EP Fibres - EP Everglades Special

[Genty]

Hi All,

Two Questions if I may....Firstly, over here in the UK I find it difficult to get hold of EP Fibres, but having sourced some, whilst I think I have got the hang of tying with the material (see piccy) how on earth do you guys handle the stuff so as you can easily seperate the number of fibres, and not get a lot of waste. I have resorted to cable ties, but this rather bunches up the hank, and whilst it is easy to seperate a number of fibres whilst the hank is fairly full, when i have used around half of the original hank, it becomes pretty unmanageable....Anyone solved this problem???

Second Question...I am coming over to the Keys at the end of April and would like to tie up some original EP Everglades Special flies. I have searched the internet for the original tying instructions and materials without any luck, as the only references to tying I can find, state that the fly should be tied with wool throughout, and I am sure the original EP Everglades Special, was certainly not tied with wool.

Any help with the original tying or indeed the problems I am having handling the EP Hanks that you guys can give me, would be greatly appreciated.

[Penguin]

I suspect that Mr E P laughs all the way to the bank thanks, in part, to the problems that you have encountered and described so eloquently...
Before you can rise above this dilemma you must first pull the sword from the stone! :eek:
Check you email for possible first hand info source...

I have been able to salvage material by using a small hair brush...after which, I mumble obcenities and return to more traditional phur and pheathers infused with pearl phlash and/or DNA...

[PEC54]

I haven't tied with these fibers in years and its basicly for all the reasons you are posting about,I like flies that are translucent and have movement,I could not ever tie anything using these fibers that I liked the finished product.I mostly tie with natrual materials now,the only synthetic I use now is extra long craft fur,these flies breath on their own. :browTry it I think you will enjoy.

[lemaymiami]

I'm no expert with EP fibers, struggling with them like everyone else. When I get an order for flies that use the stuff it's just not something I look forward to. One tip that I can pass on when you find the instructions you're looking for is to use as little as possible--tying as sparsely as possible. If you tie the flies to look really good - they don't perform in the water nearly as well as when tied sparsely... Good luck, if you do find those instructions let everyone know....

[catspaw]

Hey Penquin, that's a real dime made of real silver, oh yeah nice ties.

[LandlockedinMI]

Genty-

One thought on your fly- if you trim the fly by taking small snips from behind with the scissors parrallel to the hook your flies will have a more subtle edge to them that looks more fin like- kind of like using thinning shears...

I find that if you cable tie the one end and keep tightening it down- it is a bit easier.

I have bailed on ep fibers and stying style in favor of the steve farrar belnd if slinky fiber and flash- and tied it Dave Skok style.

[bonefishwhisper]

I am a big fan of EP fiber myself...I use mostly gray/white and purple/black...I get everything from peacocks bass to snook...basically anything that eats minnows...I even tied a bonefish pattern and had 2 takers but I only did that to see if it worked...I have some that are sparse and some not so sparse...one thing is I dont tie them all like pinfish shape but make some like bullet shaped minnows...the wider tyed style tends to collapse in size if fished too fast...I use slow swimming strips with that pattern...the bullet shaped ones I strip and fast jig...I also carry a cheap comb to comb the fly out after a fish etc...when I walk the canals it is the only pattern I use so it makes everything easy...of coarse this is just my opinion
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/118660.jpg (http://www.myfishingpictures.com/?p=118660&c=500&z=1)
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/119207.jpg (http://www.myfishingpictures.com/?p=119207&c=529&z=1)

[bonefishwhisper]

I took the pictures off

[LandlockedinMI]

Great shots and great fly.

I would call that the Dave Skok style of tying. EP sent me his directions for his fly in that shaper and it is a series of high tie style ties w/ 1/2 the material folded over on each side of hook laterally. Tie some on bottom then tie next bunch on top working up the hook. LLLOOOOOONNNNNG time to tie.

I tie same as you. Adding softex around material near heka and at bend to limit fouling and increase durability.....

[bonefishwhisper]

AMEN...I have tyed high style but dont like the hookup situation...seem to miss too many...these were just 2 or 3 ways I do it...I DO actually tye some "correctly" but dont notice any difference in strike ratio

[streamcaddis]

Ok guys I have some of this stuff but I don't have a clue how to tie with it.Dose anyone know of a book that is out?. :mad: :mad:

[saltydancindave]

There's an excellent step by step fly tying article in the July/August 2006 issue of Fly Fishing in Saltwaters on Enrico's Peanut Butter :cool:

[KayakerStan]

Here's step by step tying instructions written by the man himself.

http://www.flyfishinsalt.com/article.jsp?ID=43275