Recycling Old Flies

[MKern]

Just curious, Do you guys take old tattered flies and try to mend them to make "like-new" flies? Cut all the old material off and start from stratch? Or, just throw them away?
I often try to fix chewed on flies by replacing broken pieces and leaving okay ones, and although time consuming, sometimes remove all the old materials and start over. A lot of times it saves time and a few cents.
How about you guys?

 

[Maurice]

I can honestly say tha I think the same as you...although a good idea, I'm too lazy to take the time to strip the old hooks. I have piles of old flies to do this too.

When a wooly buggers hackle comes undone I put it aside to rehackle it. Other than that, I intend to strip the entire fly. But I don't have a good track record of following through.

Maurice

 

[MKern]

Yea, I have about 300 flies or so that I don't consider "quality" and shout save the hooks, I even have a fly box full of decent flies that I try to use during spring for stocked fish, although this year produced very little rising fish in my local area.

I find the best way to strip an old fly is to rip off what I can with needle nose pliers and burn the rest off. Although it sticks really bad.

 

[tomgamber]

I have two good options for flies in this condition. If they are not falling completely apart I find a steam blast form the tea pot will revive most beat up flies. The other use i have for them is my favorite. Bluegills!

When they become completely unusable they go into either the trash or a box I have in my flytying stuff that might as well be in the trash. Unless there is some oddball hook that I am just out of, I never open that box except to put old flies in..they never come out. kind of like a roach motel.

 

[JackM]

I will repair damaged flies when possible. I just start a new thread near the eye and tie on whatever is needed. If beyond repair, I strip the hook using a utility razor-- just place the blade behind the eye and scrape along the top of the hook shaft. The materials are thrown away, but the hook is then recycled. Like Tom, if it is still functional, just ratty, I use it on bluegills.

 

[Philly]

I'll very seldom repair a fly, I might replace the eyes or legs on a bass, saltwater or panfish popper/slider, but that's about it. What do I do with the fly, depends on what brand of hook it's tied on. If it's a more expensive hook, or one that's not made any more, then I'll strip the material. I use a razor blade to strip the material off, unless it decides to be difficult or stubborn, then I'll burn it off. If I think it's still usable, I'll put it in a storage
I don't how many flies I have from my own tying or swaps that I don't use. I'll probably go through them again over the winter. If I like the hook I'll strip them, otherwise they go into a container, and I try to find a home for them, if I can't then I'll trash them.

 

[Coughlin]

Like everyone else, I have a box chock full of old, beat-up, chewed-up flies in all sizes. I do, however, strip down any fly I have under wrapped with lead.

I wonder, do you suppose just throwing these ragged flies on top of the coals after a grilling session would burn off the material and leave the hooks or would that destroy the temper?
Coughlin