Is there a use for horse hair (the hair from the tail) in fly tying?
Regards,
paff
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Is there a use for horse hair (the hair from the tail) in fly tying?
Regards,
paff
makes great segmented bodies.....ribbing etc.
Tie most of my mosquitos with horse hair. They're very durable and well received by the trouts!
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Trouts don't live in ugly places
At the rear end....note he indicated the tail.
I USED to use dyed horse (tail) hair for making great segmented worms. Vinyl rib does the job now.
I got mine from a music store: violin bow hair.
paflyfisher,
On the Big Lost river in Idaho, near the town of Mackay two phenomenons are evident:
1. The popularity of a local pattern called the Mackay Special
2. The threadbare appearance of the tails attached to the horses in the county
You draw your own conclusion.
Cheers,
Hans W
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=== You have a friend in Low Places ===
http://www.danica.com/flytier
Also here in S.E. Idaho, I cut my flynymphing teeth on a fly called a Sandy Mite, which uses horsehair woven with orange (usually) floss, for the belly,with the horsehair swept back at the head, for legs. Some of the locals here were kept busy watching for marauding tail and mane nappers, especially strawberry blonde manes and tails. This fly works real well on the South Fork, but isn't fished much because it's a bit hard to come by horsehair, and it is a bit busy to tie.
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Lew
How long does it take for horsehair [tail] to grow back???
Lew,
Replace the orange floss by red wool, and you have the Mackay Special.
Cheers,
Hans W
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=== You have a friend in Low Places ===
http://www.danica.com/flytier
Thanks all. Here are some comments:
I found horse hair from my horse of course!
Truth be told, my wife's horse of 23 years just died on Thursday and it is customary in her English riding circles to trim a portion of the tail to braid.
I wanted to also pay my respect by tying up a nice fly using some of the long coarse horse tail hair.
Hans - I love your reply regarding the phenomenons.
Regards in this time of her grief.
paff