Question on lips...for flies, obviously

[kjackson]

Given that my wife and I are still recovering from whatever virus is floating around, I'm pretty much bored and trying to think of something...and one of those things is advancing my tying skills and patterns.  Yeah, I should be working on a very long list of household, garden and yard tasks, but those things take up nap time.  

One of the tying things I'm contemplating is incorporating some kind of lip in diving flies. One thing I've run across is the use of seashell sequins. Another suggestion was to modify fake fingernails. I realize that there are Fly Lipps available, but part of the fun of tying, for me anyway, is to find better or at least different ways of doing things. 

Soooo-- has anyone used the seashell sequins or fake fingernails to make a usable lip to provide extra motion?  Any other suggestions?

[Flysmallie]

I’ve never used the items you mentioned but I have tried various things over the years. None of them have worked as well as a Todd’s Wiggle Minnow. 
 

But if you come up with something I’d like to see it. 

[fishinwrench]

I really like the action of these....

 

But honestly I can't claim to have ever had a good day fishing them.    Nevertheless I still carry a half dozen in a few colors, because I feel that eventually they'll have their day.   

The key to getting them to run true is adding an extra long tail.   If the tail is too short then you can only fish them slow.    Add a longer tail and you can rip them pretty fast and they'll still run straight.

[Flysmallie]

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

The key to getting them to run true is adding an extra long tail.   

That must have been my problem because I could never get one to run straight. 

[fishinwrench]

46 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

That must have been my problem because I could never get one to run straight. 

Yep, I run into the same issue when doing TWM's.   I ruined a few by trying to trim the faces to get them to run straight.....before I figured out that an extra 1/2" of tailing material straightens them right up.    Even one that's tied obviously crooked.  👍

[tjm]

Not something I've ever wanted to do, but on a fly tying forum, some years ago; suggestions were milk jugs, plastic bottles, the irritating hard clear plastic that stuff gets packaged in and a hole punch from a craft store to cut rounds from the plastic and a guy whose screen name was " wiggleminnow" said that none of them worked right for him until he came up "Todd's Wiggle Minnow" 

[fishinwrench]

You can make lips from Shoe Goo really easy too.    It works good, and is durable as hell.     Just put a dab between 2 plastic spoons, and squish to the desired thickness.   Let it set up....peel off and trim to shape.

It's fun to tinker with.  I've just never had that day when THAT was the action that got the bites.   🤷‍♂️

[kjackson]

What started me on this idea was an image of a bunch of really slick crease flies tied with a lip. And that led to the flypala series.  I like the idea of the seashell sequins as there probably wouldn't be a need for a lot of fiddling with the lip.  

[tjm]

Do it, and post the pics, report back when yer well enough to take  them fishin.