DonkeyHotay

Interesting, I didn't realize that fur could do that. Thanks for the info, I appreciate it. There are a few companies that make biodegradable fishing line, though I personally haven't had the chance to use them yet since I mainly fish braided on my caster. I realize that it might not be completely avoidable, but I really just want to minimize the amount of garbage I'm putting into the river, especially after reading about all the microplastics we have in our waterways.

I'm just getting into fly fishing and figured I would learn how to tie flies as a way to learn more about etymology and pass the time until the early season begins this winter. When I was looking at various patterns that work in winter, I noticed a lot of them use "flash" or "ice" in the dubbing or or as tails. I assume both of these materials are synthetic since I haven't been able to determine otherwise and they look like shiny plastic. Do I have any non-toxic/biodegradable options to add a bit of shine to my flies? Are their any coatings that serve a similar purpose? Also for the tying material, is my only option for a non-poly material silk?