Possum Hair, Killer Smallie Fly

[Baron]

I enjoyed Afish's post by Mr. Flagler regarding hairs ear dubbing. I feel that there is HED in my not too distant future.

There is a Mentor, a member of this forum, that lives in NoWheresVille PA that is suggesting I use black dyed Possum. So taking his advice I go to order some Possum for my next project and I find the path to purchasing to be fraught with dangerous and expensive detours and confusion. Is there someone whom has experienced this? This same Mentor, who wrote out the instructions for me on another forum, for my next killer lake fly, stated at the end of the instructions in passing, "oh yeah, the Possum fur may not really be Possum"...well NOW ya tell me.

So I would like to hear from folks on their favorite fur to work with and the properties that they look for. This will put me on a path to greater confidence in my own purchases and enable me to honor my Mentor with a successful tie.

Who knows, this mysterious Fella, from somewhere up there, might even reveal himself. His work is awesome and it would be great for all to see. But I won't blow his cover.

 

[coyoterahn]

Baron, Hares ear is great and makes a nice buggy fly. Fox squirrel is also a good dubbing fur to use. Both are readily available and fairly easy to dub on your tying thread. Using a dubbing loop will increase the buggy characteristic you may be looking for.

 

[Baron]

I'm new to Hare but I really like Squirrel. I don't have any fox tail. So it begs asking: do you prefer a loop or do you prefer to split your thread? If the parted thread method is used must I have started with heavy thread in the first place?

 

[afishinado]

Baron wrote:
I'm new to Hare but I really like Squirrel. I don't have any fox tail. So it begs asking: do you prefer a loop or do you prefer to split your thread? If the parted thread method is used must I have started with heavy thread in the first place?

No hard-and-fast rule, but split-thread method for smaller slimmer flies and hackling and loop method for larger bulky bodied works for me.

 

[jifigz]

Is your mentor Maxima????

 

[coyoterahn]

Baron,
What Afish said. If you are going to split the thread, spinning it counter clockwise first makes it easier to split.

 

[Baron]

Coyoterahn, Yes I've done it and the suggestion by Afish that I use that method for smaller flies only makes perfect sense.
Jifigz, you know better as Max is from AbsolutNoWheresVille, PA. For those of us from Bucks County we lovingly refer to that area as God's Country.
I'm going to beat this and learn this fly, you wait and see, then you'll all want to give up trout to fish next to me!

 

[jifigz]

To fish for what? Smallies? I already do lots and lots of that. I've got plenty of secret smallie tricks up my sleeve.....but I'll always add one more.

Seriously though, finding smallies and putting the fly where it needs to be is 90% of the battle.

 

[Baron]

Jifigz,
Where do you get black Possum hair. and if it is not available then what is a good sub? I assume it doesn't float. BtW I mostly catch LMB and pickerel on hair flies.

 

[Bamboozle]

Baron, some info:

Some fly tying threads are bonded (like UNI thread) and others aren’t like Danville Monocord and the long discontinued Gudebrod which is what I use. Bonded threads remain round as you wind them on a hook while unbonded threads lie flat.

Because of the process involved in bonding thread, you will find it MUCH easier to split unbonded thread for dubbing purposes. As mentioned, splitting the thread is great when you go small, but I don’t tie many flies with “spikey” dubbing much smaller than a #16 so I use a loop almost all of the time.

FWIW - Raccoon is a good substitute for ‘possum or even fox however obviously the colors differ. That’s why tiers like me that started before there were 200,000 varieties of packaged dubbing collected as much fur as we could and dyed or bleached it into the colors we wanted. Sources of fur scraps are furriers (if you can find any), flea markets, hunters, road kill and eBay (there currently is ‘possum skins on eBay).

With the exclusion of furrier supplied scraps that are highly processed and fumigated, make sure to SEGREGATE any stuff you get from other sources away from your other materials in a sealed container with Paradichlorobenzene, AKA moth crystals (NOT moth balls) for at least a week.

If you are paranoid about the chemicals in moth crystals or the supposed smell imparted to the flies that adds yet another excuse to the many used by those that can’t catch fish, there are other options.

Some folks freeze their stuff (positively NOT 100 percent effective against all critters that inhabit furs & feathers), microwave them (not positive about that either or if it may damage the goods), or they use flea collars or “no-pest strips” in lieu of moth crystals (not sure about the flea collars working on beetles or larvae that eat fur).

Bottom line, I have been using segregation and moth crystals since I began fly tying 1000 years ago with no ill effects on me, no problems catching fish and not a single episode of insect damage to any of my natural materials.

Have fun!

 

[Baron]

I'll never forget the classic smell of moth crystals. Good memories of the farm. I broke down and bought a patch of black possum from a fly tying supplier. I'm looking forward to this tie next week.

 

[nfrechet]

i have found that american opossum hair (not dubbing) dyed black is very hard to find and is usually out of stock, expensive and mainly available overseas in european fly shops

substitute

beaver

muskrat

hare

squirrel

australian opossum

camel

angora

alpaca

vicuna

mink

mole

coyote mask

google "natural fur dubbing". you might find more options

 

[Baron]

Thanks nfretchet, that is a good list. May I assume they all sink? I have had an interest in Muskrat, Fox and Beaver as well. AvidMax supplied me with Opossum at a reasonable price.

When I make the Brush how do I hide the cut ends of the fur? do I slide the fur slightly to the side so that the butts are hidden better within the brush?

 

[coyoterahn]

The fish won’t notice your butts…no worries. Matter of fact, some like fat butts! :lol:

 

[Baron]

Ha, I got that for sure.

 

[jifigz]

Baron wrote:
Jifigz,
Where do you get black Possum hair. and if it is not available then what is a good sub? I assume it doesn't float. BtW I mostly catch LMB and pickerel on hair flies.

I don't. I don't think it is necessary. Bass aren't that particular, usually. I guess my point is you don't need a hard to find material. Get creative and the stuff up. I get trying to tie with new stuff is fun..but don't expect anything magical just by using that fur.