I tied some usuals last year, they sink like rocks, (not unusual for my dry flies) could it be bad fur? these are snowshoe rabbit fur, bought from a local fly shop,
Anyone else had problems?
Eric
If you are using the hair from the snowshoe rabbit’s foot, between the toes, they should float. Or just be really lucky to carry around while you actually catch fish with something that floats ;).
Seriously, the foot hair should do the trick for at least a while. Treat it with floatant and use it as a dropper behind an Adams Irresistible if need be, to improve your odds.
Usuals are my usual
I tie them from heavy “hackled” to sparse, depending on the type of water they will be fished in and what I expect them to do. Emergers to “float-like-a-cork” dries. Light, medium, and dark.
Hair from different areas of the foot serve different functions.
Most of the “nappy” hair from the bottom of the pad will help floatation, not just the stuff between the toes.
The hair from the heel area actually is the highest floating but is also the shortest and hardest to work with.
Some of the longer,straighter stuff makes good tails
None of it is easy to dub or tie in, it’s pretty slippery
None the less, usuals are my kind of fly. One material, cheap, easy, buggy.
They just take a little practice to get them right.
Be sure to use floatant!! make sure you use the silicone gel kind that melts on your fingers and saturate the fly down to the hook. The dubbing will darken. If it is too dark then use a lighter shade of dubbing. It will float for the season!!
Flyangler is exactly right about the fur you should be using. If you use that part, they should float like a cork. I’ve never had to use floatant on any of mine.
never fished a usual.
i’ll have1 to buy some ssrf and tie some!