Leroy Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I am new to this board so this may have already been covered, but I have a question. Do many of you use feet hair for dry flies? There has been several articles lately about using it, but I just never have. i have checked with several friends who tell me it floats as well if not better than CDC and it can be dressed. I have read the Usual is a take off of the old Haystack and both of those patterns were the forerunner of the Comparadun patterns we use now. Anyway I sure do plan to give this material a good test when the season opens. I sure would be interested to know some of your experiences with hares feet. Thanks Leroy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDoctor Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Don't tie dries with them but I love them for emergers and fuzzy body flymphs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Din Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Been using it for almost any of my dries that have a wing of some sort. Stuff floats great. The underfur makes for some good dubbing as well. PS the usual sucks....don't ever use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richmia Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Been using it for almost any of my dries that have a wing of some sort. Stuff floats great. The underfur makes for some good dubbing as well. PS the usual sucks....don't ever use it. I used it last year on a small stream in B.C. and did very well .The usual that is , the only problem that I have tying with the under fur is that it is very fine and it is difficulte to adhere to the thread other then that a very good go too fly richmia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Hello Leroy, Welcome to the board. I've been watching your show for many years and just wanted to say Thanks. I learned lots of little tricks and techniques from you when I first started tying. I've been wanting to get some Snowshoe hares feet myself, but the shops in my city just dont carry any. Guess I'll have to get some off the internet. I was asking the wife if her or the kids had any lucky rabbit feet and she promptly picked up our Bichon Frise and walked out of my tying room, not sure what that was all about lol. From everything I've read i think you will find that the guards hairs from the bottom of the foot makes excellent winging material for all kinds of dry flies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Din Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I used it last year on a small stream in B.C. and did very well .The usual that is , the only problem that I have tying with the under fur is that it is very fine and it is difficulte to adhere to the thread other then that a very good go too fly richmia Ya, definately should be a fly in everyone's box IMO. The key is to get all the guard hares out, to get to the good dubbing. I find that you have only a little amount to play with right close to the bones that is good for dubbing (wrecked a few pairs of scissors in the process). I usually just take one foot and cut away the guard hairs and get the dubbing from it and keep the other for the wings/tails. I made the mistake of using the top of the foot and trying to dub the guard hairs when I 1st used it, but finally found out what works best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Yes, SS is an awesome material to work with. I have about 14 patterns i tie up with it. The usual is a hot ticket and likely my #2 fly on small streams... er I mean, don't even bother with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDoctor Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Actually Leroy the other thing I love it for is for wings for Wulff dry flies (by the way welcome to the site). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeremie Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 grndrake, i have a bichon too except i've tried some of her fur, its great for the wings on a stimulator.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I use it often. I find it floats like a cork and shakes water better than most materials. I don't often bother dressing it, it floats so well. Very durable, to boot. It is one of my favorite additions to my bench in the past couple of years. I use the under-fur hairs from the bottom of the foot for dubbing, as well. Great translucency and buggyness. I find a bit of wax makes the process a bit easier. The structure of the guard hairs from the bottom of the foot is what makes it float so well. Traps air like nobody's business. In fact, I really only use the bottom of the foot, an occasionally the sides when I want a bit of a darker shade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDoctor Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 By the way, here's a tip to get to the best fur on the foot simply "crack" open the foot. Do this by placing a flat blade screwdriver between the "toes" of the foot and prying them apart splitting the foot open. You will now have easy access to the longest and best fur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rickleblanc Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Okay, now there's a useful tip! Thanks silverdoctor. I'd better make sure my girlfriend isn't home first. She hates seeing the poor bunny feet as is. If she saw me split one with a screwdriver she might hyperventilate. Incidentally, the Fishin' Hole stocks hares feet. Just make sure it's not from Superfly. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leroy Posted March 12, 2009 Author Share Posted March 12, 2009 Splitting the feet is a good suggestion. I will have to give that a try. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regdunlop Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Just make sure it's not from Superfly. Rick Why is that? Lower quality? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDoctor Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Why is that? Lower quality? I'm also curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rickleblanc Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 In spite of what they might tell you, the label is correct. Superfly sells RABBIT feet, not hare. Anyone who's used both will tell you what a huge difference there is between the two. I get mine from Hook&Hackle. Interestingly, H&H also labels their's Snowshoe Rabbit, which of course doesn't exist, but it's actually hares feet. It took a little work, but as soon as the first order showed up I knew I'd found the right stuff. I used to do a bit of trapping up near Yellowknife, so it's pretty easy to tell a hare's foot from a rabbit's. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDoctor Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 In spite of what they might tell you, the label is correct. Superfly sells RABBIT feet, not hare. Anyone who's used both will tell you what a huge difference there is between the two. I get mine from Hook&Hackle. Interestingly, H&H also labels their's Snowshoe Rabbit, which of course doesn't exist, but it's actually hares feet. It took a little work, but as soon as the first order showed up I knew I'd found the right stuff. I used to do a bit of trapping up near Yellowknife, so it's pretty easy to tell a hare's foot from a rabbit's. Rick The ones I buy are from Hairline. They label them as Snowshoe Rabbit also but they are nice footsies with big toes. Float nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rickleblanc Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Yeah, I just went and looked, H&H gets their's from Hareline. Snowshoe is important enough to me that I want to find a back-up supplier, just in case. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.