Fly Tying | Natural Materials

Natural Materials in Fly Tying

Naturals are the traditional backbone of fly tying materials, comprising any material derived from animals. These include furs, feathers, hairs, and more, each offering unique properties that make them essential for creating lifelike and effective flies. While synthetic materials have gained popularity due to their durability and versatility, naturals remain cherished by many fly tyers for their unmatched movement, texture, and authenticity in the water. The lifelike qualities of natural materials often result in a more enticing presentation that can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful day on the water.

Some of the most popular natural materials include:

Feathers

Marabou: Marabou feathers are soft and fluffy, known for their incredible movement in the water. They are commonly used in streamers and wet flies, where their pulsating motion can mimic the natural movement of baitfish or other aquatic creatures. Marabou is particularly effective in creating lifelike, undulating patterns that attract predatory fish.

Saddle Hackles: These are long, narrow feathers used for wrapping around the hook shank to create hackles on dry flies, streamers, and wet flies. The stiffness of the fibers allows them to hold shape well, helping to create the desired silhouette and movement in the water. Saddle hackles can also add buoyancy to dry flies, helping them float more effectively on the surface.

Capes: Cape feathers, often from roosters, provide a wide range of sizes and colours, making them versatile for tying various fly patterns. They are typically used for creating hackles on dry flies, where the fine fibers help keep the fly on the surface, imitating the delicate wings or legs of insects.

Quills: Quills are stiff, slender feathers, often used for creating segmented bodies on dry flies and nymphs. Stripped quills can be wrapped around the hook shank to form the body of the fly, giving it a natural, segmented appearance that mimics the exoskeleton of insects. Quills from peacock, turkey, and goose are among the most commonly used.

Peacock Herl: Peacock herl is highly valued for its iridescent, shimmering appearance, which adds a natural flash to flies. It is often used in nymphs, wet flies, and dry flies to mimic the bodies of insects, where its subtle colour shifts can imitate the natural hues of aquatic creatures. The softness of peacock herl also adds a slight movement to the fly, enhancing its lifelike quality.

Fur

Rabbit Fur Dubbing: Rabbit fur is a versatile natural material used in dubbing, which involves applying fur or other fibers to the thread and wrapping it around the hook to build up the body of the fly. Rabbit fur dubbing is soft, easy to work with, and has excellent movement in the water. It’s often used in nymphs and wet flies, where the fur’s natural undulation can mimic the legs, gills, or other body parts of aquatic insects.

Rabbit Zonker Strips: These are thin strips of rabbit fur still attached to the hide, used primarily in streamers and larger wet flies. The long, flowing fur of rabbit zonkers creates a lifelike, pulsating action that mimics small fish or leeches. The durability and movement of rabbit zonkers make them a popular choice for targeting predatory fish like trout.

Hair

Deer Hair: Deer hair is a buoyant, hollow material used extensively in tying dry flies, poppers, and bass bugs. Its buoyancy makes it ideal for creating floating patterns like the famous Muddler Minnow or the Elk Hair Caddis. When spun and clipped, deer hair can also be shaped into dense, rounded heads that push water, creating surface disturbance that attracts fish. The stiffness and natural colours of deer hair also allow it to mimic the bodies, wings, or heads of various insects and small mammals.

Bucktail: Bucktail is the hair from the tail of a deer, prized for its long, fine, and relatively stiff fibers. It is commonly used in streamers, saltwater flies, and bass bugs, where its natural taper and slight stiffness help create a lively, undulating motion in the water. Bucktail is especially favored in patterns like the Clouser Minnow and Deceiver, where its ability to mimic the movement of small baitfish is key. The natural buoyancy of bucktail also makes it useful for creating flies that ride higher in the water column or maintain a more horizontal profile.

These natural materials continue to be a staple in fly tying due to their inherent qualities that closely mimic the appearance and behavior of prey species. Their versatility allows for endless creativity in fly design, enabling anglers to craft flies that are not only effective but also a pleasure to tie. Whether it's the subtle sheen of peacock herl, the lively movement of marabou, the buoyancy of deer hair, or the lifelike action of bucktail, naturals bring an unparalleled authenticity to fly patterns that synthetic materials often strive to replicate.

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