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3. fur bearers

hey i trap coyote fox coon and muskrat and use some of there fur for dubbin do you have any good patterns with those materials

Vinlflyfish, those types of fur were used for many decades before some of the new fancier synthetic materials began to replace them. I know that fox and muskrat were particularly useful for some fly patterns. My recommendation is to find some older fly-tying books that mention the use of those materials and go from there. Some of the more senior posters here on this site could probably come up with some for you as well. "Free" materials are always nice to come by!

Jonathon

The gray underfur of the muskrat was, and still is, used for the abdomen of the Adams, the most prolific American searching pattern ever designed...my opinion.

The urine stained fur (pinkish) of the female fox was the penultimate body fur for the female Hendrickson may fly. For folks that like to be authentic in the imitation of the Hendrickson, this fur was perfect. I suppose there are synthetics that work as well today?

These two come to mind quickly.

Can't speak to coon, etc.

Bobbyg, I have been tying Hendricksons for years and have read about the urine-stained fur (probably in Ernie Schweibert's Match the Hatch), but never used it for tying, as yes there are modern substitutes for that peculiar pinkish-gray combination. However, I did not know about muskrat being the original dubbing for the Adams (which is one of my all-time favorite dries). Thanks for that bit of info!

Vinlflyfish, if you happen upon any squirrel tails, these are excellent for streamer wings, in case you are not already aware of this.

Speaking of "free" materials, I have a chunk of deer hide that I once found on a field site I was working on which (obviously) had a large deer population (where in Michigan doesn't?). It was just sitting on the ground, perfectly dried and free of any aroma. I still have it for spinning bass bugs and etc. - also makes good caddis wings and extended body mayfly patterns like big Hex flies.

Jonathon

"Adams (original)
Recipe
Hook: Dry Fly Size:12-14
Thread: Gray
Tail: Golden Pheasant Tippet, two
strands.
Wings: Grizzly Hackle Tips, tied semispent,
advanced forward.
Body: Gray Wool Yarn
Hackle: Grizzly & Brown, mixed.
Tying Tips: Standard methods are employed. I use a Mustad #94840 or #94833.
Black thread may be used.
Fishing Tips: A good general purpose fly, productive in most situations. Commonly fished as a
caddis imitation.
Historical Note: This fly was created by Leonard Halladay for Mr. Charles Adams in the
summer of 1922. Mr. Halladay often spoke of the recipe for his pattern. The
pattern information is historically correct.
Tier: Tom Deschaine
Contributor: Tom Deschaine"

Just cleaning up the muskrat misinformation re: The Adams...Maybe Tim Neal could add something here. Original fly used on the Boardman in northwestern lower pennisula Michigan.

Spence

I don't recall stating this was the "original" body material?
It might as well have been though since this was the the first accepted modification. Within just a couple of years after the introduction of the Adams the gray wool yarn was modified by the use of muskrat fur. Floatability was dramatically increased.
The fly is fished to imitate many insects, not just caddis.

See here.........http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2010/04/19/the-adams-history-revisited-by-tom-deschaine/

I really don't care how you tie the Adams.
I was just giving the original poster a good use for his muskrat underfur.

Bob,

All I was doing was passing this along. I didn't mean anything else by it. I have always tied them with muskrat myself. In fact I am rather fond of muskrat period for my dry flies when I can talk myself out of using beaver.

I have the old bias that animals that spend their time in and around water make for good dry fly dubbing like muskrat and beaver.

There is a Grayling Michigan tier, Jerry Regan, who is considered the "keeper-of-the-flame" for old Au Sable & Michigan flies. I had a conversation with him where he told me that the local flies were tied with materials that were readily available in and around Grayling...deer, muskrat, beaver, turkey, game birds etc. Economy & availability were major factors in fly design I guess.

That is a nice article you provided a link to. In fact, it's the one I cut-and-pasted the recipe from. I put it in quotes with Tom's name on it because it wasn't mine.

I guess I'm apologising here for being a nit-picker...Sorry!

Spence

No problem on my end Spence.

I suppose I should have been more clear in my post?

I've always used the muskrat fur. It has excellent floatability.

Bob

Bob,

It's a bit of a shame that flies like the Adams have fallen out of favor. I still see it from time-to-time being used in a parachute form and I've seen guys tie a parachute version with a yellow sulpher colored body to cover the sulphers.

I can't remember a time when I last used it on the river. When it comes to "attractor" type flies or flies used to "pound" up fish I probably would tie on a Borchers parachute instead.

In fact, on my last trip, I left the Adams box at home because I didn't have any room to carry it...I am more likely to use them for gills and maybe, in a large hook size, for small-mouth bass when I'm using a dry fly for the fun of it.

I have a special way I tie up duns to match-the-hatch and I've often told myself to try it with the ingredients for the Adams just to play around but I've never done it so far...It is just a general buggy looking fly and I wonder, over the years, just how many fish have fallen to it in one form or another?

Spence

I still fish the Adams quite often Spence.
I also still fish a Brown Bivisible which you almost never see anymore.
Gray and Tan Wulffs still get wet with me.
Of course, I'm an ole fart and set in my ways when it comes to attractor patterns. Now matching the hatch is a whole different story!

Bob

The Adams never fell out of favor with me I have two trays in my chest box loaded with them.I ty them Catskill and parachute size 12 to 22.
All by the way we get some very good Adams hatch here in central Pa.
You guys I bet call them Blue wing olives. I know the Adams is not a real bug, just like to have some fun.Ty up some Clouser deep minnos if you have red fox tail they work smallmouth and trout,I have aiso hooked carp on them.

oh thanks for the suggestions ill ty some of those