"Bunny Duster" fly picture

After posting the picture of the nice Brown Trout I caught here, several have asked what fly it was caught on and it was caught on a fly that I purchased from Gate's Lodge Fly Shop this past June while attending the Mich. Fish-In and they labled it as a "Bunny Duster" which I cannot find any info on it and others have not had any luck either, so, I have taken a picture of it and here it is. I think the whole fly is rabbit and probably the tail and wing is from a snowshoe rabbit's foot. Just my opinions and I do not tie dry flies.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps6ae3abcb.jpg

Looks a lot like a variation of The Usual to me, but I could be wrong, have been before.

yup....looks like Ginger Hares Ear and Light snowshoe wing and tail. Very effective.

In search of accuracy in reproduction, I called the Gates Lodge fly shop, you have the recipe pretty much pegged, size 12 for larger bugs snowshoe wing and tail, rabbit dubbing, yellow thread; smaller sizes (BWO) down to 18 use CDC and green thread.

The guy I talked with referred to it as a emerger pattern to be fished dry or wet. He also said there was a Youtube video on tying the dust bunny, but I could not find it.

Just a color variation of the 'Usual'.

While I can see the likeness to the Usual, and will not disagree with that as the basis of this pattern, it does bear a remarkable resemblance to the original Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear. The profile is very similar. Contrary to what most people think, the GRHE was originally intended as a dry fly. Tail of hare fibres and a wing of feather fibre (sometimes woodcock) bunched upright. Flotation was a problem, as the magical snowshoe bunny had not crossed the pond in those days. It was overcome by tying in a larger thorax and picking out the fibres to form a hackle. It was considered a very effective imitation of a medium olive (member of the Baetis family). GEM Skues considered that it was taken as an emerging nymph in, or just sub, surface.

Cheers,
A.

Warren, thanks for posting the pic of the Bunny Duster you used.


Ronnie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AlanB

Flotation was a problem, as the magical snowshoe bunny had not crossed the pond in those days.

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Okay, I will attempt to learn a little today, and hopefully tomorrow as well: From hence does the magical snowshoe bunny come. I had assumed (yes I know that little word trick) it was a creature from the frozen regions of Canada and Alaska and maybe of the frozen tundra of the northern USA.

I have Fran's signed book which has the Usual in it and the Bunny Duster and the Usual do share a lot in common. I did do a search of tying instructions for the Usual to see how others were tying it and noticed that one gentleman split the wing on his version. Split or not split, I feel the Usual will serve well and I do intend to tie up a few to keep in my fly box.

Warren

Josh calls the fly a "Dust Bunny" and claims that it is the ugliest fly that he sells. That may be true, but it does catch the fish. I have a few packed for the trip to Wyoming.

Brad