calf- tail substitute

[freddyg 0]

I have been reading posts for quite a while. This is my first post. Is there a good substitute for calf tail when tying a trude wing? Thanks in advance

[SnagmasterQueedo 0]

Calf tail is easy to get and cheap (about $2 each) but some good subs for it that come to mind are arctic fox hair,dyed squrriel tail though it will be mottled instead of a solid color, and my dog's tail hair (he's a eskimo spitz) though it's a little straighter than calf tail :hyst:

[Hot Tuna 0]

Welcome to the site Freddy....we had quite the discussion about calf tail and alternatives under Wulffs recently. I don't like working with calf tail but the scruffy effect must be pretty attractive to fish.

Al and Gretchen Beatty are in here some times. it would be interesting to hear from them on this....

they specialize in Humpies , trudes and the like.

Let's see if they jump in...

All the best,

John

 

 

[Hot Tuna 0]

The name of the thread was Wulffmanship,Adventures with hair under this category, The FlyTying Bench.

[SnagmasterQueedo 0]

Freddy,

 

I just thought of something else... poly yarn... you can pick it up at any walmart makes pretty good calf sub as well esp for wings.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I tie alot of my trudes with antron wing

[madkasel 0]

I just tied a big batch of Pass Lakes (a Wisconsin Trude-type pattern) for the bluegill swap (breambuster should have a pic up in a day or two).

 

The thing I used, and will continue to do so, is braided polypropelyne (sp?) rope.

 

You have to look for the right rope, with fine poly fibers. If they have some translucense to them, all the better.

 

Take the rope, unbraid it, and hang it from your ceiling with a weight at the end to untwist it. I just put a big ol' C clamp on the end. That'll take the crazy kinks out and leave you with a very nice, easy, cheap, durable wing.

 

For my money, calf tail isn't worth its hassle!!

[Joe Hard 0]

Bucktail, deer, elk or in smaller sizes, snowshoe rabbit would be good floating hairs. Z lon antron or any synthetec fibers that you could find that float. You could even use clumps of cdc.