Many vests and jackets are equipped with a sheep skin patch to hold the wet, used flies on while they dry. This is a good idea because the wet flies tend to loose their shape and freshness and even rust if you return them to the flybox before they are dry.
Make your own patch if you have none. Buy some sheep skin from a leather store - or scavenge an old sheep skin mitten, hat or a pair off slippers or the like. Make sure your flies sit tightly in the fur, but no so tight that you cannot get them out. Some types of fur are really curly and will grab a fly and keep it - no matter what. You do not want to pull out large tufts of wool every time you take a fly from the patch.
Cut a small piece approx. 5 by 10 centimeters (2 by 4 inches), depending on your taste and chest space, and simply attach it to your jacket, vest or chest pack with two safety pins.
It is a simple and inexpensive way of making the patch, and for the price of one store bought patch you can equip all your fishing friends with drying patches... and still have a few left for yourself.
- Log in to post comments
