Tying Unsinkable Dry Flies

7 Killer Unsinkable Dry Flies

2012-02-16T11:42:00.000-08:00

Red Eye PMD - Skwala - Stonefly

Mige Size 18 - Linneweh - Golden Stone

Black Caddis

These patterns are very effective

Rubber Tubing

2011-12-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

Rubber Tubing is another material that can be used to tie "Unsinkable Dry Flies." The material comes in sizes with an inside diameter of 1/16" to 1" with the most useful sizes being 1/16", 1/32", 1/8", and 3/32." The best wall thickness is 1/16" to 1/32." The tubing has specific gravity of less than one and will float even without an air bubble trapped inside. Colored tubing is available but is expensive compared to the natural color shown here. The tubing can be colored with permanent marking pens or inside with the use of alcohol based ink. It also works extremely well to tie nymphs. An example is shown to the left -- simply wrap the hook shank with lead and slide the tubing over the wrapped shank -- Then add skin, legs, antenna, etc.

Wonder Bug

2011-03-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

This is a new pattern that has worked extremely well. When I first tied it I wondered if it would work, when it did I wondered why -- Thus the Wonder Bug.

Recipe Wonder Bug

Hook: Any brand 4X long size 6 to 12 with a fine wire, having as wide a gape as possible or a Mustad 3261
Thread: Purple 6/0 (70 denier) or larger (Metallic Thread if available)
Body: Purple Heat Shrink 1/8 or 3/16 diameter colored with pens: Note other sizes can be used with smaller hooks. Tan foam.
Legs: Medium to fine speckled white rubber centipede leg material
Post: White Heat Shrink or Polypropylene Yarn
Wing: Saddle light blue dun

1. Cut a single or two twin sections of Heat Shrink as long as the hook shank plus at least a 1/8 inch. Note: Twin sections are used when using smaller Heat Shrink.
2. Cut a section of tan foam approximately the same width as the Heat Shrink.
3. Cover the hook shank with thread.
4. Attach the heat shrink at the rear of the hook one section at a time using at least three thread wraps. Use heat to pinch the heat shrink to the hook shank.

5. Attach the foam at the rear of the hook shank and work the thread up to the eye.
6. Attach the heat shrink and foam at the eye using at least three thread wraps. Use heat to pinch the heat shrink to the hook shank and finish forming the air bubble.
7. Seal the thread at the hook eye with head cement or super glue. Trim off any excess foam and heat shrink.
8. Attach the centipede legs in a crossing pattern between the foam and hook shank. Note: legs can be added at the rear and eye anchor point with thread when attaching the foam and heat shrink. This will place them farther apart as shown in the pictures above.
9. Cement the legs in place with super glue if you use the crossing pattern.
10. Add the Heat Shrink or PP post and take 6-8 wraps around the light blue dun or white saddle parachute style. Seal the thread at the hook eye with super glue. 11. Tails and antenna can be added but do not seem to improve the patterns performance.

Polypropylene Hair

2011-03-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

Polypropylene (PP) Hair available on the Internet can be a great substitute for fur or other forms of hair. The advantage is that it has a specific gravity of less than 1, .91 to be exact which means it floats. It usually is called super jumbo braid and a large quantity can be purchased for under $2.00 plus shipping. It comes it a variety of colors and blends. The hair should be identified as Polypropylene or PP if not contact the supplier before purchasing. One supplier to avoid is ragdollhair, who may also be listed as ragdolly.net, their service is extremely poor.

Ideas for Coloring Tubing

2010-12-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

This first idea was submitted by Matthew Timbs (12-1-2010)

I've got an idea for you. Would it be possible to use clear heat shrink tubing, and (using a hooked needle or something) pull colored dubbing through the tube before shrinking it? Would that be a way to add color? It'd still float because of the air trapped within the dubbing, and you could get really creative with the colors.

This is a good idea Matt -- Thanks for the suggestion

Something else tiers may want to experiment with is using dye or ink inside of clear heat shrink tubing. We have been playing with this for some time using alcohol ink from Adirondac with some excellent results (See Picture Below). To accomplish coloring the inside use small bottles of Adirondac ink and place the tube over the bottle spout and suck the ink inside by using the tubing like a straw. After coloring set the tubing aside and let it dry.

There are several advantages to the dye or ink method of coloring; One is cost, it is more cost effective to purchase one large roll of clear vs. several feet of a colored heat shrink; two, clear polyolefin heat shrink is lighter than most colored tubing -- clear has a specific gravity of less than one, usually around .91-.93, meaning it floats even without trapped air inside -- while most colored polyolefin heat shrink will sink because its specific gravity is more than one, up to 1.5 in some cases; and three, colors are generally more vivid and do not come off as some coloring will on the outside of the tubing over time or use.

Recipe the Unsinkable Drake Mayfly

2010-01-17T05:50:00.000-08:00

Hook: Any brand size 12 thru 20 with a fine wire, having a widest gap as possible
Thread: To match the insect color usually brown, green, gray, or white
Body: Heat Shrink 3/64 or 1/16 diameter to match insect color (Note: clear heat shrink can be used and colored with a permanent marker)
Tail: 8 to 6 pound monofilament to match insect color or clear colored with a permanent marker
Wing: Web Wing or equivalent
Hackle: To match insect color

1. Cut a section of clear 3/64 inch Heat Shrink approximately ¾ of an inch long.
2. Using a soldering iron (15 watt or less) shrink the end and form at least 3 to a maximum 6 dimples in the Heat Shrink body.

3. Insert the both ends of a loop of monofilament

approximately 3 inches long into the Heat Shrink body.
4. Seal the loop of monofilament in the end of the Heat Shrink with a drop of super glue (use Zip Kicker to set the super glue quickly).
5. Place the hook in the vice and wrap the thread from the eye to just before the bend.
6. Attach the Heat Shrink just above the hook bend at the 3rd indentation from the tail end. Use at least 6 wraps.
7. Repeat this process at the any other indentation working toward the hook eye or just behind the hook eye.
8. Attach the wings at the 1st indentation or just behind the hook eye. Heat Shrink If necessary, use a small drop of head cement or super glue to hold the wing in place.

9. Add the appropriate color hackle.
10. Tie off the thread at the hook eye and seal with head cement.
11. Trim the tail to the appropriate size.

B and B Trading

2010-01-12T05:44:00.000-08:00

We just found a new supplier of Heat Shrink B and B Trading. Their prices are under most other suppliers and the shipping rates are the best we have found. They only have a limited range of colors including clear, but most tyers will find them to be sufficient. We have added a link to their web site under suppliers.

Soldering Iron Heat

2009-12-20T10:53:00.000-08:00

When working with a soldering iron even some 15 watt units may be to hot to allow effective shrinking of the heat shrink as I recently discovered. To solve this problem use an electronic soldering station that allows for variable heat. The Elenco Electronic Soldering Station Model SL-5 is available on the web for under $35.00 with shipping. They recommend a 40 watt iron but I still use a 15 watt and it works just fine.

New Supplier

2009-10-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

We have another new supplier cableorganizer.com. They offer a wider selection of heat shrink than Action-Electronics.com including 4 foot sections and 100 foot rolls. Their shipping costs are more reasonable than Buy Heat Shrink.com. Beware of the collors especially red as it is not what you have come to expect as red heat shrink.

New Supplier

2009-09-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

We have finally found a supplier that handles small orders of heat shrink at reasonable prices. The lengths are four feet and the price varies by size but is usually under two dollars. Shipping is also reasonable around five dollars for small orders. The web site is http://www.action-electronics.com/heatshrink.htm

Starter Kit

2009-06-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Recently I found a good heat shrink starter kit with 160 pieces of assorted sizes and colors (1/16 thru 3/8 inch). The 3/8 inch size is a little large, but considering there are only 10 pieces the overall use of the kit at a cost of under $20 with shipping is reasonable. It is available on the internet at the following location: skycraftsurplus.com 1525.

Tails and Leggs

2009-04-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

Here are some simple tips on adding tails and leggs to dry flies that look great and work well. This example is a size 18 BWO using clear tubing colored with a green marking pen.

To accomplish this follow the steps here:

1. Wrap the hook shank with thread ( In this case I'm using 3/0 thread and a size 12 - 4x long hook so you can see the process)

2. Add the heat shrink taking enough wraps around the hook shank and the heat shrink to reach the point where you would like the 1st leg.

3. Add the tail. In this case I used a heavy monofiliment in a brown color so you can see the process. Normally, I would use 6# or 8# monofiliment in a color to match the natural insect.

4. Use the soidering iron to shrink the tubing and seal the tail with Zap-A-Gap (Thick super glue). I use Zip Kicker, a super glue accelerator the set the tail and seal the tube quickly. This also holds the tube in place on the hook shank.

5. Add the 1st leg, between the tubing and the wrapped hook shank and anchor with the thread, taking sufficent wraps over the tube and shank to reach the next leg location.

6. Anchor the second leg in place as with the first and continue wrapping shank toward the eye.

7. Add the wing post. (Note: White tubing will increase visiability vs. the clear I used here) Use the soidering iron to seal the post and hook shank tubing with the thread. Crimp the post after heating the tubing with pliers to seal the air Bubble.

8. Add the wing (in this case parachute style) using a saddle feather to match the natural insect.

9. After tying off the thread seal along the hook shank with super glue or head cement.

Wing Material

2009-03-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

On page 14 in the book -- we talk about material to make wings -- recently, I came across another product that can be used to make outstanding wing material, it is called "Heatnbond." The product is used like fusible webbing, except it seals like Press and Seal, but is even more durable and will not absorb water. Like fusible webbing it is available at most fabric stores.

New Wing

2009-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Recently, I came up with a different wing using heat shrink - It is a variation of the the "Bent U" found in the book on page 12 except it adds a third leg. A small drop of super glue is used to hold the pattern in place. I use a drying accelerator for super glue called Zip Kicker to set the shape quickly.

This picture shows this configuration "Dusted" (see book page 10) with grounded up foam. In this case rubber cement is used in place of super glue or spray adhesive to hold the dust in place.

This final picture is of a finished fly using the wing and also a "Bubble" body (see book page 12) making this one buoyant fly.