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Spent Flies
Post 31 Aug 2020, 12:10 • #1 
Guide
Joined: 08/11/20
Posts: 229
Location: Ontario, Canada
Just curious to see what everyone does with their spent flies. Whether they've been chewed up by fish or torn down by being snagged in the shrubbery, what do you do with your flies once they're too ratty to fish? Do you just chuck them in the bin or tear them down and reuse the hook?


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 31 Aug 2020, 14:21 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
recycle, even recycle the ones other people throw down by the stream side.


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 31 Aug 2020, 14:42 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/27/16
Posts: 2327
Location: US-IL
i used to toss them but now i recycle the hooks ,


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 31 Aug 2020, 18:52 • #4 
Guide
Joined: 08/11/20
Posts: 229
Location: Ontario, Canada
I haven't been fortunate enough to find any flies left stream-side, but I have started recycling those that are well-worn. A bit of work at first but I'm getting the hang of tearing through all the material.


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 31 Aug 2020, 22:59 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 01/02/12
Posts: 1859
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Recycle the hooks if they aren’t rusted.


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 03 Sep 2020, 13:08 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/10/13
Posts: 624
Location: US-MO
I try to recycle, but I must admit I have little baggies 'o spent flies that seem to grow year over year


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 04 Sep 2020, 07:08 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/18/12
Posts: 1712
Location: Bozeman, MT
I put them in a "Junk Drawer" then in the following winter I try to rebuild them. Some work others get thrown out. Usually the hook points aren't worth the effort by then so most get tossed.


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 08 Sep 2020, 23:18 • #8 
Guide
Joined: 02/05/15
Posts: 262
Location: Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
If the hooks are okay, re-use the hooks. Also rescue any tungsten beads.


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 10 Sep 2020, 06:33 • #9 
New Member
Joined: 06/18/20
Posts: 11
I give most of them to kids. Mostly my son, daughter, nieces, and nephews. They are young enough not to notice the wear and tear. They also like tying their own.



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Re: Spent Flies
Post 10 Sep 2020, 22:11 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/31/15
Posts: 1238
Location: Northern Rockies
BlackHackle wrote:
If the hooks are okay, re-use the hooks. Also rescue any tungsten beads.

This is what I try to do. But often they just pile up until I throw all but the easiest to rescue out.


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 07 Jul 2021, 11:52 • #11 
New Member
Joined: 07/27/12
Posts: 24
Location: US-OR
I sometimes take the fly and put it in a small sandwich zip loc with a note on the pattern and where it was successful. Sometimes comes in handy when tying in the winter. I do it particularly with steelhead flies I have hooked fish on.


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 15 Jul 2021, 16:20 • #12 
Guide
Joined: 01/19/11
Posts: 223
Location: Ontario, Canada
I have found that an Olfa SVR2 auto-lock blade is my best friend on my tying bench. Most hooks can be reused, sharpened if need be.


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Re: Spent Flies
Post 01 Aug 2021, 16:17 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/30/11
Posts: 1231
Location: Fresno, CA
Depends on what type of fly it is. If it has beads or eyes or any other hardpoints like that I will cut them down and save the eyes etc. Also sometimes a lot of the flies the body is perfectly fine and fishable, its just the soft hackle that is all gone or messed up. So I'll just wrap a new partridge soft hackle on it and put it back into rotation.


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