EP Baitfish Fly

Enrico Puglisi created the material known as EP fiber which is the base for tying this fly along with many other patterns similar to this. Now there are many materials on the market that can mimic the EP fiber, including what I used for this fly. Congo hair is one that I tend to like a lot. Its got some of the same properties as EP fiber but at a fraction of the cost. The normal person should not be able to tell the difference between the two fibers and therefor it is a great replacement for the now very expensive EP fiber.

This style of fly has a few names, All similarly tied, but with slight differences. The Peanut Butter, the Mangrove Baitfish, Bluegill, Pumpkin seed, Shad, etc. All of these are tall yet thin flies mimicking a specific fish. Shad, bluegill, pinfish, bunker, and more are all very tall yet thin profile fish that are excellent bait for predatory fish in both saltwater and freshwater.

The key to tying these is keeping it sparse. Use very little material per material piece. In fact, select what you think is a little, and then divide that amount in half. Seriously maybe 10 strands of this fine fiber is all you need per tie in. The key to keeping the profile is making many tie ins as you move your way up the shank. You also want to make sure and not allow the fiber to rotate onto the side of the hook shank and keep it directly on the top and bottom. This will help keep that profile that is desired.

Now there are some other techniques Enrico uses on some other patterns that are to make more minnow, mullet, and other shaped baitfish. Mullet for instance have a wide head, and would not be well mimicked by this tall and thin profile baitfish. But today lets focus on the bunker shape.

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Materials
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Hook: Risen short shank stainless (size 2) – www.risenfly.com/collections/hooks/products/short-shank-hooks-stainless
Thread: Clear Mono Thread (.006) – amzn.to/3zNkbbe
Gill: Crystal Flash (red) – amzn.to/3PrVh6N
Fiber: Congo Hair (white) – www.flytyersdungeon.com/Materials/Chart_Congo_Hair.htm
Flash: Flashabou (pearl) – www.flytyersdungeon.com/Materials/Chart_Congo_Hair.htm
Eyes: Fish Skull Living Eyes (5mm, Ice) – amzn.to/3SNGbM0
Glue: Loctite Ultragel – amzn.to/3SL0Ujw
Filler Resin: Solarez Thin – www.solarez.com/product/fly-tie-thin-hard-formula/
Coating Resin: Solarez Ultra Thin (clear) – www.solarez.com/product/fly-tie-ultra-thin-bone-dry/

Tools
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Vise: Renzetti Traveler – amzn.to/2t2FFmo
Bobbin: Stonfo Bobtec – amzn.to/2YWOf39
Scissors: Risen 4.5″ Straight Hair – www.risenfly.com/collections/fly-tying-tools-and-accessories/products/4-5-straight-hair-scissors
Whip finisher: Dr. Slick brass – amzn.to/2tGYwDW
Fly Tying Bench: Oasis Walnut Compact Bench – www.oasisbenches.com/oasis-benches/compact-bench/
UV Light: Solarez UV Cure (high output) – www.solarez.com/product/uv-cure-flashlight-high-output/

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