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Dubbing Management – 3 Methods

Posted on January 28 2017

How to tie flies with dubbing.
Now what am I suppose to do with this stuff? Photos: Jason Whiting.

Without a doubt, dubbing is one of the most versatile tying materials of all time. In fact, we’d go so far as to say there isn’t a material out there that can be incorporated into a fly in more ways than dubbing can.

However, regardless of its versatility, working with dubbing is not overly straight forward, particularly those new to tying flies. That’s why we thought it might be a good idea to put together a post on three different methods of managing dubbing for better looking flies. Deneki staffer, Jason Whiting, dishes out the details.

Enjoy!

Dubbing Management – 3 Methods

For all you fly tyers out there, one material you’ve likely seen more than ever of in recent years, whether in fly shops, magazines, or fly tying videos, is dubbing.

Nowadays, these little bags of fuzz are available in more combinations of flash, color, and texture than ever before. This is for one simple reason – Dubbing is super cool, and can be used in a ton of different ways, for a ton of different flies!

But what happens once you buy this messy ball of fibers? How do you turn it into a manageable tying material? Here are 3 ways to handle dubbing fresh out of the package.

1. Twist It

Take small clumps and spin the fibers with your thumb and forefinger around your thread, forming a rope of material. This can be used for wrapping bodies on all types of flies, or to create a bump on your fly shank to post up a variety of materials in many salmon and steelhead flies.

2. Stack It

How to tie flies with dubbing.
Pull the fibers from the outer edge and stack on top of itself. Repeat this until all of the fibers are set up on top of each other about the same length. If the fibers are long enough they may then be used as a tail or winging for flies.
How to tie flies with dubbing.
Or, once stacked you may put them in a dubbing loop for a long wispy brush that can be palmered as a hackle or collar.

3. Re-Stack It

How to tie flies with dubbing.
If the fibers are still too long for what you want to use them for, once they are all lined up (see method above), cut them in half lengthwise, then re-stack each clump on top of each other. This can be done multiple times till you have a very small batch of fibers. These fibers may then be spun in a dubbing loop for a tighter and stiffer brush. This then can be used as a post, body, or collar.

When it comes down to it, dubbing is an extremely versatile material that can be used in all types of fly patterns. And, even though it seems like a messy material all clumped up in its packaging, its actually very simple to clean up and handle once you get the hang of it.

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