Traditional fly tying.

[Dabalone]

Just curious, any fly tyers out there who use only natural materials and stay away from any synthetics or man made stuff? I respect and understand purists take on fly tying, just wondering with all the different man made materials to choose from how many still resist the temptation.

[Darian]

Interesting question. I'd bet there're still quite a few tyers among the Trout guys on this and other boards that resist using synthetics. Altho, I understand the aesthetics involved, I would ask why rely exclusively on natural materials

Natural/traditional materials certainly do have a place in modern fly tying and serve their purpose well. However, synthetics have opened up a whole new world of options to fly tyers while reducing the impact on the population of our feathered/furry friends caused by killing them to fill our needs for.

Of course, I still use natural materials in combo with synthetic and sometimes exclusively, just not as much or as often....

[Sutterk]

I really try to stay with natural materials, and try to really stay true to the original patterns and materials called for in the recipe. So if an older recipe will mostly call for the natural materials, some of the more modern patterns sneak in some synthetics. I have found it both rewarding and challenging. Some of the natural materials are a bear to work with.

[Jgoding]

It's 2012, not 1912. I use a mix match of whatever to make flies that catch fish... Some synthetics are great, some naturals are great, put two great things together and you get flies that might or might not catch fish????

I'm very traditional in my flytying as well, but I will sub synthetics in if I think they'll make a better fly. If they had z-lon back in they day I bet they would've used it w/o thinking twice about it.

[JD]

Never met anyone who tied with only natural materials, but I am sure they are out there.

Myself, I tie plenty of patterns with only natural materials and a ton with synthetics and more than a few with a mix of both. There are patterns where I prefer the behavior of natural materials over man-made ones, especially when an understated fly is called for. There are also time when aesthetics demand an old-school tie (sic.), but that is just a personal foible.

[Scott V]

What would you use instead of thread if you were tying with only natural material. Horse hair?

[ptychocheilus]

What would you use instead of thread if you were tying with only natural material. Horse hair?

No, the fun part would be forging your own hooks from naturally occurring iron deposits...

[Jgoding]

cat gut or silk

[Dabalone]

What would you use instead of thread if you were tying with only natural material. Horse hair?

Some thread is a natural material, cotton for instance, but it had to be processed into a thread form. So I guess if you think about it, besides the hook you could say they were tying with 100% natural materials. Still leaves the "man made" argument.

[Darian]

I read somewhere that during feudal times in Europe when tyers were producing ornate flies for Atlantic Salmon, they supposedly used silk (as Jeff suggests). Gut was used to create loop eyes for connecting a leader furled of hair(s) from horse mane.

Apparently, duels were fought over whether an individual had used an inappropriate material as a substitute in a particular pattern. Yikes!!!

Also, during that periood, these ornate patterns were tied while holding the hook in the thumb and first finger of ones hand. Now that's skill. There are still tyers that produce classic Atlantic Salmon patterns in that fashion.