last due to losses.
Fishing the Blesbok my fly box has a very high mortality rate. due to lots of obstructions and not entering the water to recover your fly.