[Bruce]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed on this forum before, but it's an interesting article on protecting your tying material. It's on another site and tittled 'Got Bugs'. The site is Fly Anglers OnLine, Your Complete Internet Flyfishing Resource.. I never thought of this idea before but I think I might look into it a little more. I've always gone the moth ball and plastic container route and have never really had any lost material problems, but James gives me a little more to think about. Any thoughts?

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Bruce,

Very interesting article. The flea collar is one of the few bug killers I would use in things that I handle. I solver the bug problem many years ago with two steps.

1. I only buy from a company that I know there are no bugs in the item when I buy it.

2. I put my important stuff into wide mouth Mason Jars. The jars eliminates the opportunity for bugs to enter. I bought a case of Mason Jars and I don't remember ever breaking one. I have some Indian capes that I bought back in 1974 and they are still good.

Thanks for the tip about the flea collars and pest strips. I think that is a great idea.

Frank

[smith950]

Frank,

Knowing our source makes a lot of sense. On our recent trip to Minnesota and South Dakota I picked up some fur and hair scraps from a friend who was cleaning out his taxidermy shop. He recommended using flea collars and actually stuck a couple of them in the plastic tube with the scraps. I also picked up some duck, goose and pheasant skins, tails and feathers at a pretty good price.

I have put all the scraps in plastic organizer drawers with small pieces of flea collar. I'm pretty sure my stuff will remain bug free.

Shouldn't we be taking more precautions with the flies in our fly boxes? Even fishing 3-4 times a week we can still have bugs eat our flies.

Scott

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Scott,

You are probably right. I was thinking back if I ever had bugs in my fly boxes and I don't remember any problems. If this was a problem wouldn't a fly shop with hundreds of flies for sale have bugs? It seems logical that bugs would get into tied flies but it has never happen to me. Has it happen to you? I have some flies I bought in the 50's and some from the 70's that have never gotten bugs.

Has anyone reading this post had a problem with bugs in their fly boxes?

[FrankB2]

I do the freezer for one week thing with my tying materials, and then store
them in large rectangular tupperware containers. Never had any sort of
bug problem in storage, nor have I ever had any sort of bugs in a fly box.
I found an aluminum Perrine fly box that I used in the late 70's in the
deepest recesses of my fishing gear a couple years ago: no bugs, but
the hooks had rusted.

FAOL is okay, but there seem to be a few bug alarmists over there. Frank
Whiton is 100% correct regarding flies in shops. The local shop has thousands
of flies in wooden dividers and drawers, and none have bugs. Maybe they
give them a shot of Raid before opening the store..LOL!

Having said all that, I do buy nice materials from clean shops. I suppose
if you're one of those people that don't mind collecting roadkill, some soap
and bug spray would be appropriate precautions.