Furs that are used

[Jonboy9000 0]

So I just saw some of the furs we have left over from hunting and trapping is used to make flys with. My question is are different skins are used for different flys? Also is there any way to dye them yourself or do you have to by them that way?

[SilverCreek 0]

1 hour ago, Jonboy9000 said:

So I just saw some of the furs we have left over from hunting and trapping is used to make flys with. My question is are different skins are used for different flys? Also is there any way to dye them yourself or do you have to by them that way?

 

Before synthetics, natural fur was used for dubbing.

If you look at the fur you have, you will notice that there are "guard hairs" and there is "under fur". Guard hair is the long spiky hair that is on the surface of the fur. The under fur is the soft downy fur that is next to the skin. The guard hair keeps snow off the skin and the underfur is the insulation that keeps the animal warm.

The downy underfur is used for dry flies. Grab the guard hair, cut the fur at the skin and separate the guard hair from the underfur. Use the underfur to tie your dry flies.

For nymphs, do the same. But then you can cut the guard hair in two, mix it in with the underfur and use the mixture for nymphs.

For example, muskrat underfur is the gray dubbing for the adams dry fly.

Here is muskrat fur. Note the grey underfur and the brown guard hairs.

 

As for dying fur, most fur that is dyed is white rabbit fur. White adds no color of its own when dyes. When you try to dye a fur that has a color of its own, you cannot accurately predict what color you will end up with. So it will have to be bleached first.

It is simply not worth the effort in my opinion unless you need a color that cannot be bought and even then, it can be a mess. Do it outside on a camp stove and NOT in your kitchen.

Buy a copy of AK Best's book, Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly-tying Materials.

Another book is Caucci and Nastasi Fly-tyers Color Guide. It describes how you can create different colors of dubbing by mixing dubbing in the 3 primary colors of red, blue and yellow.

[Jonboy9000 0]

Cool thanks

[Fatman 0]

Some furs dyed make for unique colors.  I did some red fox and was doing dyeing the tips on some white zonker strips and put the red fox in the dye and it came out really nice!!  If you have small pieces and dye something else try it!!  

[DarrellP 0]

The list of furs is endless.  Experiment.  For dying AK Best book is the Bible, so to speak.  Be sure you rid the fur of vermin by freezing and microwave.

[Charlie1947 0]

On 4/2/2022 at 4:13 PM, Jonboy9000 said:

So I just saw some of the furs we have left over from hunting and trapping is used to make flys with. My question is are different skins are used for different flys? Also is there any way to dye them yourself or do you have to by them that way?

Yes you can die them! Your  taking a big chance! The chance is you check for bugs sometime there are NO bugs but there are eggs or even larvae! If that happens you may lose of bunch of skins, feathers etc. Be careful! Many tight lines!

[niveker 0]

On 4/10/2022 at 12:00 PM, Fatman said:

make for unique colors

Those look great, both the pieces and the zonker strips, really a great color on the red fox.

 I don't dye that much, hopefully this summer I'll get around to dying some small skins I have been meaning to do for a while.