Synthetic dubbing

SYNTHETIC DUBBING

Synthetic dubbing, although much newer than natural dubbing, has in just a few years attracted the interest of fly tiers all over the world. Over the years, many different types of synthetic dubbing have been developed, and in some cases, they can give an extra edge to your imitations.

There are two main characteristics that differentiate synthetic dubbing from natural dubbing:

The first difference, which immediately jumps out at you, is the brightness. In fact, synthetic fibres reflect light very well, and often some of these fibres react to the sun's ultraviolet rays, generating flashes and glows of a thousand shades of colour.

The second main difference lies in the fact that synthetic fibres do not absorb water, keeping their weight unchanged, and consequently they dry much faster than natural hair.

The fibres of synthetic dubbing are generally much longer than those of natural dubbing and therefore require a little more dexterity to fix on the tying thread, but don't worry, even if you are a beginner, you will get the hang of it with a few more tries.

Although it is also possible to attach synthetic dubbing to the thread without wax, we do not recommend this fixing technique if you are not sufficiently experienced. With these types of synthetic fibres, we suggest that you help yourself with dubbing wax, which will make the process much easier. Here too, you can comb the dubbing with Velcro for a fluffier final effect, giving your artificial fly volume and movement, imitating the legs of a real insect.

Synthetic dubbing can be used on its own for greater visual impact, or you can mix it with natural dubbing to add a little shine to your artificial fly. Keep in mind that in some cases the fish may be frightened by too much glitter, but in some cases this glitter may stimulate the natural curiosity of the fish, very often leading to a bite. It is up to you to decide which dressing is most effective for the waters and fish you are fishing.

In streamer fishing, the strong reflections and glare generated by the synthetic material irritates the fish and often triggers an attack not out of hunger but out of nervousness. Some of our synthetic dubbings have very long fibres and can be tied to the hook not by wrapping them around the leader but directly on the fly in small bunches, letting the glittering synthetic fibres run all along the streamer's silhouette.