Can you make your own fly tying materials?

[dcrisci]

I was wondering if anyone knows how to take a piece of any animal and dry or cure it (or whatever process it takes) so that i could use them to tie my own flies? My family is pretty well into hunting and just was thinking if its possible to take a piece of a deer or moose pelt or feathers from whatever type of bird and use them to tie flies.

 

[staffman]

Birds should be easy to deal with, I would think that you would pluck their feathers and store. Animals would represent more of a challenge because the skin would need to be tanned so that they wouldn't rot or stink, but when you go to a fly store that is what you are buying. If your family has the ability to tan deer or moose than I say go for it and save yourself some money.

 

[Fishheads]

I was wondering if anyone knows how to take a piece of any animal and dry or cure it (or whatever process it takes) so that i could use them to tie my own flies? My family is pretty well into hunting and just was thinking if its possible to take a piece of a deer or moose pelt or feathers from whatever type of bird and use them to tie flies.

I think it has to be deep frozen-14 as well. It kills any bacteria.

 

[dcrisci]

Alright ill look into this and find ou as much as can! I'll post back here if i find any valuable information. thanks for the info though guys!

 

[flyfishin22]

You can buy tanning chemicals and do it at home. It's just when you have to scrape the hide, its a pain in the ass.

 

[dcrisci]

You can buy tanning chemicals and do it at home. It's just when you have to scrape the hide, its a pain in the ass.

yeah I read about this in this one article i found. Its pretty good it describes how to tan hides/pelts and different ways to do it at home.
This is the website: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_l/l-103.pdf

 

[grubman]

When I was tying my flies I would buy from Michael's or White Rose. They had feathers and floss, tinsel....etc. Not much in animal hair but cheap for the amount you'd get. Sometimes the art stores have some unusual feathers or dyed colors you won't find in regluar bait shops. The Michael's and White Rose closed down and none near me now. Hope this helps.

Good fishing.

 

[threeparrots]

Is cat hair good? I have a really hairy cat that we're always shaving.

Poor cat!

 

[newbie099]

I have bought cheap eyes at the dollar store and contact cement, feathers etc... but I also have expensive chicken necks, polar bear, deer , partrdge etc..... store each in zip lock bags to keep any of my kill find feathers and contaminates from getting into each other. Mites etc.... come with wild game sought products... freezer - quick nuke job in microwave and back in freezer for feathers and such. Had one accident with expensive pelt and small pests that ate at the feathers costly so saving money was lost when bought neck ruined..... very careful since. Even bought huge fly tying kit off old timer and there was bugs. Many cheap products for fly tying at craft stores and it is same stuff but at less then half the cost. Big pike streamers I have done and glued eyes that rattle from dollar store on them and they are so life like and 1 pack has like 25 sets for a dollar. Just some ideas for other types of flies but moose mane tied as tails for drys floats like a cork just very fragile.

 

[Blair]

I have bought cheap eyes at the dollar store and contact cement, feathers etc... but I also have expensive chicken necks, polar bear, deer , partrdge etc..... store each in zip lock bags to keep any of my kill find feathers and contaminates from getting into each other. Mites etc.... come with wild game sought products... freezer - quick nuke job in microwave and back in freezer for feathers and such. Had one accident with expensive pelt and small pests that ate at the feathers costly so saving money was lost when bought neck ruined..... very careful since. Even bought huge fly tying kit off old timer and there was bugs. Many cheap products for fly tying at craft stores and it is same stuff but at less then half the cost. Big pike streamers I have done and glued eyes that rattle from dollar store on them and they are so life like and 1 pack has like 25 sets for a dollar. Just some ideas for other types of flies but moose mane tied as tails for drys floats like a cork just very fragile.

Great Advice.
Got to watch those little buggers (Cant even see most of em).

The world is not big ... it Small!

 

[mikeh]

Big pike streamers I have done and glued eyes that rattle from dollar store on them and they are so life like.

Would you have any pics of the pike streamers? I would be interested in seeing them.

 

[newbie099]

have some flys just not very savy with comp - may get my daughter to help. lol

 

[newbie099]

Just wrap front of hook with little lead, drops nose first then, tie in orange maribou for belly (sharp) tie in off yellow mari mid section, tie in small amount of olive streamer hair top - builds back, then tie in 2 eqaul smaller olive striped streamer feathers on top. The fly should look like a small perch orange belly yellow mid with olive barred top - make sure as you tie the fly stays to shape - glue the plastic doll eyes on with contact cement. Done Can also use bumbell eyes but I have found certain times the lighter fly gets more hits - glue eyes to outside of bumbells. Will see If my daughter will give me a hand sometime. Vary size because they also work for other fish too.