Foam on the Range

In the West, foam is ideal for floating big flies that match large insects—but it has also proven deadly in patterns for Eastern trout.

by Scott Sanchez

Fly Article | Presentation | Sanchez Improved Foam Wing Caddis

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Tying foam over a dubbed underbody is another quick method. For a more durable fly, wrap the hook shank with heavy rod wrapping or sewing thread and then coat it with CA glue. The heavy thread should be wrapped in a spiral forward and then back. I learned this trick from popper guru Walt Holman.

Dave Whitlock achieves a durable base by tying heavy monofilament along the sides or top of the hook shank and then super gluing it. Preparing a number of hooks ahead of time will simplify all of these base preparations.

Preparation. To improve the fly appearance and speed up tying, laminate foam sheets together. In a well-ventilated area, coat the foam sheets with an aerosol contact cement and then press them together. After laminating, you can cut the two-tone sheets into strips or bodies. Use heavy-duty tying scissors, sewing shears, paper cutters, razors, or foam body cutters. Three 2mm sheets are about the maximum useful thickness for trout flies. CA glues can be used when connecting small sections of foam. Use a toothpick to spread the super glue on the foam lightly and then press the sheets together.

Double-stick carpet tape is another good adhesive. Although the bond is less durable than glues, it is quicker and neater. A small strip of tape wrapped around the base of foam wings will prevent them from flaring and being cut by the tying thread.

Precut foam bodies make your flies quicker to tie and more uniform in appearance. Wapsi sells premade sponge-rubber bug bodies, which can also be used on other foam flies. Small panfish poppers can be used as heads on large terrestrials. John Faust sells precut, two-tone Chernobyl bodies with either foam or Furry Foam bellies, and Doug Brewer sells single-color Chernobyl bodies. Flycraft sells presized foam rectangles, such as ultraBeetles.

Foam bodies can be cut with scissors, but many tiers use wing cutters, metal tubing, or punches to make bodies. Montana Fly Company sells a wide range of cutters. New craft pinking shears can be used to cut bodies, or the new craft punches work well on thin foam. The block-style craft punches will only fit the 2mm foam. On thicker foam bodies, you can slit the foam with a razor to accommodate the hook.

When tying extended bodies or heads with round foams, many tiers use heat or a flame to taper the end of the body to make it look more natural. In my opinion, trimming to shape with scissors is adequate for all but presentation flies and saves time. The diagonal cut used on Rainy’s Hoppers and Stones gives a nice, quick profile, or you can shape the end of the foam with your scissors.

Another simple method is to twist, pinch, and break the foam cylinder. Stretching foam cylinders can also taper them. Another technique I’ve seen in a Bill Logan bee pattern involves making a V-shaped cut in the end of a foam tube and then super gluing the ends to make a tapered butt. This technique can also be used to insert tails for mayflies and stoneflies. Preparing your material in batches before tying is quicker and more efficient and prevents a fly from being ruined after it is tied.

Parachute posts. To prevent big foam flies from landing on their sides or back, I like to use a parachute hackle around a wedge-shaped foam indicator. After tying in the indicator, tie in a hackle on the side of the indicator and wrap it around the indicator parachute style. To tie off the hackle, wrap your thread through the indicator as you did when you first secured it. This makes the hackle durable, since it has been secured on every half turn.

A more traditional foam parachute post can be made with a foam cylinder. Cut the foam cylinder at an angle before tying it to the hook. This will prevent bulk at the tie-in point. After it is attached, use your thread to lift the wing and post it as if it was a hair wing.

Coloring. Use permanent markers to shade and add highlights, such as body segmentation, to the fly. Most foam will hold marker well. However, if you color Ethafoam, coat it with Flexament.

Foam can also be painted. Rainy sells flexible popper paint, and vinyl jig paints are also good. Chris Windram’s

E-Z Shape Sparkle Body or acrylic T-shirt paint make good strike indicator spots on flies. Standard enamel spray paint is an option for special effects. Spray through a piece of window screen held against the foam to make veined wings. Foams with a rough surface are easiest to color and hold the finish longer. Tape, plastic films, flash, yarn, and fabric can be used to cover foam.

Scott Sanchez, an innovative tier who works for Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop, originated the Double Bunny and many other patterns. He lives in Livingston, Montana.

Foam Retailers and Wholesalers

Baileys Foam and foam flies, (800) 356-4052,

Umpqua Foam flies (wholesale), (541) 496-3512,

Spirit River Foam and foam flies (wholesale), (800) 550-6916

Montana Fly Foam flies and cutters (wholesale), (877) 843-3543,

Flycraft Foam bodies (wholesale),

Wapsi Foam and foam bodies (wholesale), (800) 425-9599

Scintilla Foam (wholesale), (406) 388-7169,

Rainy Foam, foam flies, videos, (435) 753-9155, www.scientificanglers.com

Faust Foam bodies and flies, (406) 363-0936

Edgewater Foam and foam flies, (800) 584-7647,

Clemens Foam, (610) 395-5119