Substitute for Snowshoe Hare

[UncleShorty]

I saw some emerger patterns w/ snowshoe hare foot fur used to simulate the wings.

What material can be substituted for hare's foot fur?

Does anyone have a source for hare's feet?

Also, where do you buy your fly-rite dubbing?

Thanks.

 

[nfrechet]

fly rite

http://store.hookhack.com/Fly-Rite-Dubbing/products/485/

https://www.detteflies.com/flyrite_poly

http://www.performanceflies.com/product-p/fr-pd-pks.htm

http://www.flyfishersparadiseonline.com/product_p/frdp.htm


snowshoe rabbit feet - no substitute for the real thing

http://beaverkillangler.com/fly_tying/hair_and_fur/snowshoe_rabbit_feet.aspx

http://www.performanceflies.com/category-s/294.htm

http://www.bluequillangler.com/Products/Hairs-and-Furs/Snowshoe-Rabbits-Feet-Pair#.VsMC_PIrKM8

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2141725.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS1&_nkw=SNOW+SHOE+RABBIT+FOOT+Fly+Tying+color%3A+&_sacat=0

 

[laszlo]

If you buy hare feet, especially on eBay, make sure they're the HIND feet. Hare's feet on eBay aren't necessarily sold for fly tying.

 

[JackM]

A substitute for it on the typical emerger could simply be CDC puffs. It won't be the "same" pattern, of course, but will be close enough and probably just as effective.

EX:

 

[JeffK]

Front feet are OK for tiny flies, but the hind ones are preferred. The fur between the toes is good for small flies.

I really love the natural gray ones that are shot before they turn white. Really good for BWOs, hendricksons and all the gray winged flies. However, I would avoid dyed gray ones (or any dyed ones). They are a poor substitute for natural colors.

Also, I have gotten my best snowshoe hare from hunters or shops in the Adirondacks - that is snowshoe hare country. I did a quick search, but didn't see any internet sales. I got some nice ones from Wiley's Flies at a show once.

 

[SteveG]

As JackM said, cdc works just as well, yes cially for smaller flies. Fwiw, Fly Fishers Paradise has some really nice snowshoe feet. I just ordered some not too long ago.

 

[pabrookie94]

Flyfishfood.com

 

[UncleShorty]

Thanks everybody for the informative and quick replies.

In April my old fishin' buddy, Queequeg, and I will be spending a week at Pine Creek.

In a week or so I'll have everything I need to tie up a big batch of Quill Gordon, Hendrickson, Red Quill and Blue Quill wets, emergers and nymphs.

If anybody's lookin' for me I'll be at the bench...

 

[AkDan76]

I'm becoming less and less a fan of cdc...its a one fish wonder on emerger/dries. Even the better drying powders isn't work. I hate tying a fly after every fish or two. This has been my experience with it.

If I had to pick cdc or marabou, I'd go marabou all day long! Marbous cheap and easy to find in any color you want. It will do what you want and last as long as the cdc anyways.

For a sub, I'd look at coon. its used in the steelie world more and more (steelie coon). It has a very nice sheen too it and is not hollow so no don't expect it to float a fly.

 

[dc410]

I really can't think of any material that I feel is a real good substitute for Snowshoe Hare fur. There are plenty of resources out there that sell Snowhoe feet. I have them in natural and dun and really enjoy tying and fishing flies with it. An awful lot of flies can be tied out of a pair of Snowshoe rabbit feet. It is the only material I use anymore for the wings on my Trico spinners. Lots of applications for sulphur and BWO patterns as well.

 

[sandfly]

fine caribou works

 

[AkDan76]

caribou is super hollow! floats well and packs well...Royce Dam used caribou for doing the arctic shrew years ago...one of the more under rated less known tiers (which I'm sure there are many!).

Some of those snowshoe hare flies if I remember right were emergers not ment to be full on dries?

They're also very small which would I think make bou kind of hard to use mainly due to bulk? Its, easy to find around here obviously lol. I grabbed a few of Mike Hecks patterns, they were very small.

 

[Sylvaneous]

Ive had CDC catch fish after fish after fish and still float. I don't know that there is a CURE for gunked-up CDC, but I find this works:
1) Tie in a lot. Nothing very whispy here. Strip it off a few quills stacked together all at the same time.
2) I never used dyed CDC. No point. Irrelevant. The feather is the color of the wings, or close enough.
3) Spray/coat/treat the CDC wing or whole fly with a fluoropolymer water proofing, also known as or related to DWR. They fly's body will sink, especially if you squeeze it under water, but the CDC won't. Soak it up in there really good. I forgot if WaterShed worked as well. The big spray bottle of fluoropolymer water proofing works so well, I have no reason for anything else.

This also applies to Snow shoe hare

Syl

 

[sandfly]

3) Spray/coat/treat the CDC wing or whole fly with a fluoropolymer water proofing, also known as or related to DWR. They fly's body will sink, especially if you squeeze it under water, but the CDC won't. Soak it up in there really good. I forgot if WaterShed worked as well. The big spray bottle of fluoropolymer water proofing works so well, I have no reason for anything else.

This also applies to Snow shoe hare

Don't have to with caribou !

 

[WingQuill]

UncleShorty wrote:
If anybody's lookin' for me I'll be at the bench...

I will be at the bench to. As a matter of fact, if the negotiations go as planned, I will own the bench. Look for me, and I will show you a good cure for the CDC dilemma.

 

[CRB]

I purchased some this past summer from Stone River and beaverkill angler looks to me the prices have gone up. Much better than CDC I use it for spinners as well as emergers.

 

[Maurice]

There is no substitute for Snowshoe hares feet. Back a few years when I got my first feets I tied some sulphur emergers, just some orange dubbing, a white tail and a lump of snowshoe for a wing. Toss it in the riffs, let it drift and if it didnt get ettt, Id pull it under, it would pop back up and smash! Fish on. Good flies.