Gartside's secret stuff fly

[Bogs]

While at the Marlboro show I was intrigued by a fly he was tying. It was very simple using what he calls his secret stuff. I tied a few and really thought they looked good. Good enough to put in our club raffle. Now 2 months later I can't remember exactly how it was tied. He would attach this "ss" and comb it out. Can anyone help me on this.
Thanks, Bogs

[Captcastafly]

Gary,
I too seen the material Jack uses at the Marlboro show. I'm not sure what Jack calls it, but what you might be talking about is Angle Hair. This product is distributed by Umpqua Feather Merchants. Comes in 17 colors. Another similar product is distributed by Wapsi, but the name eludes me now.
It's great stuff. Not durable by any mean. I first started using the stuff three years ago. Caught 39 bass on it in the middle of winter. Tied and demonstrated it at the Fly Rod and Reel Show in Providence three years ago. Many people were interested in my patterns than. One of my clients used it last year, to catch the biggest bass of the season. Works awesome on Albies. The method you might concider tying is the high/low tye, placing material under the hook as well. Extend it along the shank a couple times. The material is difficult to handle, but you'll get use to it. I have my own methods, but that's a different story. Good Luck

[Fishboy]

I saw his presentation and have tied 3 in that style. I can describe it to you, but it would take a while, which I don't have right now. I'm a Junior in High School and this week is a bad one. Sorry to keep you in suspense, but I CAN explain how he did it.

[Bogs]

Thanks for your help. I found the person who won my fly selection and have borrowed them. I now know how I tied them. I will also try the high tie method. Let me tell you this material is absolute dynamite. I was invited to fish a private trout club in VT this past week. I tied a simple pattern using this material and caught over thirty brook trout. It was so good the others in the cabin wouldn't let me leave until I had tied each of them a couple. Simple tie: on a streamer hook take a bunch of "secret stuff" comb it out. With or without a body( I used peal Bill's Body Braid or red) attach material at wing position so that half extends over the eye. Make a couple of turns then fold the forward material under the fly making a couple of turns to tie it off. For the fresh water version that is all I did. Jack puts eyes on them using E-Z shape body in yellow and black. He also uses a dab of head cement(not vinyl) and with his fingers molds the stuff back over the hook. In the water this material comes alive with an irridesence that looks great. Try it!

[noendjohnny]

Bogs --

Because you might know -- In Flytyer magazine, I saw a pattern for a bunker/mackeral fly using a material called "Poly Bear." I was interested because the author wrote about combing the colors to create a blended/natural look (at least while dry). Orvis Boston tells me that the material is now called Enriquo's something. I bought a material that I thought was similar, but when trying to blend it as in the article, it snarled, snagged, and was otherwise uncoorperative.

Any experience with this material, or, perhaps do you know a source? Thanks in advance.