Natural Hair Bouyancy

[Guest bigbadbrent]

Does anyone know a link or something, or even their own knowledge of best materials to use for bouyancy (natural preferred..)

 

I want to get some grizzly hair to tie some big dries, as i've heard good things, but i've also heard really good things about Hare's Foot

[Flytyer]

Brent : you might want to check on the legality of the grizzly..........might not be legal; something tells me it's not

 

hare's foot is good, llama has good properties, Icelandic sheep has been good on a lot of flies I have have done

[Guest bigbadbrent]

you're allowed to hunt them (not this or for another 3 years..) so i dunno..any idea who'd i'd contact?

[ladystrange]

moose is supposed to be quite good.

 

i have just tied up a bunch of what supposed to be streamers with moose and dog undercoating and they float... not exactly what i was expecting.

 

 

check the hunting regs. if you can get a tag and shoot a grizzly - which you can do. then there shouldnt be an issue with having it, as long as the animal was not poached. buying some may be the problem.

 

if you need some, i have it, not a lot but i would be willing to share. thank god for taxidermists... I luv you man. anyway. i have black bear as well if you want to substitute. (long guard hair and dubbing under fur)

 

 

oh, i forgot - caribou. i have some of that also

[Flytyer]

you're allowed to hunt them (not this or for another 3 years..) so i dunno..any idea who'd i'd contact?

 

 

Let me check with some one I know that works as a warden for Parks Canada, I'll be seeing him on Tuesday night

[ladystrange]

you're allowed to hunt them (not this or for another 3 years..) so i dunno..any idea who'd i'd contact?

 

 

call fish and wildlife and ask about obtaining grizzly hair from a taxidermist from cuttings on previous years bears?

[nebc]

Does anyone know a link or something, or even their own knowledge of best materials to use for bouyancy (natural preferred..)

 

I want to get some grizzly hair to tie some big dries, as i've heard good things, but i've also heard really good things about Hare's Foot

 

A visit to a local taxidermist would be a good idea. If one has some free scraps for you to try, I would try the carbou hair, although it may tend to be fragile.

They will also be able to advise you as to what samples are legal and those that are not, or should be able to.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

i've heard amazing things about the grizzly underhair, as its wrinkly, so holds air like nothing else, but also has a shimmer that looks like a fluttering wing...

 

(read this in 'Guide Flies' where a bunch of their flies are tied with the grizzly)

[Inconnu]

Most of the deer/elk family has hollow hair, some more than others. Short of going to brush out those Grizzly's at Discovery wildlife reguge or wherever they are living these days, you may find it difficult to find.

I have a couple of patterns here tied with moose body hair wings upright and divided that float pretty high.

[admin]

Snowshoe Rabbit foot has some natural waterproffing in it and makes a good material for dries. I haven't used the underfur of bears for dries, but I have used it on lots of wets. I'm not sure it would stay boyant all that long. It does create a lot of room to trap air bubbles in, so it may float for a few casts. Black and Brown bear is pretty easy to get, so give those a try. Would Grizzly be that much different from those?

 

The best hairs for floating flies are Deer Belly Hair, Elk Hair, Caribou, Moose and Deer Hair.

[alhuger]

i've heard amazing things about the grizzly underhair, as its wrinkly, so holds air like nothing else, but also has a shimmer that looks like a fluttering wing...

 

(read this in 'Guide Flies' where a bunch of their flies are tied with the grizzly)

 

Polar bear has fantastic buoyancy if the ethical concerns don't dog you over much.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

most of the polar bear hair comes from old rugs anyway (or so i hear)

[Harps]

I really like hare's foot, but you have to use the right part (heel). The hair traps air, is naturally hydrophobic, and dries in a quick false cast. I use it instead of CDC with great results and its hard to beat the usual as a mayfly dry/emerger!!

 

I have used caribou for big salmonfly patterns, but I don't think its better than deer hair. Moose hair is the same (check out some of the moose hair hopper patterns that Jack Dennis has put together in his western tying books... good stuff).

Pacreseltoro is bang on with the best hair floatation (especially for bigger flies).

 

Tying with Snowshoe Hare:

http://www.flyangler.ca/index.php?option=c...1&Itemid=32

http://www.hafft.ca/sheldonsflies2004.html#Anchor-13378

http://www.hafft.ca/SnowshoePatterns.htm

http://www.flyflickers.com/ff/flybox/reple.../snowshoe.shtml

http://www.flyfishingmagazines.com/ft_feature_038.shtml#b

These are great sites about SS Hare properties and patterns. Take the time to look them over... you won't find a more versitile material with a great halo/buggy look to it.

[alhuger]

most of the polar bear hair comes from old rugs anyway (or so i hear)

 

Perhaps. If you need some I have some to spare. It's the under hair your likely looking for. In any event PM me if you need some.

 

-al