Sheets of inexpensive closed-cell foam have long been used for fly tying. This versatile material can be found everywhere and can create an endless variety of flies and bugs for warm water fly fishing. Foam sheets are available in a wide range of colors and thicknesses. Although a relatively easy material to find, sometimes finding the right color or thickness can be a challenge.

Foam is foam, right?

Is there a difference between the foam you see marketed as "fly foam" in your local fly shop and the stuff you find in the isles of your local craft store or Walmart? In some cases, yes! I once wrote something to the contrary, and my readers called me out on it! There seems to be a wide range of inconsistencies in the quality of foam that is out there.

The foam I have picked up in fly shops over the years seems to be denser and a little more durable than most of the stuff found in craft stores. That being said, most craft store foam will work just fine for your fly tying needs. One benefit of patronizing your local fly shops is you can also find different kinds of foam like a product called Chochlette’s Loco Foam which has a wild, multi-color, metallic finish on one side of the foam. You can also find foam of varying thickness from 1mm sheets of foam for tiny bugs or indicators on larger flies to big blocks used for popper bodies. The only way we can keep these places around is to spend a little money in them from time to time! If decide to go with your local craft store variety of foam products just be sure to inspect it closely to be sure it meets your needs.

So to sum it up, all foam sheets are not created equal, but most will work just fine for your fly tying needs. I did not pay much attention to the differences until I started mass producing bodies for my Triangle Bug pattern. Some foam sheets (denser ones) cut better than others, and sometimes one particular color performed better than others. I am not sure if this is a result of the dying or manufacturing process. If you look through the stacks of foam in your local craft store, you will see the differences for yourself. Over time I have learned to pick out foam sheets that suit my needs as a fly tier. 

Of course, foam sheets are not your only options. It is possible to find precut bodies that only need to be lashed to the hook. My favorites are bodies designed to tie bugs and spiders. They come pre-formed in a variety of sizes. I only use two colors black and white, coloring the white foam anyway I want.

Tips for Fly Tying With Foam

Foam is a versatile material that is easy to work with, but there are a few things that make your fly tying go a little smoother when working with it.

Thread: All thread is not created equal when working with foam. Some threads work better than others when it comes to working with foam. I prefer a thread that I can flatten out to reduce the possibility of cutting the foam. When you untwist the thread, you flatten it increasing its surface area and reducing the thread's potential to slice through the foam. Fine corded threads can cut through thin foam like a hot knife through butter. 

If you don't have a thread that will flatten, you can reduce this risk by using a heavier thread. Fortunately, when tying warm water flies, we are not as concerned about bulk and build-up when tying trout flies. 

A thicker thread has other benefits besides not cutting through the foam. A heavier thread will allow you to compress the foam easier and with fewer thread wraps. Also, the thread will not break as easily when applying the tension necessary to do this.

My thread of choice for working with foam is Semperfli 6/0 Classic Waxed Thread. It has all of the properties I mentioned, and it comes in a wide range of colors.

Thread Control: When working with foam, the proper use of thread tension is essential. At times light thread tension is needed to softly compress the foam, increasing the pressure with subsequent wraps. Doing this coaxes the foam into position without cutting or distorting it.

Use of Glue:  Superglue (Cyanoacrylate adhesive) and glues designed explicitly for foam are useful in fly tying. Superglue works well for fusing pieces of foam together and setting various components of the fly in place. Both thin liquid types of glue and gels have their uses when fly tying with foam. 

When creating stacked foam bodies made of different foam colors, I will use glue designed specifically for foam. It is easier to apply over a large surface and dries a little slower. I find it easier to glue entire foam sheets together then cut them to shape rather than layering the foam on the fly. If you are not tying dozens of flies at a time, it may make more sense to eliminate this step and stack your foam on the fly as you build it.  If you don’t want to be bothered with all of this you can find laminated foam that combines two or more colors together, eliminating the fuss and mess of gluing them together yourself.

I prefer to use superglue in a bottle with a brush applicator when working with foam. I use so much of the stuff I had a friend of mine make me a wooden holder that prevents the bottle from tipping over (which makes an awful mess) and allows me to open and close it with one hand. This holder was once a beautiful looking accessory on my fly tying desk, but it looks pretty gnarly these days as it is covered with dried specks of super glue!

Choosing The Right Foam:  As I mentioned earlier, all foam is not created equal. Look for foam that is dense and harder to compress. This type of foam will produce better floating, more durable flies. Recently I discovered the foam currently being offered by Semperfli. This foam looks and behaves a little differently than your basic craft store foam. At first glance, it appears to have a more open cell structure and seems somewhat fragile. This is not the case!  While the foam is lighter than other foam of comparable thickness, it is tough stuff! It compresses easily and is a real pleasure to tie with. I have some on the way to the shop, so check it out when it arrives!

Cutting Foam: A quality cutting mat is essential for cutting out foam shapes for fly tying. I use a large one on the surface of my fly tying desk. A simple exacto-style knife and a straight edge such as a thin metal ruler are the best tools for the job. If you are cutting a lot of foam, a paper cutter from your local office supply store works great for making uniformly sized strips of foam.

I often use custom foam cutters to create different shapes for fly tying. In my opinion, the foam cutters made by River Road Creations are the best out there. They have a wide variety of shapes and sizes available. Lately, they have been a little challenging to come by due to COVID-19's effect on the manufacturing world. If you're having a problem finding a particular foam cutter, drop me a line, and I will try and find it for you.

Coloring Foam:  If you can't find the exact color of foam you what for your flies, the good news is that you can easily color it with permanent markers. The color may wear a little thin with repeated dunkings in water if you don't lock it in, but I doubt the fish care. I use Loon Soft Head Finish on flies that I apply color to in situations where I don’t want it to fade. It dries transparent and flexible and will not cause your colors to run if you have drawn an intricate pattern.

It should be noted that all of the foam we have discussed in this article is of the closed-cell variety. Closed-cell foam floats indefinitely even if waterlogged. There are open-cell foams out there but they are not too common. If you come across some considering adding some to the material stockpile as well. They make great slow-sinking sponge spiders that bluegills and other panfish love!

Foam is a material that is versatile, easy to work with, and can be found almost everywhere, from fly shops to crafts stores to the padding that protected your last order from Amazon. If you're not tying with foam you should be. What are you waiting for!

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