Craft Fur

[salmo]

I have some snowshoe hare for tying, but only in natural color. I know that you "can" use craft fur for hare or hair wings but has anyone actually done so? If yes, what was the result. BTW, my wife threatened to blowtorch my fly tying desk and materials if I bought any more shirt (redacted/edited for language)!

 

[Silent Ocelot]

BTW, my wife threatened to blowtorch my fly tying desk and materials if I bought any more shirt (redacted/edited for language)!

Hence why I've been delaying sending you that fly box, it's for your own protection.

 

[PatchezMDM]

I've only ever used craft fur for some Lefty's Deceivers. It was a real pain to work with. Stray shirt drifting all over the room. The way it looked in the water was not as fluid as bucktail but still flowed nicely. Never tried it for wings but I'm interested in what others have tried.

 

[salmo]

Hence why I've been delaying sending you that fly box, it's for your own protection.

Silent Ocelot sneaks in and drops a funny and departs unseen!

 

[poopdeck]

I’m not a fan of craft fur. I bought some and tied exactly one fly with it. It’s kind of flimsy so I wouldn’t use it for a fly wing. I would use what’s commonly used such as elk hair, deer hair and whatnot, but that’s just me.

 

[rancid waders]

I found that while the standard issue craft store fur stuff perfectly good fish catching flies the tapered stuff is what you want if you are a picky tyer as I am. Polar Fiber comes to mind.

 

[moodyblues]

I have some snowshoe hare for tying, but only in natural color. I know that you "can" use craft fur for hare or hair wings but has anyone actually done so? If yes, what was the result. BTW, my wife threatened to blowtorch my fly tying desk and materials if I bought any more shirt (redacted/edited for language)!

No offense, but you must be an utter failure at concealing clandestine purchases.

 

[sandflyx]

Congo hair or water silk from FTD (fly tiers dungeon) makes nice wings

 

[Bamboozle]

If you are talking about craft fur for wet fly wings or dry fly wings and if dry fly wings, down wings or upright wings?

 

[salmo]

If you are talking about craft fur for wet fly wings or dry fly wings and if dry fly wings, down wings or upright wings?

I was talking about dry fly wings. I have used EP fibers, poly, and calf tail.

 

[JeffK]

I use craft fur a lot for streamers and bonefish flies, but don't think they would make good dry fly wings, especially since there are so many other good options, as Salmo mentioned.

Craft fur gives a subtle translucent look to streamers that is hard to get with other materials IMHO. My favorite is olive over gray with a black or dark blue flash lateral line (I think lateral line matters). When I first started tying craft fur was mostly used for dolls' hair so gray was a common color. I found it worked better than white for undersides of streamers. Now there are many better options than the craft fur from the craft store.

 

[Bamboozle]

I was talking about dry fly wings. I have used EP fibers, poly, and calf tail.

Other than a select few patterns like Humpies where I use calf body hair; I've been using poly of all types for decades including EP fibers, Z-Lon, Antron Yarn, Hi-Viz; you name it for upright wings on Thorax & Parachute flies which is all I tie for specific hatches.

I love the stuff, how easy it is to use and all the colors available.

A LONG time ago I used turkey flank which I dyed to match the shades of dun I wanted but that was a pain to source & dye.

 

[shakey]

I like craft fur for the wings on pass lakes .

 

[salmo]

What’s a pass lake?

 

[falcon]

A fly pattern. Old school.wet fly.

 

[afishinado]

pass lake fly - Google Search

 

[JeffK]

I love the Pass Lake fly - I tie mine with brown hackle for the tail. I usually fished it in combo with a Teal, Blue, and Silver variant with a red goose wing tail. I often use one dull and one shiny fly to see what works and the Pass Lake/Teal Blue Silver in size 14 was my most common starting combo. Find Pass Lake is good when a lot of caddis are about.