'Whisper' stuff....

[Buddy Sanders]

Not wanting to hijack Bassman's thread...

That 'Whisper' material that he found at Michael's is pretty fun stuff to play around with. It's a fairly wide (I think around 6 inches) ribbon like material with an irresdescent pearl like finish to it. Comes in several colors, but I've only had a need for the 'pearl'.

As noted, it makes great wings, wing cases, and shellbacks.

I've been using it for a while now to make Crease Flies, poppers, streamers with floating heads (fished over rocks on a sinking line for smallies) all kinds of foam stuff that you want to have a shiny/irresdescent finish.

You can buy the sticky back foam sheets at any craft store or even WalMart. The 'pearl' Whisper adheres to this very well. I've used it on white, black, brown, blue, and green with good results. The white is by far my favorite. I just use a marker to color the back/darker areas, add any markings I want, gills, etc.. The irresdescence shows through the marker and you get a very professional looking bait without a lot of effort or cost.

And at about 1/10 the cost of the 'pearlized' foam sheets they sell for the fly tying market.

You can 'fold' a piece of this over a bare hook and glue it together with a CA glue, then cut into a baitfish profile. Place any markings you want on it with a marker. Add eyes and coat the whole thing with epoxy and you have an irresdescent 'epoxy' baitfish body. Finish with a rabbit strip glued to the back and you have an epoxy 'zonker' type fly.

For those that like the 'gummi' minnow, you can just buy the 'clear' stuff (or make your own) and stick some of the Whisper to the inside of the body. If you color a piece of the Whisper with your chosen marking before you stick them to the soft plastic, you'll have a very natural baitfish imitation without having to use multiple layers of the very expensive 'gummi' stuff...and the irresdescence of the Whisper looks better anyway.

As far as how it holds up to water, so far I've not had any issues with that. I've used it on dry flies and nymphs/streamers for a few years now, and it holds up well.

I do wonder how it will hold up in an application like the one Bassman is using. I'm not sure how 'strong' it is for an unsupported wing like that. May be okay, just haven't used it like that.

Great stuff.

Buddy

[bassman]

Buddy. I will let you know how well it stands up after this next week end as I have a few tied up and I will be using them. I have had the material for about 3 years and just now got around to using it. It does stand up to water well. I will post a report some time Next Monday and let you all know how it stands up. John

[Buddy Sanders]

John,

I'm interested, but I'll be gone as of Wednesday.

My annual sojourn to the mountains of Colorado starts this week.

I'll be at a cabin on a lake for the next four months. No computer (cell phone works there now--dagnabbit!!!!), so I'll be away from the internet until mid September.

I know you guys will soldier on without me.

I'll try to concentrate on actually fishing with some of the flies I've been tying....

You guys have fun and catch some fish.

Buddy

[FishnDave]

I'm interested to see what you've created with this material. Can you post some pictures of the flies you've tied?

[ducksterman]

John,
I know you guys will soldier on without me.
Buddy

Well, I for one will miss you..... you have a good time!