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Rusty Shackleford

Deer Hair Help

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1 hour ago, Rusty Shackleford said:

What is an ideal hair for stimulators in sizes 10-14? I have a couple patches of X-Caddis hair from Nature's Spirit, will it do? 

try it and find out

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2 hours ago, Rusty Shackleford said:

What is an ideal hair for stimulators in sizes 10-14? I have a couple patches of X-Caddis hair from Nature's Spirit, will it do? 

Here's the problem with trying to use X-caddis hair for stimulators.

An X-caddis is a caddis emerger pattern with a trailing shuck. The wing should be tied shorter than the wing on an adult caddis pattern like the elk hair caddis. Furthermore,  adult caddis are NOT size 10 or even size 12. So real X caddis hair is generally not long enough to tie simulators of that size,

However, prepackaged hair is often generic and NOT really sorted and packaged for the flies on the label. That is why I buy my hair from Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, Montana. They process the hair on site and have loose pieces of hair in labeled bins that I can sort through to find exactly what I want.

So examine the that you have. If it is really hair for X-caddis you will not be able to tie a size 10 Stimi but if it is generic hair that had just been labeled as hari for X-caddis, you night be able to tie the Stimies especially in the smaller sizes.

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Kelly Galloup has 2 very good videos on Deer hair and elk hair types and selection. Start with this one, which covers different deer hairs options, and how to tell good hair from bad hair,.  

This second one, covers many other hairs and selection:  These will give you a very comprehensive look at hairs and selection of good hair for your needs .

 

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Nature's Spirit generally puts out really good, consistent product. The x-caddis hair will work well for your Stimulator tail but if if is too short for even a small stimulator wing (maybe), ...

If you can't see the product in person and need to go online, I'd stick with Nature's Spirit for hair.

$7 free shipping for Nature's Spirit "Stimulator" hair. It's nice stuff. Maybe overkill on a small stimulator.

https://store.bluequillangler.com/natures-spirit-natures-spirit-stimulator-deer-hair.html

It's from the back strip.

Or just use their (or any other, if you can see it in person) regular "all purpose" deer hair, $3 free shipping here

https://store.bluequillangler.com/natures-spirit-natures-spirit-all-purpose-deer-hai.html?id=7792957&quantity=1

and just keep your wraps looser at the back edge of the wing. As others have said that will be more than long enough for a size 10.

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