Steaming your flies

burningfreak · #1 05-08-2016, 10:35 AM

I was just able to get out fishing for the first time this season the other day. Looking in my fly boxes I was reminded of how badly flies that have been packed away without care from the previous season can get crushed and deformed. Thought I'd share a quick tip with everyone for dealing with those crushed hackles and bent deer hair. Simply put some water in a kettle and get a good boil going. while you're waiting dig out your crushed and sad looking flies and maybe a pair of forceps to hold them with. Once you have a good boil grab your fly by the hook and hold it in the steam. It only takes a second, but it's like magic, the hair and hackle will straighten and puff up making that mangled little fly look like new again. I'm not sure how many people know this little trick but it has saved many flies for me in the passed so I thought I'd share. (BTW, this little trick also works well on hackle, peacock herl and the like that has seen better days and needs a little tlc before it will be ready for tying.)

Thymallus arcticus · #2 05-08-2016, 10:38 AM

Thanks for sharing. That is a cool trick.

Z7Extreme · #3 05-08-2016, 01:08 PM

Awesome!! Thanks for the tip. I will have to try it

trigger7mm · #4 05-08-2016, 03:34 PM

Cool, great tip. Thanks.

drhu22 · #5 05-09-2016, 12:01 AM

Definitely a useful hint... thanks!

catnthehat · #6 05-09-2016, 06:44 AM

Flies and Arrowfetching as well!

Cat

petew · #7 05-09-2016, 01:15 PM

That's how we fix arrow fletching to make it look new again.

trigger7mm · #8 05-09-2016, 06:48 PM

Tried this last night and it worked great.

Knotter · #9 05-09-2016, 08:11 PM

Never thought of it on a fly. Thanks for sharing.

petew · #10 05-10-2016, 06:50 AM

You get best results from a kettle where the steam is moving faster. It doesn't take much steam to do the job.

Passthru · #11 05-10-2016, 07:06 AM

Thanks for the tip. Definatly trying this as my flies need lots of tlc.

32-40win · #12 05-13-2016, 01:47 AM

Cup of freshly poured hot water works wonders on grooming synthetics such as dubbing and flash materials and etc, dip and brush to suit.

Passthru · #13 05-15-2016, 09:42 AM

Tried this last night and steamed all my dry flies. Gotta say this works pretty slick. Thought I was gonna have to buy new flies before I tried this but now they look brand new again. Thanks again

32-40win · #14 05-17-2016, 01:09 AM

Maybe it didn't cure properly, but I managed to blow the head right off a streamer by way of dangling/steaming it over the kettle. It was Loon UV thin coated with an overcoat of Sally's. Haven't had that happen before, but, I had to redo the head last night. It had only cured for about 2 hrs. I usually just dip them in the fresh poured hot water. may pay to be cautious with the Loon UV heads. Other than that it worked fine.

burningfreak · #15 05-17-2016, 01:33 PM

Yeah, glad to share. I heard this trick on the orvis fly fishing podcast and it has helped me out a ton since then. I've never had a head come apart on me like you had happen 32-40win, but I'm guessing that maybe it is something to do with the different head cements we use.