Actually the underbody is lead or aluminum sheet trimmed to shape. Many flyshops have a sticky back variety that works quite nicely.
I too have problems with mylar tubing unraveling. I think that one needs to attain guru status to deal with this material. Maybe about the time you figure out spey winging techniques.
I basically expect to lose some when I tye it on. I slide it down the hook past the frayed section tye it off in the good area, and trim the fraying down.
If someone has a better way of doing it, please let us know.
Rob
---------
Genetic pollution damages wild
stocks, bonk those Hatchery Zombies!
Mylar tubing just takes practice tight loops, and one little secret that would take years to find on your own, and is written about very rarely:namely thread selection. First off use the sharpest scissors you have to cut the tubing, that's where many fraying/unraveling starts. Here's the tip: Use the slickest thread you have to tie it down, and DON'T have the thread attached to the fly! Position the mylar, and then start the thread on it by taking one or two loose wraps, and then while holding on to the "tag end" of the thread, tighten down smoothly but relatively quickly. after that take more wraps and tie off. I pretty much only use mono thread anymore on mylar... That's after YEARS of tying tons of Sea Habits, zonkers, etc. Found it mentioned briefly in the book "tube flies", and it changed everything! Switch back to regular thread for attaching the wabbit. Good luck, and keep at it!
jb/1275
I was just wanting to comment on this - I've never tried tying Zonker's specifically and only played around w/ mylar tubed flies but I did find your response interesting. I found that using floss works well to tie down the mylar - this would be that "slick thread" you were referring too. I also found that mylar tubing can be tricky but its well worth the effort, I've found no other material that mimic's a fish's body as well as mylar.
Tight Lines.
this may sound funny, but I simply hit the ends with a lighter after I cut it - cutting it extra long as suggested. Never had one unravel as I worked it up the fly (like REALLY worked it up a tube fly that was just a little too large)
Don't catch it on fire, just enough to melt the ends.
Also, hit the end of the material you are putting back in the bag to keep it from coming apart as well.
Being that it sounds like it's flexible,couldn't you just turn it back inside it's self. When I worked at the lazy"B" the elecrricans when they strung the sleeving on the wires they would invert the ends back into the tube or sleeve. They also had something that they coated on it to keep it from unraveling. Just a thought from an old man.
Looks like I am a little late on this subject. But here is a hint anyways: I like to use scotch tape, to shape the body. Lay the tape over the shank of the hook. (Folded in two over the shank) Trim to the shape of the body you want. And pull over an extra large piece of mylar tubing (my answer to fraying). You will be amazed what the tape does. The bodies look great and hold up well.
OK. for a year now I have unsuccessfully tied (mylar tubing bodied) Zonkers. From what I understand you have to take a bent paperclip or something to give the mylar tubing some shape. I can see that you have to tie off and tie on a couple times, but I can't get the mylar tubing to keep from unraveling! Help! I need step by step instruction!
Sparse
Streams are made for the wise man to contemplate and fools to pass by.
(Sir Izaak Walton)
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