The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

I know that the last step in tying the Copper John calls for 5 minute epoxy. Is there a substitute that can be used in place of the epoxy? Thanks

its a little more expensive, but works just as good without the mess IMHO.

You can just skip the poxyback altogether and just use a couple of coats of Sally Hansen's (clear fingernail polish). I've tried Knot Sense too, but found it to be unreliable. YMMV.

Thanks for the informaion, I thought there was an alternative.

I've tried a number of different things, including nail polish, soft-tex, Loon's Black....something or other, don't remember the specific name of the product. I finally gave up and went back to 5 minute epoxy, as it seemed to give the most consistent and desired result. I usually tie up a dozen or more flies, mix up a batch of epoxy and do all the flies at one time. I mount all of the flies on a piece of styrofoam to hold them while placing the epoxy. I mix it with a toothpick on a disposable paper plate and then place a drop on each fly with the same toothpick. Both the flies and the paperplate leftovers dry very quickly and don't leave much of a mess. If I'm tying quantities, I will still do a dozen to a dozen and a half with each batch. Many more than that and I can't move quickly enough before the epoxy begins to set. Beyond Copper John's, I just tied up a bunch of Mercer's Poxyback Golden Stones for Steelhead on the Trinity. I used 5 minute epoxy on the back and was rewarded with my best fish of the season. 30 inch buck that took this fly right under a riffle leading into a long sweet run. That has been reason enough to switch back to Epoxy!

there probably is, the trick is to use a non-porous material for the wingcase. Feather slips don't work very well because what ever you use for the glossy bubble,i.e. epoxy,hard as nails, etc, will get absorbed into and/or through to the thorax, thus not forming a glossy bubble which is real important to that pattern

Good point Harry. I usually use thin skin or similar for the wingcase. A drop of epoxy on top, and presto, finished fly.

Phil, Harry,

Thanks for the additional input. I was actually looking at Harry's tutorial on the Copper John and have all of the materials except the 5 minute epoxy which prompted the question. Again thanks to all that responded, I now have something to do today as the Trinity is probaly blown out with all this rain.

Not really required by the fish...the epoxy that is, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.