Trying to make reaper tails

[Acorn1754 0]

I am just getting back into fly tying and bought the book, "The Art of tying the Bass Fly". There's a fly called the Grim Reaper that I want to tie. It uses Reaper Tails which I can't find hardly anywhere and when I do, they are sold out/discontinued. When I found out that they are made out of ultra suede/chamois, I did a search on ebay and found this, http://www.ebay.com/itm/171247199271?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649. I am going to try to die it and I hope that it's thin enough. Has anyone here done anything like this? I figure I should be able to use this material of other purposes for fly tying, but I do not know of any ideas. Am I on the right track or should I be looking else where?

[Philly 0]

If you have any craft stores your area you might want to check them out. They might have the material you're looking for and in the right color. A couple of alternatives might be to find some paddle tail plastic worms in black or purple or pork rind strips in the same color. Walmart or Target should carry them

[Stevester 0]

Not familiar with the fly or the tail material but a material called Bugskin that Chuck Furimsky markets sounds similar. It is available in a variety of colors and patterns. I have played with it a little for things like crayfish backs and claws and and tails for a simple carp fly. You should be able to find it at a variety of retailers.

 

Steve

[SilverDoctor 0]

Eastern Trophies Fly Fishing (http://www.easterntrophies.com) sells various tails made of ultrasuede. The Leech Tails look like they might be what you're after, but those only come in three colors. It's probably easier just to go on ebay, buy a bunch of colors of ultrasuede, and cut them yourself. For about $10 I recently bought a set of 12 colors (in 4" x 9" sheets) for making crayfish claws; you can get all kinds of color selections. You'll only find chamois in tan, and would have to color it yourself. Chamois is also very different from ultrasuede; it's really mobile when wet, but really hardens when it dries out. Ultrasuede is flexible, but no so much as chamois when wet. Bugskin is less flexible than ultrasuede.

[Kudu 0]

Try flymenfishingcompany they have frantic tails and show you sbs how to use them

[notenuftoys 0]

I have both reaper tails and frantic tails, and they are almost the same. The tie-in method is a little different, but both provide very nice action.

 

I picked up the reaper tails on close-out at my local Bass Pro - walked in one Sunday evening, saw them listed for $.99 each, and bought every pack they had.

[Acorn1754 0]

I have both reaper tails and frantic tails, and they are almost the same. The tie-in method is a little different, but both provide very nice action.

 

I picked up the reaper tails on close-out at my local Bass Pro - walked in one Sunday evening, saw them listed for $.99 each, and bought every pack they had.

I would have done the same thing! But I got the ultra suede in today, time to try to die some of it, cut some tails and see how it goes...

[Acorn1754 0]

What is the length & width of the large Reaper Tails?

[notenuftoys 0]

2 1/2 inches long by 1/2 inch wide at the widest.

 

[Steiner 0]

Walmart has chamois in the art section for a few bucks. Thin and natural color.

 

 

Here's something similar on amazon

 

http://www.amazon.com/Artist-Chamois-Skin-5x7-Inch/dp/B001DKMT3W

[Gene L 0]

You can get chamois at an auto parts store. It gets stiff when it dries, but is soft when wet. It's kinda heavy when wet, soaks up a lot of water.

[Bruce Derington 0]

If you contact Chris Helm at white tail fly tying supplies (quickly, he is retiring)he has what you need