Odd materials for tying

[BigEHokie 0]

Okay, I know this might sound like a really odd question, where do you draw the line for using materials to fly tie?

 

The reason I ask is....I have two rather large hairy dogs that shed ALL OVER the place. One is a yellow lab and the other is a st bernard/border collie mix. When we brush them, we get huge balls of hair...some of which look a lot like fly tying materials I've seen in magazines (I'm still new to all of this). Don't worry, I'm not gonna go shave the family dog I was wondering if anyone has ever tried this? Is this a really silly question?

 

Do any of you have any odd sources for fly tying materials that deviate from the norm?

[DancesWithHeadCement 0]

There is no norm...nothing is off limits, nothing sacred.

 

I think I went off the deep end when the neighbors medium blue dun cat wanted to be scratched ... I'm looking at the fur in my hand and combed snot out of the little beast. He didn't mind and neither did I.

 

As long as the material has some quality that can be used, go for it. Synthetic materials especially, as most of the common ones we use came from some other industry and were never designed for fly tyers.

 

A household pet should be harvested "naturally" otherwise you got some serious 'splaining to do when the dog's arse is bald as a cue ball. It's a renewable resource - don't "clearcut" more than a couple of square feet at a time...

 

[Al Beatty 0]

Hi BigE,

 

I don't think anything is off limits if (1) it catches fish and (2) it pleases you; not everything will please everyone else but pleasing yourself is an important part of the game.

 

By the way, my fly-fishing companion (besides my lovely wife Gretchen) is a chocolate lab. "His name," you ask? "Dubbing," would be my responce. Now I wonder how he got a name like that? Take care & ...

 

Tight Lines - Al Beatty

www.btsflyfishing.com

[Grunt 0]

Once you start tieing flys you will never look at a road kill without thinking " oh yeh"

[Mr. Steelhead 0]

I have 5 of the most loving dubbing manufacturers you ever want to find. Several different patterns in my arsenal have come from them and fortunately for me, I never have any explaining to do, wife does the brushing and fills the ziplock bags for me.

[netabrookie 0]

Hello, I'm sure glad that this subject was brought up, because I was starting to worry about myself. Now that I see that I am not alone with this sickness, I feel a whole lot better!!! I can spot something a couple hundred yards ahead of me on the road and I start to wonder if its a possible new addition to the ever growing collection or just a bunch of litter from a thoughtless person. I keep a pair of cutters designed for cutting battery cables in my Bronco all the time. They will take a buck tail off at the base in about 2 seconds. I cant bring myself to run an animal down with a vehicle, but its fair game if its a fresh kill. Now that everyone said its OK, I am getting the comb and heading for my neices cat.

 

 

 

 

Take Care,

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I have seen it alot on here about road kill used as material thing I never see anyone mention is all those forest rats dead everywhere but no one picking them up come on people possum is the softest dubbing around I got 6 pelts last fall 2 of which came from my tires as far as off limits nothing is I am a firm beleiver in if god didn't intend me to tie a fly with it he wouldn't have given me the thought of using it :headbang: :headbang:

[fowlmood77 0]

My yellow lab regularly contributes to my tying addiction and they look good if I do say so myself. Wish the camera wasnt on the brink so I could show off. I also have a miniature pincher I have had my eye on , but she has some really short hair. Yup, I have officially lost it :bugeyes:

[netabrookie 0]

But we love it

[Grunt 0]

Historically Japanese potters kept "brush dogs" around their workplaces. The artists used the hair from the dogs to make brushes for decorating their pots with slip and glaze. All this has been going on for as long as they have been making pots, a thousand or more recorded years. I've got three fly dogs but my other,a potter, uses store bought brushes except for a couple she made out of bamboo and some of my bucktails.

[CM_Stewart 0]

where do you draw the line?

 

 

I seem to remember a post some guy made a while ago, I think on a different board, asking pretty much the same question. Seems his wife's cat just died and he wanted to skin it. His wife said no. That is where I'd draw the line. After all, it was her cat.

 

If they're your dogs, go ahead. If they're really your wife's or your daughter's, you'd better get permission first.

 

 

 

 

 

[Sal Velinus 0]

Remember it is illegal to have bird of prey feathers, songbirds, etc, even if they are roadkill. That said, many of those species makes great flies, and I doubt anyone would give two shakes if you had some eagle, wolf, or grizzly bear flies in your box.

[Harold Ray 0]

I have some pink and lavender dress shirts I wear to the clinic. After washing and drying them, they leave some of the most beautifully colored lint in the lint collector; I've been tempted to try to use that in some way for dubbing. Its got to be broken down cotton fibers. Haven't dome it yet but maybe one of these days!

 

Ray

[Chase Creek 0]

Seems to me some states have regulations concerning ANY kind of road kill. Better to ask than have to pay a fine.

Other materials I've used - candy bar wrappers, Tyvek, Coffee beans, foil from the vacuum seal of plastic coffee cans, Klondike bar wrappers, hair from my Brindle Boxer (looks a lot like squirrel), etc.

[fowlmood77 0]

Seems to me some states have regulations concerning ANY kind of road kill. Better to ask than have to pay a fine.

Other materials I've used - candy bar wrappers, Tyvek, Coffee beans, foil from the vacuum seal of plastic coffee cans, Klondike bar wrappers, hair from my Brindle Boxer (looks a lot like squirrel), etc.

 

Coffee beans????

 

Please do tell