There is a fresh roadkill in front of my house but I can’t think os any use for that course greasy fur that isn’t already covered by material I have. Does anyone know of a good use for it? I need to decdide for sure in the next few hours but for now it is staying in the field where I threw it off the road.
Jim,
I have never used racoon fur for tying, but, I would think that the tail would provide for a great clouser pattern.
I have not fished with it my self, but I did have one customer last year that bought a bunch of jig with raccoon tail hair for the tails. He did get some with feather tails too, but a lot of them had the raccoon tail hair. He told me that he uses raccoon tails most of the time.
Wholesale on a raccoon tail is about $8.00 so retail is probably at least $12.00.
Skip
While it isn’t unique or something you can’t find elsewhere, I have used 'coon underfur for years for a nice dark brown nymph dubbing. I also have bleached it to a wonderful creamy color that I used exclusively for Sulphurs until I decided I like synthetic dubbing better for dry flies.
I also found it soft and easy to dub.
This one took a real pounding from the car that hit it. Between the blood and the greasy feel of the fur I handled I think I’ll let it go. I have lots of squirrel tail and quite a bit of austalian oppussum that will do for anything it would be usefull for.
On the Kings river and outher centril calif rivers the Kings river caddis is very productive. The original pattern originated by Buz Buszek used coon fur for the body. Ref. fly of the week.
The smaller ones make nice gloves also!
Brad