Buds & Back

Create lifelike nymphs and aquatic patterns with realistic pre-cut buds, backs, and shells. These ready-made components add natural segmentation, shape, texture, and color to insects and crustaceans—making your flies look and fish like the real thing.

Buds and Back

Buds, backs, and shells are essential materials for tying realistic subsurface patterns. These pre-cut, pre-formed, and often self-adhesive components make it easy to add natural shape, segmentation, and anatomical accuracy to a wide range of aquatic insects and crustaceans.

Our collection includes parts designed for mayflies, stoneflies, gammarus, hellgrammites, shrimp, and other nymphs, giving tiers the ability to match the exact contours and coloration of real species. Each piece features lifelike texture and detailed printing that mimics natural patterns and proportions, bringing unmatched realism to your flies.

These materials are easy to tie, flexible, durable, waterproof, and UV-resistant, ensuring your flies hold up through long sessions and multiple strikes. Simply peel, position, tie down, and finish—perfect for beginners looking to simplify realistic tying as well as experienced tiers creating highly detailed imitations.

Whether you’re crafting trout nymphs, gammarus patterns, stonefly imitations, or shrimp for freshwater and saltwater use, these realistic buds, backs, and shells help you build flies that look authentic and perform exceptionally well on the water.