Every fly starts with the right materials. Whether you're tying a small streamer, building a giant baitfish, or blending your own custom colors, Squimpish has a synthetic fly tying fiber to fit your pattern.
Not sure where to start? Here's a breakdown of our different materials, what makes Squimpish fibers unique, and how to choose the right one for your next fly.
Compare Squimpish Fly Tying Materials
| Material | Fiber Length | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Squimpish Hair | 3–12 inches | Patch-mounted fibers, streamers and Hollow Fleyes |
| Squimpish Hair XL | 10–14 inches | Oversized baitfish and predator patterns |
| Boutique Blends | 4–9 inches | Loose, custom-blended colors with flash |
| Spec Blends | 1–4 inches | Short custom blends for smaller flies |
| Loose Fiber | 4–9 inches | Individual loose colors for DIY blending |
What Makes Squimpish Fibers Different?
One of the unique characteristics of Squimpish fibers is their consistent diameter from root to tip. Unlike natural bucktail, which tapers along each individual hair, Squimpish fibers maintain the same diameter throughout their length.
Cut It. Reshuffle It. Restack It.
Because the fibers maintain a uniform diameter, Squimpish material can be cut to virtually any desired length without sacrificing its versatility.
Simply cut the fibers, reshuffle or restack them, and recreate a natural-looking taper by staggering the ends. This gives fly tyers control over the length, density, and profile of their patterns while making excellent use of their material.
Little to No Water Retention
Squimpish synthetic fibers retain little to no water, making them especially useful for larger baitfish, streamers, Hollow Fleyes, and predator patterns.
By shedding water rather than holding onto it, Squimpish materials help reduce the added water weight of larger flies during repeated casting.
Which Squimpish Material Should You Choose?
Squimpish Hair: The Original
Squimpish Hair is our signature synthetic fly tying fiber, woven onto a patch to mimic the presentation of natural bucktail. Its consistent fibers can be stacked, blended, trimmed, and shaped for a wide range of fly patterns.
Choose Squimpish Hair when you want the flexibility of a patch-mounted material for baitfish, streamers, Hollow Fleyes, and freshwater or saltwater patterns.
Squimpish Hair XL: Go Big
When you're tying oversized baitfish and predator flies, fiber length matters. Squimpish Hair XL offers extra-long fibers, approximately 10 to 14 inches, for building substantial profiles.
Choose XL for large musky and pike flies, big saltwater patterns, and oversized Hollow-style flies.
Boutique Blends: Custom Colors, Ready to Tie
Boutique Blends are loose, custom-mixed combinations of Squimpish fibers, coordinated colors, and flash. Unlike patch-mounted Squimpish Hair, these fibers arrive already blended and ready to use.
Choose Boutique Blends when you want a coordinated combination of colors and flash without having to create the blend yourself. They are ideal for streamers, baitfish patterns, and larger freshwater or saltwater flies.
Spec Blends: Smaller Flies, Same Creative Possibilities
Spec Blends follow the same custom-blending concept as Boutique Blends but use shorter fibers, approximately 1 to 4 inches long. These loose blends combine colors and flash for smaller fly patterns.
Choose Spec Blends for small baitfish, compact streamers, wings, and composite loops when you want shorter material with a ready-made color combination.
Loose Fiber: Make Your Own Blend
Squimpish Loose Fiber gives you individual colors of our synthetic fibers without a patch or added flash. Mix your own combinations, add your favorite flash, or use the colors individually.
With fibers approximately 4 to 9 inches long, Loose Fiber gives you creative control over custom baitfish profiles, streamers, and color combinations.
Choose Loose Fiber when you want to build your own blends rather than using pre-mixed color combinations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Squimpish Hair and Boutique Blends?
Squimpish Hair is woven onto a patch, similar to bucktail. Boutique Blends are loose, custom-mixed combinations of Squimpish fibers, colors, and flash that are not mounted on a patch. Squimpish Hair can also be blended with other colors and flash.
Which Squimpish material is best for smaller flies?
Spec Blends are designed with shorter fibers for smaller flies. Squimpish Hair can also be trimmed and restacked for compact patterns.
Which Squimpish material is best for large musky flies?
Squimpish Hair XL is a strong choice when extra-long fibers are needed. Standard Squimpish Hair and Boutique Blends can also be useful depending on the size and design of the pattern.
Can I blend my own Squimpish colors?
Absolutely. Squimpish Hair can be blended and stacked, while Loose Fiber is particularly convenient for creating custom combinations from individual colors. You can also add flash to create your own unique blends.
Can Squimpish Hair replace natural bucktail?
Squimpish Hair can be used as an alternative to bucktail in many patterns, especially when longer or more consistent synthetic fibers are desired. The two materials have different characteristics, so the best choice depends on the fly you're tying.
Can you cut Squimpish Hair to different lengths?
Yes. Squimpish fibers maintain a consistent diameter from root to tip, allowing them to be cut to virtually any desired length. Simply reshuffle or restack the fibers to recreate a natural-looking taper by staggering their ends.
Does Squimpish Hair absorb water?
Squimpish Hair retains little to no water. Its synthetic fibers shed water easily, helping reduce excess water weight when casting larger streamers, baitfish patterns, and predator flies.
Find Your Next Squimpish Material
From small streamers to giant baitfish, explore Squimpish materials and find the right fiber for your next creation.