Hair of the dog? Your pooch might be sporting some fun fly-tying fibres

From tying flies to handloading hunting ammo, DIY gear takes the satisfaction of outdoor success to a whole new level. If you own a gun dog and are passionate about tying flies, a premium source of natural hair may be curled up right at your feet.

NATURAL OPTION

Fly tiers use many types of hair, both natural and synthetic, each selected for its specific characteristics. For more insight into using dog hair, I deferred to the expertise of Scott Gardner, Outdoor Canada’s fly-fishing columnist. “Many synthetics exist in modern fly tying, but nothing replaces natural hair for certain applications,” he says, noting the most commonly used animal hairs come from deer, elk, foxes, muskrats and rabbits, as well as from calf and squirrel tails. “Dog hair, like other mammal hair, has specific textures and colours that, if used in a fly, create fish-enticing appeal in the water.”

VARIOUS TYPES

Dog hair differs according to the breed, coat type, and each dog’s individual characteristics. Hair length, texture and colour also vary depending on where the hair is located on the dog. For example, double-coated breeds have guard hairs and a dense, soft undercoat. As a result, dog hair varies from silky to fuzzy and thin to wiry, with the texture, thickness and stiffness determining its use for specific patterns. “If someone handed me some dog hair, I’d figure out a use for it based on the common materials that it resembles,” Gardner says. “I would tie a sub-surface fly like a Hare’s Ear Nymph or the body of a floating fly from short, fuzzy hair. Longer, silkier hair could be used on a baitfish-imitating fly, such as a Black Nose Dace, or for the tail on a Woolly Bugger.” Feeling inspired? Snip a bit of hair from your curled up dog, head to the vise and create your own special Fly-do, er, Fido, pattern.