Help/advice needed fly tying

[dizzybigfish]

I have been experimenting tying some new patterns to immitate sandeels...

But I really need something to cover the pattern to resemble the transluscent skin of the baitfish.

I saw a product called sili skin - but it looked very expensive and quite fiddly. So I turned to another prouct called squid skin which promised to be altogther better. It is supposed to stick to itself, but when I wrap it around the body of the fly and press it against itself underneath, invariably it pulls apart after a few days - even trying to stick it with expoxy failed to work.

Does anyone know of a similar product which would do the trick ?

Your help would be most appreciated.

[g1zmo]

I tend to use Pearl Mylar tubing on my Sandeel patterns. Tie on your feather and flash then after removing the centre material of the tubing slide it over the hook and finish off. I'll try and put a pic tomorrow, it gives a nice shiny, translucent scale effect especially when wiped over with epoxy.

[flytyingguy]

i just use mirage or white or chartreuse fritz

[g1zmo]

Here you go, the goldtail Sandeel is a firm favourite with the Pollack and Mackerel

[dizzybigfish]

Thanks very much - that is a good looking pattern - I have used mylar tubing in the past (always run into trouble with it fraying though ); but I should have said that this is a floating pattern and I need something to cover a section of medium veniard booby material (body).

Are there any alternatives to sili skin/squid skin - ie. something smooth and translucent which I could fit over the floating booby tube ?

[g1zmo]

Ah.... there you've got me. The only thing i can think of is one of the synthetic skins (which I know you've already tried) like Turrals sili skin which you can get in blue/green/mother of pearl.

Sili Skin Turrall SIL

You could try the Pearl Body Film Sheet on this page Flytying Body Film, Shellback, Bodyflex, Latex Sheets, Sili skin but I don't know if it'll float.

[dizzybigfish]

Thanks very much - I will try that - the foam is very bouyant, so it doesn't matter if the skin sinks.