By Skip Clement
[dropcap]I[/dropcap] am not an excellent fly tyer but a curious one with a penchant for short cuts and materials advantages. Both proclivities have turned me into a pretty decent tube fly tyer. Because of that, I have enjoyed a new level of on-the-water rewards for about five years.
We are lucky to have many UV resin options available to us today. They have different properties and viscosities so find the resin and light that work best for your needs.
The shortcuts part is a subject worthy of its own space and a post for another time. The material advantages of UV cured resins are today’s message which I believe have boosted the magic of my tube flies exponentially – as it would any tyer’s battle ready flies (hook tied or tube tied).
Marshall Cutchin (Midcurrent) and Orvis seem to agree, utilizing Tim Flagler’s video Using UV Cure Resins. A series Orvis calls One-Minute Fly-Tying Tips and Techniques.
“Each video teaching a single tying skill, from the most basic to the advanced. Ultimately, the series will serve as a sort of encyclopedia of tying skills that will be a valuable resource for anyone who sits down at a vise to create a fly.
The rise of UV-cure resins over the past few years has been a boon for fly tiers. These adhesives, which harden quickly when exposed to ultraviolet light, make creating hard shellbacks a snap, help keep materials in place, and even replace thread-wraps and whip-finishes. In this week’s video, Tim shows what’s available and how best to use these great products.” — Orvis
Here is a good use of UV resin to create a simple epoxy back on a baetis nymph. This technique can be used on an endless number of nymph patterns.
