Help with Simple Pattern

MD_Gene

MD_Gene

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Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
667
I am trying to tie some egg patterns. I have Orvis pink yarn and have watched the videos on line. For some reason when I pull and cut the yarn it does not pop and spread across the hook like it shows in the video., Are there tricks> Techniques that I am missing? Do I need "trick" yarn? Looking for help. Thanks in advance.
 
I use McFly foam for most of my egg patterns. The stuff works great, and bounces back well when stretched and cut. It's pretty easy to shape with just a little trimming if needed. I separate it in half for some of the smaller patterns. I posted a link below. Hope that helps.

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/item/SM-750168-0000/search/McFlyfoam-Products-McFlyfoam.html
 
Possibly not enough thread pressure. First thing is make a thread base on the shank, use no more than pencil diameter of yard, secure with two loose wraps, pull-up yarn and pull down thread to tighten and then wrap several more tight wraps. Really pull the yarn tight when you cut it.

The mcfly yarn is by far and away the best. Get some and throw everything else away.
 
McFlyFoam, McFlyFoam, McFlyFoam, McFlyFoam, McFlyFoam, McFlyFoam, McFlyFoam, McFlyFoam, McFlyFoam, McFlyFoam.

The stuff practally ties itself when it comes to making nice round eggs.

Glo-bug yarn or similiar products do not.

The McFLyFoam, a synthetic yarn despite it's name, has a spongy feel and the tiny indiviual fibers are very "kinky." The yarn also has a velco like quality when you handle it with dry fingers. It compacts and flares a lot when you put a tight wrap of thread around it.

GloBug yarn on the other hand is very soft, and has a whispy quality. It's great yarn for suckerspawn style eggs. I think this material tends to have more natural color and translucency than McFlyFoam but it does not tie very good single eggs. It takes a lot of fiddling to get it to flare around the hook and the spot where you wrap it with threat tends to sho in the finished fly. But again, it's fantastic for suckerspawn style flies.

If you have McFlyFoam use a sturdy thread like Uni in 6/0 or UTC and try to use a minimal number of tight wraps in a compact area to secure your yarn. Also use very sharp scissors.

If you have some other yarn, consider tying suckerspawn style. You may need to pull your strand of yarn in half so that you have two or even three thinner strands to work with. This will give you the appropriate density of yarn to tie a good looking fly.

FWIW, I prefer the suckererspawn tied with GloBug over single eggs tied with McFlyFoam. So give them a shot if the single eggs aren't working with your yarn.

Kev
 
+1 for mcfly foam. Tied up 40 this morning.
 
Egg patterns - I experienced the same frustration when I began tying. I do not tie them any more. I have found success with the blood dot that is easier to tie and just as successful.

http://www.riseformstudio.tv/fly_tying_video_blood_dot.html
 
hook

hook.jpg


zap a gap

zap.jpg


craft pom poms

poms.jpg


stab pom pom onto hook

coat hook shank with zap a gap

push pom pom into zap a gap

let dry

go fish
 
mcfly foam mcfly foam mcfly foam
 
"The yarn also has a velco like quality when you handle it with dry fingers."

That is really a problem as I have rough fingers from years of working with my hands. I literally can't handle mcfly foam because it is constantly getting caught on me thumb and index fingers.

When I did tie Glo-bugs I found I achieved a closer to perfect ball (although never like the ones you see on the Salmon River) by using Kevlar thread. Man you can really crank down and torque that thread! You'll bend the hook before you break the thread.

As another poster mentioned I no longer tie them and use sucker spawn, Blood Dots, Krystal Meth, and Estaz flies as very productive alternatives.

 

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+1 on the kevlar. If not kevlar, you need to at least use a strong thread and really tie it tight.
 
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