Create Profile or Login

Forum Menu

Home > Forum Home > Freshwater Fishing > Fly Tying

Cheaper fly tying materials and fishing gear

  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Cheaper fly tying materials and fishing gear Forum Search Events FAQ FAQRegister RegisterLogin Login

 Post Reply Post Reply
Page  123>
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Pole Dancer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Cheaper fly tying materials and fishing gear
    Posted: 27 Oct 2007 at 7:00pm
Pole Dancer View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 13 Aug 2003
Location: Waihi Beach
Status: Offline
Points: 7021
OK, the other thread has exposed ez-body and dryshake... my other one off the top of my head is Flexament fly tying cement. Great stuff. Tough, flexible.... Buy a $12.00 tube of Shoo Goo, use Zippo lighter fluid to thin and you have virtually the identical product sold as Flexament in little bottle for $15.00 a pop. One tube, plus thinner equals about $15.00 and is a lifetime supply for most.
 
For the saltwater guys it is also perfect for cementing connections on braided loops etc too....
 
 
www.clarkreid.co.nz   FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Onecast Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2007 at 7:21pm
Onecast View Drop Down
Silver
Silver
Avatar

Joined: 04 May 2007
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 299
Clark; I have been intending to give Flexament a try for a long time.
 
Your info on how to use a substitute has hooked me and I will be giving it a go very shortly.  Thanks for the heads up.  Jax
A man is only as big as the things that annoy him

RIP 'Onecast' Jax Murray
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Onecast Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Nov 2007 at 11:17am
Onecast View Drop Down
Silver
Silver
Avatar

Joined: 04 May 2007
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 299
Here is a tip to kick things off. For nice cheap easy to get Winging Material from Dries to BIG S/W Flies. Polyprop Carpet Edging Material. Comes in many colours and different Textures and Stiffness. Great fun to use.  Jax
A man is only as big as the things that annoy him

RIP 'Onecast' Jax Murray
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote paddy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec 2007 at 9:27am
paddy View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze


Joined: 16 Jun 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 52
hi guys
          I go to craft shops to get some of my fly tying stuff like flashabou / angel hair as it is used in making dolls hair at about $2-3 a pop for 50 grams and more colors as well, polypropolene rovings for indicators and glow bugs at $5-6 a 500gram bag  .
Head cement is from the 2 dollar shop  it's  nail varnish at 2 for $2
Some craft foams are closed cell and come in thin sheets for foam flies.
Thread nippers make great tying scissors at $2 to $10 each I have used a pair of $2 nippers for a couple of years now  and still sharp as.
My wife is into quilting so a lot of time spent in craft stores and a bit of lateral thinking save some coin.
 cheers Steve.

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote ghostly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Dec 2007 at 11:00am
ghostly View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze


Joined: 03 May 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 18
I must be a bit slow -which thread "exposed" dry shake and e-z body?
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote sooshee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2009 at 11:28pm
sooshee View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 31 May 2004
Location: Iraq
Status: Offline
Points: 1896
To make quite serviceable plastic dumbell eyes:
- Obtain 2 tiny plastic beads (you get 100s of these for a few dollars from craft shops) of the colour of your choice (yellow or while make great pupil colours)
- Insert a heavy mono line (diameter to just fit nicely) into the hole for one of those beads
- Burn the end of the nylon and flatten to create a mushroom head
- Insert the second bead from the other end of the mono, butting against the first bead, and cut the nylon leaving about 3mm of tag
- Melt the tag end and create a mushroom like before
 
You now end up with a set of dumbell of eyes held together on the mono. You can choose to superglue for added strength.
An example tied with those eyes below:
 
PS- If the above was yellow, I'd call it the Big Bird flyLOL
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Pole Dancer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2009 at 1:52am
Pole Dancer View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 13 Aug 2003
Location: Waihi Beach
Status: Offline
Points: 7021
Originally posted by ghostly ghostly wrote:

I must be a bit slow -which thread "exposed" dry shake and e-z body?
 
Dry-Shake is just Cab-o-sil a product used in the fibreglassing industry. $10.00 will get you a lifetime supply.
 
Ez-Shape body is just t-shirt paint. Buy the Pearl with glitter... about $2.50 a bottle and most of them have a better consistency to work with than the original.
 
The old post is ages old and I don't have time to scan the archives for it.
www.clarkreid.co.nz   FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Darryl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2009 at 12:51pm
Darryl View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze


Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 64
Hi Clark
Is the Dry-Shake / Cab o sil a version of dry fly floatant?
 
If so - how do you apply it and how does it compare with other products such as Gink?
 
I lost my bottle of Gink on the riverbank over the weekend, so looking at sorting out a replacement.
 
Cheers
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote sooshee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2009 at 11:21pm
sooshee View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 31 May 2004
Location: Iraq
Status: Offline
Points: 1896
Here's another option to making eyes....from sequins
 
An example where I combined 2 different sized sequins (black/silver):
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote fooling fish Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Mar 2009 at 1:22am
fooling fish View Drop Down
Silver
Silver
Avatar

Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Status: Offline
Points: 336
Nice one mate.
 
Thats a gret tip.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote jmeyerc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2009 at 4:39pm
jmeyerc View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze
Avatar

Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 85

There is also the dubbing subs in the $2 shop - balls of knitting wool, take lengths cut small and blitz up in coffee bender, mix colours and make soft and add hair for spiky 'buggy' dubbing.

Also there are flea combs for dogs at the $2 shop - great for hair work. Just browse around and you will find heaps to turn into wicked looking flies.

Jeanne

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote jmeyerc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2009 at 4:42pm
jmeyerc View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze
Avatar

Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 85

I bought sequins from the craft shop Spotlight about 3 years ago and couldn't think on how to use them - I had an idea they could be used but, well, now I know ----- thank's for that tip SooShee.

Jeanne 

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote jmeyerc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2009 at 4:50pm
jmeyerc View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze
Avatar

Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 85

Clark - where do you get this Shoo Goo from please? Is it available here in NZ? I already have the Zippo lighter fluid, but would like to find this Shoo Goo if possible.

Jeanne

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote sooshee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2009 at 8:05pm
sooshee View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 31 May 2004
Location: Iraq
Status: Offline
Points: 1896
Jeanne, you can get the shoo goo from shoe repair shops
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote jmeyerc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2009 at 11:34am
jmeyerc View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze
Avatar

Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 85

Got the Shoo Goo from our local cobbler - he said the new stuff they are importing is rubbish and he won't stock it now, he then looked around and found a supplier of the orginal product - so I got 2 tubes @ $15 a pop. takes heaps of zippo to thin it down though -- how do you know when it's thin enough to use without it turning to a really thin watery state and becoming useless? Or doesn't it matter how thin it is?

What I'm trying to say is - how much do you thin it down please? Embarrassed

Jeanne

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Pole Dancer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2009 at 12:07pm
Pole Dancer View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 13 Aug 2003
Location: Waihi Beach
Status: Offline
Points: 7021
If you over thin it you just leave it out for a bit and the thinner evaporates... put the lid back on when you have the consistency you want.
www.clarkreid.co.nz   FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote jmeyerc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2009 at 3:31pm
jmeyerc View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze
Avatar

Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 85

Thanks Clark, I feel more confident in thinning it down and using it now.

Jeanne

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote jmeyerc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Apr 2009 at 11:16am
jmeyerc View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze
Avatar

Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 85
Originally posted by Clark Reid Clark Reid wrote:

OK, my other one off the top of my head is Flexament fly tying cement. Great stuff. Tough, flexible.... Buy a $12.00 tube of Shoo Goo, use Zippo lighter fluid to thin and you have virtually the identical product sold as Flexament in little bottle for $15.00 a pop. One tube, plus thinner equals about $15.00 and is a lifetime supply for most.
 
For the saltwater guys it is also perfect for cementing connections on braided loops etc too....
 
 

Clark - I have mixed up and lost 2 -3 jars of the shoo-goo mix now, it is not thinning down properly and is setting almost as fast as I am trying to thin it down.I am using a glass jar with a tight fitting cork for a lid ---- what am I doing wrong please? I have now nearly used half the tube of shoo-goo and was only able to use it once before it set in the jar. I really need your help on this one. too expensive to lose so much product with not being able to use it.

JeanneCry

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Pole Dancer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2009 at 9:54pm
Pole Dancer View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 13 Aug 2003
Location: Waihi Beach
Status: Offline
Points: 7021
You're trying to mix way too much. I just p[ut a small dollop (About the size of a large glo-bug) in a film cannister, cover it with zippo fluid, put the lid on, leave for 15 mins or so, shake like heck then stir it with a kebab stick. IOf it's too thin let it evaporate, if too thick add more fluid.
www.clarkreid.co.nz   FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote jmeyerc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Apr 2009 at 11:35am
jmeyerc View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze
Avatar

Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 85

Will be trying again with the amount you said and this time I know it will work because I was trying to mix a dollop the size of a large walnut with small amounts of zippo at a time. Thanks Clark for helping me on this.

Jeanne

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
Page  123>
Forum Jump
Forum Permissions View Drop Down


This page was generated in 0.398 seconds.

Most Thanked Forum Posts

3 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
3 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
2 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
2 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
2 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
2 Out with the "Twelves&quo...
2 New anchor setup, could use so...
2 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
2 Freeing a stuck anchor ...
2 Freeing a stuck anchor ...

Fishing Reports Visit Reports

Saltwater Fishing Reports
Top of the South Fishing Report - 23/01/26

Snapper, cod and marlin on the menu Despite the weather we have had recently, when... Read More >

23 Jan 2026
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Bream Bay Fishing Report - 23/01/26

Snapper out deep in cooler water As happens at this time of the year, the... Read More >

22 Jan 2026
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Inner Hauraki Gulf Fishing Report - 23/01/26

Small snapper the norm Over the last 10 years I have noticed with great concern the... Read More >

22 Jan 2026
Freshwater Fishing Reports
Rotorua Fishing Report - 23/01/26

Fishing will be exceptional when water clears The massive amount of rainfall to hit the... Read More >

22 Jan 2026
Fishing bite times Fishing bite times

Major Bites

Minor Bites

Major Bites

Minor Bites

All information © 2026 The Fishing Website