Best Fly Tying Flash (2023 Buyer’s Guide)

If you’re looking to add a little pop to your nymph or streamer, then using the best fly tying flash is the way to go.

So, if you’re looking for a little extra pop to your fly, then flash is how you should do it. It’ll add a little sparkle when the sun hits it in the water, causing some hard-hitting strikes.

So, if you’re looking to start adding flash to your flies, then check out the information below. I’ll cover three different types of flash as well as some of the best features of flash.

What Is Flash?

The best flash fly tying material will add color to your fly. Typically it’s used on streamer or nymph patterns. This eye-popping color will help catch the eye of a fish and could trigger it into a strike.

Flash can be tied in many different ways, and on top of being great in fresh water you can also use it in salt water. You can easily apply it to crab and shrimp patterns.

It comes in many different unique colors and sizes, allowing the fly tier to have complete control over what they want to apply to their own fly.

When to Use Flash Material

Any time you want to add a little pop of color to your fly, you’ll want to grab a piece of flash and utilize that. It’s great for triggering reaction strikes.

Streamers are usually the most popular fly to attach a flash to. Clouser Minnows are some of the most popular, and for good reason. Clousers work great when paired with the best flash material for fly tying.

It’s most popular in saltwater flies, but it’s extremely versatile. You can easily tie it onto your files and use it to catch bass, crappie, and panfish.

Types of Flash

Below, I’ll go over a few different types of flash. Each has its own pros and cons, so think about what you need and then apply that to the list below.

Baitfish Flash

This is a textured flash that has a treated edge for winding. All you need is to make a few turns with this material, slap on some eyes, and use clear glue, and then you’re all set for imitating baitfish.

Holographic Flash

This is the holy mother of color. It’ll light up the water like a Christmas tree. This color has a 3D color effect that creates an incredible spectrum of light once it’s in the water.

Krystal Flash

This is the original flash that has been used by tiers for years and years. It’s just bright enough to draw in strikes, but not so much that it can thwart a strike.

Saltwater Flashabou

Use this to tie onto your streamers or crab imitations. It gives a sparkle of color that will draw in fish to see what’s crawling along the bottom or swimming through the water column.

What Makes Good Fly Tying Flash?

Below, I’ll go over a few different features that make a good fly tying flash. Think about what you need for your own flies and apply that to the information below.

Color

You’ll need to think about what color you intend your fly to be and either match your flash to it or just let your flash be the whole body of the fly.

Some colors will work best in different types of water clarity. So, you don’t want to be using a darker flash in water that won’t allow the fish to see it properly.

Sizes

If you want to use flash on a smaller crab imitation, then you don’t really need to use a large flash. You want something that matches your fly.

The more your flash matches the fly you tied, the better off you’ll be. This is because it’ll look more natural and will draw in more fish.

3D Color Effect

I touched on this earlier, but this is a great flash to use when you’re fishing in cloudy water. It’ll absorb any little bit of sunlight that may sneak through.

It’ll cause the color of the fly to be brighter than just about anything else in the water, allowing the fish to see it and strike.

Glow in the Dark

This is similar to the 3D color effect, but it’s intended for fishing deep in areas where there’s little to no sunlight hitting.

This would be an ideal color for fly fishing at night. You could swap out the 3D effect for this if you prefer. However, it’s all just personal preference.

Best Fly Tying Flash

Below, I’ll go over three different types of products. Think about what you need for your own flash and apply that to the products below to help figure out what’s needed.

Phecda Sport Fly Tying Flash

This Phecda Sport Fly Tying Flash is a bright and color crystal flash, made with environmentally friendly materials. Each pack has roughly 150-170 pieces, giving you more than enough to tie many different flies.

This flash is great for tying both salt and freshwater flies. It comes in a pack of random colors, so you need to specify which ones you want.

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Xfishman Krystal Flash (12 Colors)

The Xfishman 12-Color Pack of flash will take your flies to the next level. It comes in multiple colors, allowing you to match exactly what you need to target both fresh and saltwater fish.

There’s just enough pomp on this flash to help draw in fish without scaring them away. It’s also very easy to tie, and even beginners shouldn’t have too much of an issue tying this on.

The flash itself is very high quality and won’t rust or lose color in salt water. It also floats well and looks very natural when moving through the water. All in all, this is a great flash.

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Tigofly Flashabou (12 Colors)

This Flashabou Flash pack comes with a lot of flash and is some of the best flash material. You get about 400 strands per pack, and it also comes in 12 different colors, allowing you to match the hatch no matter where you might be fishing.

If you’re looking to add a little extra pop to your flies and want a lot of flash in a pack, then this is the ideal pack for you.

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Conclusion

Flash is a great way to attract more fish to your fly. Sometimes more is less, though, so be careful when tying it.

Now that you know a little bit more about the best flash for fly tying, you should head on down to your local fly shop and pick some up!

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