Kaktus Chenille, part 2

Shoemoo

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Sorry I haven't been around much lately. Work and fishing have been keeping me so busy I haven't had time to tie much.

Last month I drove from Boise to Seattle to visit my parents. That meant it was time to visit Wholesale Sports again and check out their selection of Kaktus Chenille. It's steelhead country out here, so they have a ton of different shades of pinks, blues, oranges, purples and greens.

From what we were able to figure out last time I posted about it, they special ordered the colors from a factory in China and will not be restocking once the stock is gone. The rack was definitely smaller than last time, with mostly the same colors I had already bought last Christmas. While I was there, I did find out they had another store in a town I drive past during the trip. So I stopped there on the way back, and that's where I REALLY hit the jackpot. Pics to follow.
 

Radtexan

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Cant wait to see what ya found !!!

We was about ready to send a MIA out for ya...Glad to see ya back !
 

Shoemoo

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Blues and dark purples:

2012-10-16_18-36-20_861-1.jpg

Oranges and yellows:

2012-10-16_18-43-08_276-1.jpg

Darker pinks:

2012-10-16_18-56-39_952-1.jpg

Light pink and reds:

2012-10-16_19-00-09_138-1.jpg

Whites and yellow chartreuse:

2012-10-16_18-51-55_486-1.jpg

The camera washed out some of the colors, and the last one was a bear to get focused. It did not like the light colors on the light background. Had to put the jig head on there to give it something to focus on.


 

Fatman

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Welcome back there Stranger!!!!! Looks like you broke the piggy bank and bought a BUNCH!!!!! Great colors and can't wit to see some new ties with it.
 

Shoemoo

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They were on clearance, so most of them were around $1.50 each. Less than you would usually pay for cactus/ice/estaz/whatever at a retail store so it was about $30 total, but I figured I'd better stock up. The closer store is at about the halfway point on a 9 hour drive that I only make once a year. I visit my parents again at Christmas, but for that trip I fly since it involves going over two mountain passes that can be VERY nasty in the winter.

The unusual thing about their version is some of them have iridescent reflective fibers that are crinkly. The closest thing I can think to describe it is that fake snow stuff people buy to decorate at Christmas. I'll try to get a macro shot for comparison once I can set up more light. It's really flashy compared to the standard flat fibers on other chenilles, because the crinkled fibers reflect light at more angles. Wish I could find something similar from another source.
 

Ron Don

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Im sure I would like that stuff. Im a big fan of the cactus type stuff! Sure to be some good looking jigs posted soon!
 

Fatman

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Shoe that part "Wish I could find something similar from another source" this hit's alot of different materials that have been around. I needed an internet challenge let me see what I can find.
 

Fatman

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Well about the only thing I can find is sites from Germany, Denmark and Finland. No manufacturer that I can come up with. Checked Fly Tyers Dungeon and they don't have anything like it. Pearl and Ice chenille from Wapsi come close but way more expensive.

One search on Bulk cactus chenille pulled up this site http://singlebarbed.com/2009/06/17/well-make-tequila-later-the-flies-come-first/ with this article:

There’s nothing quite like an epic outage of materials on the eve of a trip – where your own shortcomings cause you to lack whatever was required to catch fish…

I’ve been fishing rather than shopping – temporarily abandoning the quest for more materials in lieu of using some in anger.

Running out of Pink Cactus chenille was epic, so were the oaths sworn in the semi-darkness, wherein only trace amounts of the “perfect fly” would be available on the morn.

Steve Parton has addressed the entire Cactus Chenille issue for me. Steve has a store in the UK that sells “Fritz” by the pound and I’m no longer dependant on the microdot of material Hareline sees fit to hide behind its label.

The bulk skeins are available through the ebay version of Spartonfly, available in UV treated, untreated, straggle style, and regular cactus chenille in 6mm (Hareline) and 16mm sizes. 100grams ($16) is about a 1/4 pound and should serve the average tyer for a decade or so – saving considerable money in the process.

There’s more than one kind of “Cactus chenille”; the coarse filament material the Roughfisher uses, and the soft fiber material sold by Hareline in the traditional 3 yard pack. Three yards is about 3 dozen flies; no sooner do you discover the Shad’s innate weakness than you’re back at the store looking at the empty hook where pink used to be…

This type of chenille is (usually) 50% opalescent and 50% nylon, and while nylon takes acid dye quite well, the opalescent component – usually polyester, won’t. That gives the finished material a lighter sheen, as polyester requires a very hot dye bath with caustic chemicals to assist the color absorption.

Not seeing the colors I needed, Steve was nice enough to custom dye five colors of the 6mm and 16mm at my request, so if you don’t see what’s needed, drop the fellow a note.

Custom dyeing requires a reference color, so always supply a picture on the Internet that your vendor can see to give him which of the thousand shades of Olive you’re after… As different monitors and different resolutions can change colors a couple shades, send him the color by mail if you’re after an exact match.

The 16mm actually wraps as a hackle, its filaments being of long enough length to lose the chenille look. It makes a hell of a comet collar for steelhead and will cause shad to turn pirouettes on demand.

Roughfisher has been busy tinkering as well, and appears to have triggered a sudden lust for white on his home water.

The stuff looks pretty close, I can't get on ebay at work so I'll check prices when I get home. Sorry I couldn't find more.

 
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