I have used many different types of epoxies throughout my fly fishing and fly tying careers. And I agree that at the end of the day, they all do pretty much the same thing. However, after coming to Fishwest, I was introduced to Clear Cure Goo epoxies. They are relatively new in the world of fly tying epoxies, but have quickly gained popularity amongst tiers in both freshwater and saltwater realms. Their product line offers tiers a wide variety of epoxies, covering all tying situations from small nymphs for trout, to large saltwater baitfish patterns.

For the Mountain West, I have found that the Clear Cure Goo Hydro and Thin epoxies cover most of my trout fly tying needs. The Hydro is perfect for putting a hard translucent layer on chironomids bodies, and topcoats for shells on nymphs. The Thin epoxy has just enough viscosity for situations that require larger amounts such as when building heads for streamers and baitfish patterns. The Thin epoxy does cure with a slight tacky feel, so a final thin coat of Hydro is necessary for a tack-free finish. I would also recommend that if you consider yourself a slower tier, or really want to build larger heads, to purchase their Thick epoxy

No matter which Clear Cure Goo products you use, the final results are a finish as hard, clear, and smooth as glass that I have yet to find crack, chip, or yellow.

If you are looking for a fairly in expensive fly tying vise than the Griffin Odyssey Spider Vise is the one to get. This vise has a nice smooth rotary feature to get your wraps uniformed. The clamp is nice and snug and I have tied hooks anywhere from size #4-22.

I have been tying on this vise for about 2 years now and have not come across a problem with it yet. Its functionality is perfect for what I need to tie flies. I am no pro but wouldn’t call myself a beginner either.  The Griffin Odyssey Spider  Vise has a long stem and comes with a C clamp to attach your vise to the table. It’s all very easy to use and very easy to adjust the tension of the rotary on the vise. One of the best things about this vise is that the hooks don’t pop out of the vise while you are tying like some cheaper vises do.

Pros:

• The price, simplicity, rotary, the secure feature for holding the hooks in place.

Cons:

• Just one thing. I wish it had a quick release like the Griffin Mongoose Fly Tying Vise. But for under $100 I guess I can’t really complain.

I would recommend this vise to anyone that has found they like tying more than they thought they would and have grown out of the beginner tying kit vise and don’t want to break the bank.

This vise is adaptable to a pedestal base also and I would recommend one if you like to travel with your vise from trip to trip. But that’s another review in itself. Go out and try it for yourself. You won’t be disappointed. Trust me.