Yarn question

[8wt]

Want to tie up some hopper patterns. Recipe calls for polypropolene yarn. would acrylic (found in most stores) work just as well ?

thanks

[billhouk]

You can get a good substitute for polypropylene at the craft store in the form of "macram?" cord. $10 will buy you more of one color than you would ever use unless you are a commercial tier. The only down side is that you have to untwist the weave and it will have some kinks in it until it gets a chance to relax. PM your address and I'll send you some yellow and white to try out. It is great for posts and under wings. It can also be used as a substitute for calf body hair.

[ScottP]

I use acrylic yarns on Al's Foam Hopper http://flyanglersonline.com/flytying...ate/part42.php and the fish seem to like them.

Regards,
Scott

[WarrenP]

Another source for polypropylene is hanging baskets for flowers. The "rope" like material for hanging the baskets is polypropylene on some of them.

[Ray Kunz]

I'm not trying to hijack this thread but I would suggest you consider some advantages of using PUNCH YARN.
1. It is packaged in smaller spools that have more than adequate amounts at less than $2 each.
2. It is Acrylic and is avail. in many colors that are repeatable by catalog number.
3. It is fine enough to let you easily control building up a shaped fly body.
4. It can be "bundled" to give you control of the size of fly tails or throats.
5. It is a 2 ply yarn that can be seperated to single strands for yet smaller applications.
6. It can readily be chopped up and machine blended to make great dubbing
YOU REALLY SHOULD TRY SOME.

[Scruffy Fly]

Acrylic has a density of 1.15 to 1.2 grams per cubic centimeter. This is more dense than water thus it will tend to sink. It can absorb a little water (2%)

Polypropylene has a density of .86 grams per cubic centimeter. This is LESS dense than water thus it will tend to float. We all also know that Polypropylene ski rope floats even when worn and dirty. It does not absorb water.

Surface tension will counteract the density problem of acrylic especially on small flies. Once fish slime or scum from the water or whatever dirties the acrylic it will tend sink but since the density is close to water it will sink slowly. Having a fly floating just below the surface can be a good thing.

Applying floatant to the fly will counteract the density problem.

If you already got the acrylic use the acrylic.