ribbing and saddles

[sage5]

Hi,every one,i have recently started tying after many years away from it.I would like to know what type of wires i should be useing for ribbing wet flies,such as bibios and kates and green peters etc.and also what size medium or large,it will be mainly 12s and 10s i will be tying.
Also where can i buy saddles for bodies of the above flies and what should i be useing for the head hackles ? is it hen necks.
any help will be greatly appreciated many thanks Duncan

[midlander]

Hi Duncan, my preference is for Lagartun or UNI oval tinsel rather than wire, I think wire's too bulky in relation to the amount of flash you get from it. For a 10 I usually go for small/medium and for 12s/14s I go for fine/ex sml.

There's so many places that stock saddles that it's hard to pick one. I usually shop around for the ones I get. Tom Savilles in Nottingham are my first stop for Metz cock or hen, or Celtic Flycraft if Savilles haven't got what I want. After that it's Lakeland for whiting, if they're in stock that is.

Yep, normally hen for the shoulder hackle in my case although some use cock hackles.

Hope that helps.

[sage5]

Hi, Milander,many thanks for the information i will check out the shops you mentioned
regards Duncan

[Chris Reeves]

Now I will disagree with Midlander but only in that I use wire to strengthen the fly not for the extra flash it gives. If I want flash then I will use tinsel or Lurex etc etc but for a good strong fly, with a hackle tied in at the head by the bottom of the feather and would to the tail, then you can't beat fine copper ,brass or silver wire for a rib. It is easy to work through the hackle, disappears into any body dressing and makes flies last a lot longer.

I use any brand of very fine wire, I know it doesnt have great tensile strength but it is a lot more resiliant to teeth then say a floss or thread rib.

Regards

---------- Post added at 07:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:39 AM ----------

Hackle queston, I missed this out of my last reply.

For a coloured hackle take a look at Whiting black laced hen which is available dyed in many colours. It is a great French Partridge substitute and the feather stems are much finer. Saddles for sizes 8 to 12, Capes for sizes 10 to 18

For a plain hackle again I'd go for Whiting, this time for Brahma hen which comes in a range of "natural" colours. These skins come with the shoulder patches which are brilliant English Partridge subs.

If you can't get them thern look for old English Game hens, these come in a wide variety of natural colours and have a good size feather.

Regards

[sage5]

Hi Chris
many thanks for the above.its wires that i use to tie in my hackles, i was just wondering if there was something else i should be useing as i was thinking the wire i have is a bit thin.i will try and get some slightly thicker
regards Duncan

[midlander]

Originally Posted by sage5

I would like to know what type of wires i should be useing for ribbing wet flies,such as bibios and kates and green peters etc.

Originally Posted by Chris Reeves

Now I will disagree with Midlander but only in that I use wire to strengthen the fly not for the extra flash it gives. If I want flash then I will use tinsel or Lurex etc etc but for a good strong fly, with a hackle tied in at the head by the bottom of the feather and would to the tail, then you can't beat fine copper ,brass or silver wire for a rib. It is easy to work through the hackle, disappears into any body dressing and makes flies last a lot longer.

Feel free to disagree Chris but I'd question the wisdom of ribbing Kate McLaren's and Bibios with lurex. Can't see that standing up to as much attention from toothy broonies as oval. Especially as that's what the dressings actually call for.

Agreed, wire lends itself to certain patterns, but would get lost in bushier top dropper stuff like bibios or Kates, would be much too thick by the time it caused any sparkle and add too much weight for the dressing. Lurex would just rip too easily and then you're left with a rib and palmer hackle unwinding after your first couple of fish. No Chris, oval is by far the most durable when strength and sparkle are taken in to consideration. You take the high road and I'll take the low on this one mate.

[Chris Reeves]

I'm not suggesting Lurex for Wild Browns, although I use lurex ribs on all my hoppers and it is not the first thing that goes. Usually a brown will shred the head hackle as this is the bit between its teeth (horrible unitentional pun but too good to take out)

Please note I did include tinsel in there. However, have you tried Guttermans fine tinsel on the 200 meters spool,(Hobbycraft) it had a breaking strength far higher than 6/0 silk and a twisted rib is brilliant and tough.

I'm also not suggesting changing an original dressing although many people will find Oval tinsels much harder to deal with until they get the hang of them, plus real tinsel tarnishes and you loose your sparkle, (some might say I lost mine a while ago)

We could always compromise, rib in one direction with something thin and sparkly then counter rib with wire.

Regards

[midlander]

Guttermanns sulky is the stuff you're on about Chris, yep, great stuff and holo sulky.

Personally I can't see that oval is any harder to wind through a body hackle than wire and I can't see the point in adding tinsel, then wire, unless you're specifically going for a duo coloured rib. I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

[tinsoldier]

You can allways add an extra fine wire over yer tinsel then u have the best of both worlds imo