EP fibres

[corky]

I am looking forward to having another go at tying and as I hope to do some pike fishing when the game season closes pike flies will be first on the list.
I did try some stuff with EP fibres last year and even though the flies looked ok(ish) they did not swim very well .Tried hi-tying (sp) the stuff as well but the flies allways ended up wrapped around the hook needing pulling and tearing after a few casts and few tied with the EP fibres lasted much more than 2 sessions.Is this a common fault with the material ,maybe someone can suggest another product which will tye a nice baitfish pattern and not be so tangly.
Corky

[stevekale]

I use EP a lot for snook and tarpon flies. I have had floating EP mullet last more than 20 fish and snook have teeth that can shred 30lb mono after 2 fish. After awhile (several fish) it is a good idea to brush the fly out but the material is extremely durable.

[Dougie]

Originally Posted by corky

I am looking forward to having another go at tying and as I hope to do some pike fishing when the game season closes pike flies will be first on the list.
I did try some stuff with EP fibres last year and even though the flies looked ok(ish) they did not swim very well .Tried hi-tying (sp) the stuff as well but the flies allways ended up wrapped around the hook needing pulling and tearing after a few casts and few tied with the EP fibres lasted much more than 2 sessions.Is this a common fault with the material ,maybe someone can suggest another product which will tye a nice baitfish pattern and not be so tangly.
Corky

What style of hook are you using? This is a common fault when tying synthetics such as EP onto long shank hooks. I tie all my baitfish patterns on shortshank hooks which helps reduce the problem considerably.

Another common 'fault' with these kind of materials is the tyer using too much material - less is more. Lashing lumps of the stuff onto the hook kills the action and makes it more difficult to cast too.

Best of luck!

Dougie

[corky]

I was using 2/0 longshanks allright and was probably bulking them up a bit .Can now see the reason for the tangles,hopefully another problem solved,thanks lads really nice tying and pics.
Corky

[stevekale]

If I am making a floating/buoyant fly such as the one above I use a TMC 811S or Gamakatsu SS15 hook. Otherwise I use Gamakatsu SC15 hooks. The less material the better - the one above only has that much bulk because there are 3 wafers of foam for buoyancy. The fly is great because you can let it sit submerged and it will sit upright. Predator fish can't resist.

PS: I started the tie too far back on this one which is why there is a little bit of shank exposed at the front.

[corky]

Thanks Steve,I gave the tying an attempt last year and to be honest did not pay much heed to specific hook sizes/weights ,thinking I could turn out something that would get me a fish .I now realize that was a mistake but what would be great would be a hook comparison chart as it is a bit confusing to see all the different hook patterns used .I will be ordering online and in small quantities so maybe I should have a look at a Gamakatsu or Tiemco hook list and order what I need for lets say small dries ,salmon ,pike ,bass etc from the one hook maker.
Corky

[stevekale]

Take a look here

http://english.tiemco.co.jp/project/...fly&category=9

and here:

http://www.gamakatsu.com/Gamakatsu%20Catalog%202009.pdf

There's a useful comparison chart at the bottom of the Gamakatsu catalogue.

[corky]

Thanks again Steve .