Hi to all I have quite a bit of materials that I bought off Ebay as a job lot but I do not know what half of them are for so though maybe if I post what they are called on the packets some one maybe able to tell me what they are for many are unmarked though so can not do much about them. If someone can just let me know what they are for like wings, bodies etc I do not name fly names so saying them make a certain fly would not help me much, I know nothing about this and I am just trying to find out what the gear I have is actualy used for, so here goes . . . . Latex. Foam. Hen Capes. Indian Crow. Mallard ducks these look like just a sofy feather. Chinese hen. Tippets. Indian Capes. Topping. Some feathers have skin on them too. Well these are some of the ones I have that maybe someone can tell me what they are used for as apposed to what fly. Hope this does not seem crazy but I just don't know what these are used for. Thankx . . .

Your best bet is to just get stuck in and try what you fancy with whatever materials you've got. Or seek out a pattern, view the products on-line, and see if you've got the stuff to tie them. That said, what I do with that kind of stuff is:

Latex - depends on the size, but usually wound for bodies or shellbacks on bodies/thorax covers

Foam - cut and use - booby eyes/daddy body/floating fry body/wing posts on parachute flies...

Hen capes/hackles - mainly for traditional wet fly hackles, or a bit of leggy movement on nymph patters. The chinese hen hackles tend to be bigger so used on bigger flies. Can also be used for matuka style wings - tied along the back of the fly.

Indian Crow - no idea.

Mallard - the soft feathers are probably for wings, especially if a bronze colour, on wet flies. Can also be wound like as a particularly vigorous hackle.

Tippets - tails. Sometimes wings on salmon flies.

Indian capes - well - if hen, then as above. If rooster, would do for hackles on wet flies too. Bit stiffer than hen and spikier - will move more water but not have as much movement. Can be used for dry fly hackles if they are stiff and full and long enough. The rooster tips are also sometimes used as dry fly wings.

Topping - tails

Hope that helps. But you'll figure all this out as you go. And then find your own ideas.

Neil

Hi Neil may I ask I meant to put this in my post can you add to that if it is for a wet or dry fles, at least I do know there are wet and dries, thank you this is most helpful . And I see what you mean about getting stuck in, this really helps a great deal I do course fishing but this is a lot different but it does appeal to me. Thankx . . .

jackessex

I took up flytying this year also. Bought a decent vice and a Veniard starter kit of materials, which had a bewildering array of materials in it. Truth is I probably won't ever need 75% of the Veniard stuff in there.

I ended up deciding what flies I wanted to use (started with just 3 patterns) and then looked them up on youtube and in SBS's (like you can find here on the forum). From that I got a list of exactly what I'd need and went to one of the good online stores, such as Lathkill or flytyingboutique, to order just what was on my list.

Hope that helps.

Cheers
Stuart

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Um, not sure what exactly your question is... but having a stab: hen hackles, being soft, webby things, sink easily, so not much use for dry flies. Foam, naturally, is good in a dry fly coz it helps it float. The rest - can be used in both, pretty much, but I suppose tradition dictates a certain amount - you don't see many dry flies with topping or tippet tails, but no reason why you shouldn't give it a go and see if it works. A dry fly with a tippet tail won't look like a natural insect sitting on the surface, but it's not like every fly is an imitation of some natural insect.

I'd follow up on Stuart's suggestion if I were you - the stuff you've already got is bound to come in handy at some point. You said you didn't do the names of flies, but to be honest, it's going to be a big help if you do! Grab yourself a Fulling Mill catalogue of the flies they sell, then get on the net and see what you need to tie them. There's other threads on here suggesting easy first ties.

Neil

Ok thank you and I am begining to understand a bit better least I know w hat these bits are used for, and I will follow your suggestions as well as Stuarts it is hard at first when you get loadsa packets of this and that, very confusing but you have told me what they are for and this is a bog help thank you both . . .

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Yes same as me so much materials and really bewindering and probably I will not use much of it, I think as you say I should choose a few paterns and go from there. Thank you . .

Hard to beat Hareline Dubbing corp. for materials price, website and service is great

good luck and always tie the same fly atleast 10 of them and you will learn every fly 10% more so by the end the fly will be perfect then you throw away the first 9 and make 9 more perfect ones to make 10....

have fun

Hi thank you, and this does sound a great idea to make the same fly until you get it perfect, I have had lots of replies and help from this site and now I know what a lot of the materials are basicaly used for, one thing which I am sure is a daft question I have lots of mixed feathers in all colours but most are soft of feathers, is it possible for you to tell me generaly what all these different feathers can be used for I mean all the many soft type of ones not the names ones like hackles, but I just have these lots of soft ones and wonder what generaly can these be used for . Well I did say it was a daft question . . .

Think someone already answered this but anyway,hen hackles ( soft ) are mainly used for wet flies and when tied slant backwards towards the bend of hook.Cock hackles ( stiff ) are in the main used for dry flies and when tied stand upright which aids floatation.You may also have aload of feathers that can be used for wings on wet flies or maybe some marabou,maybe a pic might help to identify them?

Neil

Jack, mate, just ignore the whole lot of them THE MATERIALS THAT IS. Choose a fly to tie that suits you to tie. If you have the necessary bits and pieces in your bundle all well and good. If not buy the missing. Work away quietly through the flys you want to tie. As time goes by, one day you will look and find you have something that you instantly recognise as being part of...

I have 'stuff' that I really don't know what to do with/use. All bought in a job lot (or two) a few years ago. Consider them all as an asset to be used later. First and foremost choose a fly to tie. Everything else will fit in, in time.

I have a big bird in my collection of 'stuff' full skin, complete bird. It is quite pretty, lots of colours...have not a clue what it is or what to do with it