FLYMPH FORUM

Bob - I love tying with skunk. I bought a full skin a couple years ago from a local fur trader for 45 dollars (http://www.chichesterinc.com/Skunk.htm). As you say, it is pricey, but I consider it a very good investment. I use the hair from the tail as a substitute for Polar Bear. I wrote an article about in for one of the other fly forums. The body fir makes unbelievable zonker strips. The guard hairs are very long, so the finished flies have lots of movement. The underfur would work great for flymphs.

Here are a few patterns I tye with skunk:
http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern10917.html
http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern9163.html
http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern8277.html
http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern9172.html
http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern9174.html (the belly on this minnow pattern is tyed with skunk underfur)

i think you can use just about any fur and for that matter synthetic fur/dubbing to make a blend to imitate the insect your after. The texture and "sparkle" (in the case of synthetics) will dictate the amount of dubbing used. Coarse texture fur will add volume (as well as some "spikeyness") when spun in the Leisenring Loop, more so when done on the knee as compared to the block, because there is more friction when done on the knee. The under fur of a snowshoe rabbit foot is very coarse and makes great dubbing. Seal,Coyote and Pigswool have coarse texture as well. Just some thoughts.
Jim

The under fur of a snowshoe rabbit foot is very coarse and makes great dubbing. Seal,Coyote and Pigswool have coarse texture as well. Just some thoughts.

Excellent, I'm a big fan of snowshoe, though pigs wool will be a new one for me.

Fortunately, I have friend that's a furrier. I get a lot of his scraps. Skunk is really nice to work with (no smell). Have you guys checked out Moscow Hide and Fur? Here's their Skunk page. http://www.hideandfur.com/inventory/7370.html

REE

75 bucks for a hide is a little steep. I have dealt with those folks in past and i have always been satisfied.

narcodog, Howdy;

narcodog wrote:75 bucks for a hide is a little steep. I have dealt with those folks in past and i have always been satisfied.

Scroll down some the ones from the Northeast are only 'bout $60.00. Must have gotten'em from the low rent zone....

hank

Hankaye, not low rent,just too darn many! they's Cheap that way!

60 or 75 still to pricey, I didn't pay that much for PB

Thanks for the link--Mike Hogue is good to have scraps as well, though I don't recall him listing skunk.

This is the place I bought my skunk skin from:

http://www.chichesterinc.com/Skunk.htm