Copper John

Merle

Merle

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Messages
46
I am going to try tying some Copper Johns , the recipe calls for Thin Skin. I don’t have any and the fly shop doesn’t either. What would be a good substitute , I don’t need any material right now so I hate to make a mail order, would Swiss Straw do it ?

Merle
 
Merle,

The vinyl shellback is just a wing case. You could use anything pearlescent. I have collected pretty strange stuff for this, in addition to the bought pearl tinsel, I have purchased something called Laser back(or something like that, its about a 4 mil vinyl) I also have collected some gift wrapping tissue that the girls use for stuffing in those gift bags that would work. You could also use a heavy plastic ziplock bag over a piece of silver tinsel.

Here is a link to a recipe calling for clear vinyl.

copper_john

I know it is helpful for recipes to use brand names for materials but when I see this I think what could I use as a substitute?

Maurice
 
As Maurice said the thin skin is just the shellback of the wing case. Flashabou, or anything shiny over the wing case is what’s important. You can use swiss straw, or one thing that I use, when I retire a wallet, I tear it apart and use the thin leather cut in strips for the shell back on nymphs. I color it with a permanent marker. Use thin leather or swiss straw, tie over it with your shiny material, and coat it with a drop of Sally Hansens hard as nails.
 
I use swiss straw on all of mine... If that helps. I fininsh the fly by coating clear fingernail polish on the wingcase.
 
I have completely eliminated thin skin on my pattern and just use about 10-12 strips of flashabou and no epoxy , i use Loon Hard Head , dries faster and much clearer than epoxy ....
 
I do the same as RK...

I use one or two strands of pearl flashabou and cover it with UV knot sense or Loon wader repair goop... works out well, and is alot easier than epoxy
 
Thanks everyone, at the age of 62 I got to learn and a short time to do it :-o

Merle
 
Maurice,
That web site was great, thank you. I especially like the instructions on the strike indicator.

Bob
 
I enjoy tying and fishing Copper Johns. Have you noticed that these flies are tied with all different color wire? Red, blue, copper and even multi-color. And yes I am guilty of tying any and all color variations. Hell, I have even tied a red, white & blue. Do you think all these color variations are tied for the fisher or the fish. Does a red Copper John out fish a copper Copper John?
 
In my opinion Copper John's catch more fishermen then fish and I'm guilty of being caught myself lol. I have a bunch of them tied in bright green, dark green, olive, black, brown, rust, tan, copper, gold, silver, gray, wine, yellow, and probably a few others I'm forgetting. I love how they look but I rarely catch fish with them. From what I'm reading and hearing they do better out west but I might be wrong about that. I do like how they weigh more and come in the bright colors. Unless the water is high and off color I rarely use one.
 
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