Squirrel

All about flies Fly Tying
1

i’m going squirrel hunting for a couple of tails this weekend and was wondering if anyone knew of any squirrel patterns for Warm Water bass and gills, besides streamers

Thanks
Warm Water

2

WW,

You can use squirrel hair, and not just the tails, for lots of things. Dubbing, wing cases and legs on nymphs, tails on many flies.

I don’t know of any ‘patterns’ that call for it specifically (I tend to ignoe the whole ‘pattern’ thing mostly), but I do know that you can substitute it into any fly that calls for such things and catch fish on it.

I actually prefer if for wing cases and tailing on GRHE type baits. Durable and easy to use. I like that the tail hair doesn’t require ‘stacking’ but comes pre ‘evened’ by the squirrel.

Good Luck!

Buddy

3

will have to save some patches of hide too. Thanks, Buddy

Warm Water

4

how do you remove moisture and bugs? for moisture i’ve heard to salt the tail, put it in a ziploc bag and put it in the freezer. i’ve never tried this and want to know if anyone else has

5

WWFF:

I’ve used bunches of squirrel tail to make the claws on crawdad patterns. It dyes pretty good so you can dye it the color of your choice.

6

Squirrel fur makes fantastic spikey dubbing.

Google red fox squirrel nymph, and you will find several versions of Dave Whitlock’s pattern. It should work for panfish.

7

Thanks Bamboozle and Jayatwork

Happy Tying
Warm Water

8

Try a Squirrelly Cuss (link below):

[url=http://www.invictaflies.us/Panfish%20flies/squirrellycuss.htm:00b69]Squirrelly Cuss[/url:00b69]

Or … (sorry, this one is a streamer):

[url=http://www.invictaflies.us/Streamers/Squirrel%20Tail.htm:00b69]Squirrel Tail[/url:00b69]

Or …:

[url=http://www.invictaflies.us/Nymphs/Copper%20Squirrel.htm:00b69]Copper Squirrel[/url:00b69]

Be sure to check your local hunting regulations. Fox Squirrels here in Florida are endangered and protected but Gray (sometimes called Cat Squirrels) Squirrels are not. Have fun :D.

9

The Picket Pin uses squirrel hair. I use a bit of CA glue when tying squirrel tail, as it’s very slippery. I also will layer the fibers rather than tie in a large bunch.

Joe

10

Hi,
Many of the Salmon Hairwings use Squirrel tail as the wing. I suppose they are “streamers”, although I’ve been tying some Rusty Rats on Size 10 normal shank hooks and they make a nice looking standard wet fly pattern. I’m hoping to test them out this weekend, but the weather isn’t looking the best. Will see.

  • Jeff
11

To dry the tails I wash they if there is any blood or dirt then dry ---- no salt. Just air dry. I tie small Clousers with red,black and grey tails.

12

If you’re gonna wash 'em anyway, why not use a dog flea and tick shampoo?

Kirk

13

Megans Minnow. www3.sympatico.ca/ianjames/ click on step by step instructions. Looks like a durable fly.

Ray

14

To save the body fur for dubbing with little/no mess it is MUCH easier and faster to pluck the body fur from the squirrels. Simply, grasp a clump uf fur between your finger and thumb and give it a sharp tug back towards the head. It’s super easy, not messy at all and it usually takes me about 10 minutes to harvest 90+% of the fur. I put the fur right into zip lock plastic bags and into the freezer for a couple of weeks. I then add a sachet of moth crystals or piece of flea collar to the bag to make extra sure that any/all critters are dead. Squirrel body fur makes terrific dubbing material and well as great swapping material with other fly tiers.

Jim Smith

15

Don’t ignore Peter Frailey’s MINI-BUGGERS. With a tuft of squirrel body fur for a tail, chopped squirrel body hair dubbing and a dark dun hackle. And also try some using red thread for the head.

16

William Fitzgerald do you take the bone out? and if so how do you do that.

Thanks for all the help
Warm Water

17

Warm water – I leave the bone in squirrel and calf tails. Deer tails are much larger and the bone is eazy to remove. BILL

18

thanks everyone

~Matt~

19

If you want to take the tail out, it only takes a couple of minutes. Start by making about a one inch slit on the underside of the tail along the tail bone. Then, peel back the flesh so that you can get a grip on the tail bone with a pair of pliers. Once you get a good grip, simply hold the tail tightly up near the base of the tail and pull the tail bone out. It “usually” slips right out. I then add just a bit of 20 Mule Team Borax to the fleshy area near the base of the tail. I find that the tails dry faster with the bone removed, but other than that, there really isn’t too much difference.

Jim Smith

20

thanks, do you just let the tail air dry after a little salt?