Overton Wax

This week’s Throw Back Thursday post is about Overton wax.

If you aren’t a fly tyer, you might be wondering why I chose this item.

I attended a Zoom fly tying class last week taught by my friends Gretchen and Al Beatty. Many of the flies they demonstrate utilize touch-dubbing, which they learned from Gary LaFontaine. You might recognize the LaFontaine name.

Somehow, the Overton Wonder Wax came into the discussion. It reminded me I still had a stick from many years ago.

The Beatty’s use wax for their touch dubbing technique on many of their flies, which they learned from Gary LaFontaine. In fact, Al mentioned that Overton’s went out of business and they developed their own version…BT’s Dubbing Wax – Tacky. Al continued the story that Gary asked if they could make it 15% stickier, which ended up with the name Super Tacky.

Here is some of the touch dubbing I purchased from them and used in LaFontaine’s Double Magic Technique. As Al points out in the Comment below, wax is only used with their dubbing or other short-strand dubbing like muskrat belly hair (or rabbit, otter, beaver, etc.). It’s not designed for long-stranded products like Superfine.

Honestly, I haven’t used this technique very much. After pulling out some of the material, perhaps I’ll give it a try again!

Here is a link to Al’s YouTube Channel where he discusses the proper technique of using the wax.

Overton’s has made a re-emergence in the last year or so. If your local fly shop doesn’t stock it, you can contact the Beatty’s and they would be happy to sell some along with their touch dubbing products.

Here is a link to their website – BT’s Fly Fishing.

Lastly, I’ve highlighted several LaFontaine flies in previous Throw Back Thursday posts. To see more, just click the “search” icon in the menu bar and type the word “LaFontaine”.

Enjoy…go fish, stay safe!