I know a lot of you are not real keen on synthetics material but was wondering
if any tiers here have tried any of this Pseudo Herl or Hackle materials?
I mainly use synthetics for tying small jigs, mainly for their durability and was
looking at these materials other day. A little on the pricey side, but was
wondering how well they work or should I stick with natural materials ?
thx’s
Mike
Mike,
It depends on the look you’re trying to acheive or perhaps better stated, the natural material you’re trying to substitute. If your looking for a maribou type substitution, some of the eyelash yarns work fairly well (sort of). As far as a substitute peacock herl or rooster hackle, I don’t there is any synthic that even comes close to the real thing.
If you tell us a bit more about the jigs you’re tying or better yet, post a photo, then folks would be better able to share their experience/knowledge with you.
Jim Smith
Marabou, is it not some what funny the number of products that claim to be much like marabou? It is because the marabou is the king of that type material. Not sure anything moves like marabou really. If I want something like marabou then I buy marabou.
Now hair is another story. I just got some new stuff that is synthetic hair and it’s growing on me. Tied a few jigs with it for bream and they love it.
Skip
Plus nothing that claims to look like marabou Is as cheap as marabou or I believe acts like marabou.
Nothing comes even close to the look of real peacock herl either.
Peacock herl is quite fragile, but properly wrapped it lasts a good while.
From the Washington state fishing regulations.
FLY A lure on which thread, feathers, hackle, or yarn cover an minimum of half of the shank of the hook. metallic colored tape, tinsel , Mylar, or bead eyes may be used as an integral part of the design of the fly pattern.
I note there is no mention of using wire or lead.
There are flies such as the copper john which flaunt the rules a tad.
Flies made of mostly artificial feather substitutes seem to me not to be quite within the letter of the law. I doubt any official would ever take a stand on the matter but it is what it is.
Dremel poppers, foam flies, also seem a little iffy under the above rules.
I also found in the WA Regulations.
If you add a single drop of attractant then your fly is no longer a fly it is bait. I’d love to see them try to prosecute that one. 
“Excuse me sir may I sniff your fly.” :mrgreen: ( No pun intended )
Having said that, I should add that personally I use what ever looks good to me at the time be it artificial or natural.
the question was more of a general(nice to know) type of question. being still fairly new to tying, I’ve bben exploring and researching the various type of materials out there, their usage, …etc.
Mike
I’m an Ice Dub fan.
Hi Skip,
what type of synthetic hair did you try out ?
Mike
i tend to let the folks who worry about the use of synthetics do just that, worry about the use of synthetics.
i also tend to think the definitions of “fly” in most state regulation manuals are so old and outdated and should be redefined to relate what is currently being used by the fly tying world as far as materials.
I really like the pseudo hair…have not tried the other stuff…I use a lot of synthetic’s…Just depends on what I’m looking to impart to the fly.
and hooks of natural steel…simply never have or will exist…It’s always been a man made alloy…
i may be wrong but to me pseudo hackle looks like nothing more than a version of boa yarn that has a fancy name and is more expensive.
Sorry to be so slow getting back, but been doing stuff here and just busy.
I got some Polaris Hair that the guy that has the Nuclee-r material. At first I really just wanted the stuff chat changes when heated, but the package I got had all his colors in the hair stuff. I have grown more fond of it as time has passed. I have a busted Troll motor so have not been able to fish for anything except bream and they loved it. It’s easy to work with and I tied it on some 1/64 oz. jigs with a #12 hook and caught a good many fishing an hour at a time over a few days.
I took some and using 3 colors tied some and some with just 2 colors or even just one and all worked well.
Here is one of the 3 color jigs (now this one was tied on a bigger hook, but should give an idea of the stuff)…
I also tied one using just purple hair and it was very good when the sun was behind the clouds.
Skip
Hi Skip,
hey the jig looks great … nice job. just sent you a PM.
Mike
The more I learn the more I’m using synthetics. I’m a fan of the ice dubs, ice chenille, antron yarns and all of it. I think they add that hint of life to the fly, but who knows what the fish are thinking? I like to use the syns under a darker feather or whatever so that the sparkle is there, but subdued. So far the fish are voting for it, and that is good enough for me!
Synthetics have several draw backs in general. 1. they generally are not as “alive” when wet as many natural materials. 2. here today a gone tomorrow, many synthetics will be marketed for a few years and then gone forever. They also have some advantages, like my favorite synthetic, flash, there is no natural material that can provide the flash of flashabou and other types of this material. Most of my flies use both natural a synthetic materials, I try to capture the advantages of both.
Maybe the most relative statement I’ve heard since the demise of Overton’s. 
If you find synthetic stuff you like; BUY IT LIKE IT’S GOING OUT OF STYLE, because it will!
Excluding 100% fake flies I use synthetics in every fly I tie except traditionals because I just find it way easier to use for what I use it for the most. I’ll never argue that “replacement” materials like synthetic dubbing, hackle, hair, and winging stuff looks or behaves as well as natural materials but I like the range of colors and effects I get with the synthetic stuff.
I’d really hate going back to 100% natural.
I just ordered some of the EP Silky Fibers for tying up some minnow-imitators.
I’d bought some flies tied with this material, and wasn’t particularly impressed with the look OUT OF THE WATER. But once IN the water, that stuff actually moved quite nicely, and looked VERY minnow-like!!
Here’s one of the fish with an EP Minnow in its maw…
