EP Fibers "vs" Silky EP Fibers "vs" Angel Hair

[Alex C. 0]

Can someone tell me which of the 3 I'd be better off with. I'll be using it for tying brown trout/brook trout/rainbow trout imitations. Steeldrifter ties some baby rainbows using EP fibers, not sure if he uses the silky or regular, and they really look great in the water. What's the difference beween the 2 types of EP fibers though. If I got the Silky, I'd probably tie them so they're 7" long(full length), and if I got the regular EP fibers I'd probably cut the pack in half and tie them at about 5" long.

 

Also, alot of you guys sem to really like angel hair, I looked on Cabelas site and the colors are perfect for what I'll be using it for. What is the action like?

[day5 0]

check out the fly tyer's dungeon thy have congo hair and water silk. 2 times the amount for 1 dollar a hank.

[Linesides 0]

OLB I found that the slinky stuff is a lot thicker than EP fibers. I am slowly replacing my squirrel and bucktail with Slinky fibers. But the EP fibers are great for building baitfish bodies.

Congo hair I was not aware of though.

EP products are pricy for sure.

Dave

[day5 0]

Congo hair is dirt cheap and you get 2 times the hair!!!!

[Sean Juan 0]

OLB,

 

Angel hair is a very thin wispy flash material - I don't think it belongs on the same list as the EP fibers.

 

I'm not certain (keeps getting harder to keep the synth's separate in my mind and the differences between them are getting more and more marginal) but I think the differences between Slinky and Standard EP fibers are largely cosmetic - really not sure though.

 

I use a lot of congo hair too - at that price its the perfect material for Bluefish or pike flies - I think it is a bit thinner than the EP fibers.

[ted patlen 0]

olb

read my thread in this forum about synthetic winging materials

 

in short, use any, blend whatever you use sparsely

[Steeldrifter 0]

The "silky" EP fiber is alot more like marabou as far as the feel than the normal EP fiber Alex. I tie mine with the standard EP fiber and an extremelly happy with them. The packs are not really expensive IMO (only $4.85 for 10") and you can cut the length in half and get twice as much out of them. I've tried the silky, crinkle, and the standard EP fiber and for trout streamers I seem to like the standard the best.

[Alex C. 0]

Next time you need more SD let me know, I can get them for $2.50 a pack

[Steeldrifter 0]

Thanks for the offer, but so can I

[troutguy#1 0]

I am not 100% sure on this, but I think the guy at the fly shop said that the Silky EP Fibers are thinner and wispier than the regular EP Fibers. I say, if you can get it that cheap($10 for 10in. were I get them) , then get some of both and try them out, for yourself.

[Ian Yutani 0]

Been using the regular EP fibers for larger baitfish patterns

and the silky for smaller flies. Tied up a number of

crazy charlies for a recent Christmas Island trip using

a sparse amount of ep silky then a few strands of

krystal flash. Worked great.

After using the silky on saltwater patterns, out of curiosity

made some small minnows to troll for rainbows & lake

trout in the float tube here at home. White silky fibers

and colored the top using sharpie marker, trimmed to the

desired body shape.

When in the water (imho) a minnow tied with sparse

amounts of silky fibers makes for more effective fly.

Individual silky fibers catches light better, produces a

cool translucent effect.

Due to my job have only made one king fishing trip

this year. We were drifting along with the tide in

Cook Inlet for kings. Watching for schools, was able

to catch one using a basic baitfish pattern tied with

regular ep on top and white silky on the bottom. Giving

it a white underbelly. Fun.

Saltwater trolling whole herring searching for the

king salmon schools is popular here. My goal was to

duplicate a medium sized herring about 10ft under

the surface. It works. Weighted fly and fast sinking line.

We were the only flyrods out there, surrounded by

baitcasting reels

 

Good fishing to all ...

 

Ian Yutani

Anchorage, Ak.