There are always a few fly patterns that trouble fly tyers around the globe, and for as simple as they seem, glo bugs/eggs are one of those patterns.
I remember my first introduction to tying egg patterns; I was a guide on the Green River in Utah, below the Flaming Gorge Dam. It was early spring and the dry fly fishing had not heated up yet wh
ich left us all throwing deep nymph rigs to fish on the bottom of the river. I was about half-way through a rough day on the water, when in an act of desperation I decided to throw on an egg to get some fis h in the net. Not surprising, the hours that followed were very productive. After breaking off a few rigs though, I was running low on glo bugs. That night I sat down at the vice to replenish my supply for the next day thinking "How hard can it be? It's just fuzz on a hook!" Much to my despair, I ended up buying some eggs the next day because mine were less than desirable.
Not long after, I was introduced to a few tips that saved me lots of time and money, and allowed me to tie picture perfect eggs in 30 seconds flat! The following is a list of tips and techniques to help you do the same.
- Use "The Amazing Glo Big Dispenser" by TCO Innovations. - This is a MUST HAVE for this process. It makes handling the materials much easier, and allows for a one cut process to finish the fly, saving time and material. These are available at good fly shops everywhere and can also be order online...google it. Also, look for a follow-up blog with step by step directions.
- Tie with McFly Foam - it is a bit more expensive than Glo Bug Yarn but the stretchy quality of McFly Foam allows the tier to make eggs of multiple colors, sizes, and shapes. Also, because it is so compressible, you can crank down on the material to keep the fly from spinning on the hook.
- Use UTC White GSP Thread. It will lie flat to reduce bulk if you want, but is ridiculously strong and allows you the ability to
put lots of tension on the fly when tying, and makes for bullet proof flies. It also turns clear when wet. Be sure you have sharp scissors...this stuff is tough!
- Buy extra heavy hooks. I prefer Tiemco 2488H hooks for my eggs. I tie them in two sizes for trout: 14, and 18. I occasionally tie some larger if I am headed somewhere that has Salmon, Steelhead, or exceptionally large trout. They provide a nice straight shank to tie on and they won't bend out when you hook a monster.
- Experiment with different kinds of scissors, and keep a razor blade close by. Some tyers prefer a curved tip, while others like straight. My favorite is a pair of serrated blade, curved tip scissors. These seem to work best with both the thread and the McFly Foam.
Experiment with these tips and plan on making a few mistakes, but don't let them get you down. Practice, practice, practice...you will be pumping out more eggs than a spawning sockeye in no time!
Ethan Emery
Angling University President
www.anglinguniversity.com
