“For the convenience of those starting in, or who
have never before tired fur and hair, a table
of approximate equivalents is now given. NOTE:
Unless otherwise specified, “woodchuck” means
hair clipped from the back of the animal”.
[Publisher’s Note:] The feathers are listed first, with
the corresponding fur and hair equivalents following.
-
White duck, as in Coachman, Royal Coachman, White
Miller, etc. : White calf tail, for small flies. White
Goat, bucktail, or polar bear for large flies. Polar
bear is translucent, still, and generally reserved
for streamers. -
Mottled grey mallard and teal breast, as in the
Professor, Grizzly King, etc. : Mottled gray woodchuck,
for small flies. Mixed grey and white bucktail, or
woodchuck, for large flies. -
Plain grey starling, blackbird, etc., as in
Beaverkill, Hare’s Ear, etc. : Grey-dyed calf tail, for
small flies. Grey bucktail, for large flies. -
Black crow, as in Black Prince, etc. : Black calf
tail, for small flies. Black bear, skunk, and dyed
bucktail for large flies. -
Bark mottled brown turkey, as in Montreal,
Governor, etc. : Selected special dark woodchuck,
for small flies. Woodchuck tail, or dark
brownish-grey bucktail, for large flies. -
Light mottled brown pheasant, as in March Brown,
etc. : Mottled brown and tan woodchuck, for small
flies. Mixed gray and brown bucktail, for large flies. -
“Lemon Wood-duck,” as in Cahill, etc. : Light tan
mottled woodchuck, for small flies. Tan bucktail, mixed
with white bucktail, or polar bear, for large flies. -
White-tipped grey mallard wing, as in McGinty. : White
tipped grey woodchuck. -
Scarlet, blue, yellow, etc, other than “laterals”
(side-strips). : Dyed calf tail, for small flies, Dyed
bucktail, or goat, for large flies. -
Reddish brown, as in Brown Sedge, etc. : Dyed calf
tail, or red fox, for small slies. Woodchuck belly or
or reddish brown bucktail for large flies.
Credits: From Fly-Tying By William
Bayard Sturgis, Published by Charles Scribner’s Sons. (1940)
Please check out the Fly Tying Section, on the Bulletin Board, here at FAOL too.
If you have any questions, tips, or techniques; send them to
publisher@flyanglersonline.com
Originally published September 26, 2004 on Fly Anglers Online by William Bayard Sturgis.