Fly Fishing Tying

Fly Fishing Tying
Is reindeer fur good for fly fish tying?

I have a reindeer skin about ten years old and I wonder if it would be worth anything to sell for fly-tying. It would be the same as a caribou skin I think.
Actually I'm thinking of cutting it up into patches to sell off. Some hair is brittle and some is not since there are guard hairs and an undercoat, but it's always been like that. It's tan in some areas, tan and gray in others and white around the edge of the pelt. The leather is still quite supple. The average length is about 1.5" but it's shorter where it is pure white. It is more brittle than regular hair though.
I just looked for them for sale and some places want like $250 for a single pelt. I paid like $15 for one in Finland and they had a stack of them two feet high. I figure I can get about 80 4" squares and sell them off for $3-$5 each.

As a material, yes, reindeer hair is perfectly fit for tying flies. As you say, a lot of people use it interchangeably with caribou hair. I'm sure it has its own coloration and would fit into some pattern just great.

I'm a little worried about the age -- hair gets brittle with time and exposure to air and UV light. Pests like moths and beetles can also damage the fur. If the hair still has a supple, waxy texture then it will work well. Pluck out a few hairs and roll them between your palms -- the hairs will bend and twist but hopefully they will not break into small pieces. Also, the hairs should be firmly attached to the hide -- they should not shed out easily. If the hairs break easily or if the hair is falling out of the hide, the value of this material will be limited, I think.

The best way to know is to take a sample of the fur to a fly tying shop or a friend who ties. If it checks out with someone who is knowledgeable, then you're set. I'd parse it out into fly-tying sized chunks. Animal hair usually comes on pieces of hide from 2-inches square up to maybe 6-inches square.

So, um, do I get a piece of hide for the answer? Heh heh.

In fly fishing, flies are generally divided into four types of artificial flies. (The flies are also called decoys, in some countries).

They are:

1 dry flies

2 Wet flies

3 Nymphs

4 Streamers

The categories of flies can cross each other. There are no strict guidelines for the classification of flies and in terms of countries, the traditions of the terminology. (Some fishermen also classify emerges as another category of flies. These sit part below the surface and partly in the water, in imitation of ephemeral things, as newly emerging.)

Dry flies sit on top of water. They imitate the insects sitting on the surface, like mayflies, mosquitoes, Caddis flies, beetles, grasshoppers, spiders and spinners name a few types. They still fished, drifting with the tide or wind, or fish with small contractions and quick throws. Experience using flies dry can be challenging as you can see the fish strike the fly. Seca are used seasonally in lakes and rivers and are generally effective when the fish feed on insects actively at the top of the water. Dry flies are normally made of light materials are linked to floating or creeps that help fly sit on the surface water. floatant an aerosol or gel is applied to the dry fly to make it buoyant. A couple of false casts to dry will also help.

Wet flies as the name suggests that the fly fishing in the water, either. The flies can imitate small baitfish, leeches, frogs, insects crawdad and swimming. Fishing is just wet below the surface with lots dead slow contractions to recover quickly. Sometimes a shot will occur as the fly sinks. To get the background wet, heads heel weighted or effective, especially when combined with intermediate sinking line or fly.

Nymphs are very effective and a common world wide source of food in the rivers and lakes. Nymphs can be fished in the fall, drifting, and slow recovery means, directly below the surface or in the background. They imitate the underwater phase of nymphs of insects like the mayfly, nymphs of stoneflies and damselflies. Much of the trout's diet consists of nymphs in most seasons and waters. A long leader and tippet nymphing is effective, especially in clear waters or fishing.

Streamers are larger wet flies imitating bait like minnows, sculpins and food more appetizing. Streamers usually work better in the bottom and in general are quickly recovered by the largest salmon, trout and for saltwater fish. Bigger flies like streamers, can also result in a greater catch, but do not be surprised when your four inches of serpentine lands a small twelve-inch trout. Streamers can be colored artificial and have a mixture of a variety of fly tying materials.

Dry flies, wets, nymphs and streamers are effective in the right environment. The secret to get the most out of your fishing is to use different techniques and test all the time. Do not be afraid to try different types of flies and patterns, especially if the fishing is slow. So no matter which country you live in and regardless of how to classify your fly, just make sure to have several types of flies to cover all conditions for fly fishing and fish. Now you are ready to capture great!

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