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3. pet fur for flies

to avoid burial of this vital topic amongst the various genera of caddis (trans.--to avoid hijacking that other thread), here is an important topic all on its own.

Louis, the cat has fur on his tummy that is the perfect texture for Hare's Ear Nymphs, but it's in spots: pale for the abdomen and dark for the thorax. to get those different colors, you have to cut. luckily this is a very patient cat. he thinks he is a dog, and he rolls over so you can pat his stomach...or snip a couple flies worth of fur.

now, for those emergers that are orange, the comb will work fine, since i'm after just one color on a different cat with an orange ruff. thanks for the tip!

Hmm, tummy hair. Well we can't attempt that with our cats without drawing back a bloody stub, but I'm glad you have a cooperative source!

when cat #6 passed away, aged 17, and it became plain that cat-less living was not good for our family, Best Fishing Buddy actually did some research. he found a breed known for more patience as well as playfulness: pixie bobs. also, they come spotted, and while this was not one of my criteria, it's proven very helpful.

The most important thing about using either dog or cat under fur for dubbing is that they get sopping when wet. Of course if you have to up your medical insurance when combing your cat, you might really consider antron as a viable alternate. I used to use the under fur from my Welsh Pembroke Corgi, but I also sprayed it with an water proofing. Now my Maine Coon Cat---Toddy---isn't jumpy about having his fur combed, cause he's my best pal---but frankly I like the modern fibres mixed with the natural furs. I usually spin up my own colors in a coffee grinder.

ahah! Dr., sir, you have confirmed what others led me to believe: my Tang Tummy Gold Ribbed nymphs are very effective because they sink like little rocks, and the sodden dubbing can be relied on to wave in the water if my attempts at dead drifting result in the usual mixture of twitches and mends. the guard hairs in TT dubbing are like hare's ear, very spikey, so maybe that works like antron.

Our rabbit has a steel grey pelt. I have been known to brush him to get fur for tying the body for a grizzly partridge soft hackle.

what about a persian? a white persian

Justin, good buddy, we need to trade. i have a fly that needs long white fur and rabbit just won't quite work for me. whaddayasay?

PETA is going to be made aware of any fly tiers who extract fur or feathers from the bodies of living cats, dogs, birds, and whatever other mammals you can think of.

Hey guys, don't pick on your pets. PETA will get you. There's always roadkill!

When I was first dating my wife, I pulled this stunt on her.

We were driving along a quiet stretch of county road when I spotted a roadkilled woodchuck. It's fiery brown pelt and mottled guard hairs bristled in the noonday sun. I mashed the brake pedal and jumped out. I had a habit of carrying a pair of gloves, a plastic garbage bag, a pair of garden shears and a knife, which I pulled from the trunk.

As my then girlfriend stared in disbelief, I picked up and inspected the chuck. It was fresh and the pelt was in fine condition. I tossed it in the bag and when I got home dressed, skinned, stretched, and tacked the pelt to a board. I salted it and let it dry. Then I combed it out and gave it a quick shampoo.

I'm still tying flies with that chuck skin today and still married to the same gal, too!

"still married to the same gal, too!"

Now that is a surprise! I would of thought after that episode she would have run the other way.

WB, what can I say? I got the roadkill and the girl. I guess some guys have all the luck.

any body have any need for black to brown gray dog hair german shepard mix with LOTS of hair that we find all over the house no need to brush when i brush i have made some super basic nymphs(yes they do sink like rocks


phil

stupid peta

If you have a Border Collie dog, brush it!
And dub it onto dry fly hooks sizes 12-16, to a cigar shape. Use yellow tying thread and finish with a neat little head.
Do not use floatant or sink mud.

One of my favourite stillwater patterns, fished very slowly.

Cali-cat sheds mostly white fluffy stuff. Hmmm, I suppose there's some good White Wulff dubbing there...but then I would have to call my flies White Cougars or something else feline...I must admit I have wondered what shed whiskers could be used for - very long, white, and stiff. Any suggestions?? Crayfish antennae????

Jonathon

Cats whiskers are best used by the cat itself. They grow on the cat for a reason, and fishing flies is not it.

tcha! Shanti, shed means it has fallen off the animal naturally. we would never pull the cat's whiskers out. we would lose our fingers and make a mess on the carpet!

our cats leave them around the place and my little collection has been waiting for a use. antennae! what a wonderful idea! thank you, Jonathon.

I´m really sorry I read it in a hurry. My fault.

Me no good speaky english..

well, it has to be better than my Swedish...;-)