# DIY Curl tail cutter,



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

Silicone "C" tails for flies are ridiculously expensive (at least to me.) Additionally, they are quickly destroyed by pecker fish. Mangrove Snapper and Pinfish are the worst culprits. I decided to make a cutting guide and DIY the tails. I'll cut them with a surgeons' scalpel. 

These first 2 are made out of Chamois leather. Here is the cutting guide I made. I made the cutting guide out of a sandwich spreader. I used cutting wheels in my Dremel tool to do the cutting. I used a couple of files to clean it up.

Next few tails will be cut out of .002 Mylar then I'l cut some out of Lame'. I'll use a wood burning tool to cut the tails from Lame'. You have to seal the cuts in Lame' or it will unravel. 

These tails will really swim and Chamois swims at the absolute slowest speed. I'll tie a fly with one of them and post it tonight.


----------



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Here are a couple of Curl tail flies*

The second one is about as simple as it gets. These flies come alive at the slowest motion. Put one out behind your yak and drift. You will get bit. I tested them in my back yard pond and they are beautiful. I may give them a test on fish this Friday.


----------



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*More made of Ultra suede.*

I found some scraps of brown Ultra suede and cut these tails out of it. They really wiggle and swim with the hook point up. I went to Jo-Ann's Fabric this morning and bought some white Ultra Suede. I bought a piece 1 foot x 5 foot. Cost was about 3 bucks with a 50% discount. That will make more tails than I will use in a mighty long time.

Sorry for the blurred photo. I painted the heads with a flexible fingernail polish. This keeps the fly stiff at the head to keep it from fouling around the hook. I rigged these to swim with the hook point up so they will not get hung as easily as with the point down. I always rig a C-tail with the curved end UP. 

Ultra Suede accepts paint real well. The painted area holds eyes really well if you over coat the eyes with clear nail polish. Sharpies will color the material easily as will fabric marking pens. I'll get Sharon to color one so it will come alive.

You have to see the action to appreciate these flies.


----------

