UV resins are a lot of fun to use. Expert fly tyers and beginners alike can open up a bottle and do amazing things with these quick-curing liquids. Certainly they excel as an alternative to traditional head cement. You can build up bodies with the thicker resins, and use thinner iterations for creating rock-solid  thread wrap finishes.

As an intermediate level tyer, I love reaching for UV resins to get flies in and out of the vise quickly. I have all the respect in the world for tying flies the hard way. I have every intention to continue learning and developing as a tyer. However my fishing and my time  don’t demand magazine-worthy technique or results. UV resins help me achieve those results quicker, more efficiently, and (if I may say) in some much more exciting ways.

Recently I have been using colored UV products, specifically Loon’s UV Fly Finish. There are currently 16 colors available in the line from Loon. The consistency of the resin itself is right in the middle: not watery, but not a thick epoxy. It is easy to work with and cures in just over 10 seconds with a good UV light.

Obviously, you can use these colored resins for hot spots. These triggering target points have proven effective on all kinds of fish, and are an easy addition for fly tyers to make on their patterns. But there are other uses for colored UV resin. Here are three ways that I’ve used the product to cut some corners in my tying and produce more flies faster:

• Weight Markers I only fish a handful of nymph patterns. In a lot of situations, getting the fly in front of the fish is a lot more important than getting the perfect fly in the water. Consequently, I’d rather have a few dozen generic nymphs, weighted three different ways, than four or five patterns. Out of convenience and cost I’ll use the same bead; I’ll just alter the amount of weighted wraps under the body. To quickly tell the difference between “heavy,” “medium,” and “light” I’ll use a little drop of colored UV resin. This way, I can use the same thread in the same bobbin for all the flies. Instead of different colored collars, I have a tiny blue, yellow, or red UV dot.
• Quick Eyes Predatory fish key in on eyes. This is a fact that you learn in fishing; this is a fact you learn in middle school biology. I love the look of shiny eyes stuck on the sides of my streamers. To get them on, and get them on right, the process is epoxy/eyes/epoxy. Although the end result isn’t as glamorous, I can employ colored UV resin and eliminate a step. After the thick UV head is dry, I just drop another color on to intimate an eye. This works better than pre-fab eyes on uneven or oddly shaped heads. Plus, with light and dark resins at my desk, I can create the perfect contrast.
• Wing Cases & Backs I know how to use pearl tinsel to tie a nice smooth back onto my cress bugs. But I have to say, a quick line of UV resin doesn’t require as much fuss as getting everything lined up right. The same can be said for hare’s ear wing cases. It isn’t all about ease, either. I don’t possess an infinite amount of materials. Some times my turkey feather blends in perfectly with my rabbit dubbing. When that is the case I don’t feel like the fly is as attractive as it could be. A handful of colored UV resins gives me options… and a few less steps involved for completing a fly.

Those are just three simple ideas for using colored UV resins. There are inevitably dozens more that will help your tying, and, most importantly, your fishing.

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I do suggest you check out Loon’s  Colored Fly Finish. Each bottle comes with two applicator tips and a brush. Use them by themselves for smaller patterns, or in conjunction with their Thick Fly Finish for streamers. While I am improving and innovating as a fly tyer, these UV resins have been helpful. And a lot of fun.