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Fox swap
The first swap of the winter tying season, the Arctic Fox Pattern Swap Page hilights the latest creations/conversions by Streamer List members. All of the patterns in this swap utilize Arctic Fox as a major component.
Always on the lookout for fine, highly mobile hairs for use in tying small bucktails, I began experimenting with Arctic Fox tail. Not exactly a secret material, it has long been in use by atlantic salmon fly tyers in lieu of polar bear for traditional hairwing atlantic salmon patterns. It was new to me, however.
As with most critters from norther latitudes, the arctic fox has a dense, crinkly underfur combined with fine, long, straight guard hairs. The underfur is easily removed, if desired, or some or all of it can be left in place when tying in, providing a fuller "body" to the fly. Flies constructed with this material have wonderful movement when fished, and I fooled a number of Maine brookies this summer using small Mickey Finn and Black Ghost patterns tied with arctic fox.
I wanted to see what some of the members of the Streamer List use arctic fox hair for, and a swap was born!
Thanks to those who participated in this swap, and enjoy the patterns!
Arctic Fox Royal Coachman - Don Sturzenacker
TAIL
SHORT RED ARCTIC FOX UNDERFUR
BODY
PEACOCK HERL AND SCARLET FLOSS
THROAT
BROWN ARCTIC FOX FUR
WING
WHITE ARCTIC FOX FUR WITH THE GUARD HAIRS AND UNDERFUR REMOVED.
Arctic Leemans Smelt - Bob Skehan
HEAD
BLACK
BODY
FLAT SILVER TINSEL
THROAT
SPARSE WHITE ARCTIC FOX TAIL
WING
PALE LAVENDER ARCTIC FOX TAIL, OVER WHICH IS BRIGHT GREEN ARCTIC FOX TAIL
TOPPING
FOUR STRANDS OF PEACOCK HERL
EYES
PAINTED YELLOW WITH BLACK PUPIL (I USED WHITE WITH BLACK PUPIL)
SOURCE
TROLLING FLIES FOR TROUT & SALAMON (STEWART AND LEEMAN)
COMMENT
LEEMANS SMELT WAS ORIGINATED BY BOB LEEMAN, OF BANGOR, MAINE. THE ORIGINAL PATTERN UTILIZES BUCKTAIL INSTEAD OF ARCTIC FOX. A VERY GOOD PATTERN BOTH IN THE SMALLER CASTING SIZES, AND IN TROLLING SIZES WITH LONG SHANKED HOOKS OR TIED TANDEM.
Black & White - Lindsey Grandison
THREAD
WHITE
TAIL
WHITE ARCTIC FOX
BODY
BRAIDED PEARL MYLAR TUBING
THROAT
A SMALL AMOUNT OF PEARL FISHAIR NEXT TO BODY, THEN WHITE ARCTIC FOX HAIR.
WING
WHITE ARCTIC FOX HAIR, THEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF PEARL FISHAIR, OVER WHICH IS BLACK ARCTIC FOX HAIR, OVER WHICH 5-6 STRANDS OF OLIVE OSTRICH HERL
TOPPING
4-5 STRANDS OF PEACOCK HERL
EYES
LARGE PRISMATIC STICK ON WITH BLACK PUPIL
HEAD
FORMED WITH EPOXY TO A BEAD-SHAPE.
Dr. Breck - Scott Daskiewich
HEAD
BLACK
TAIL
A PAIR OF MARRIED BLACK/YELLOW/BLACKQUILL STRIP SECTIONS
BODY
FLAT SILVER TINSEL
THROAT
MIXED RED AND WHITE HACKLE BARBULES
WING
EQUAL BUNCHES OF WHITE, THEN RED,THEN WHITE ARCTIC FOX TAIL
Emilie's Shiner - Ron McKusick
THREAD
WHITE
HOOK
MUSTAD 3665A
BODY
GREEN HOLOGRAPHIC TINSEL
THROAT
WHITE ARCTIC FOX
WING
LIME GREEN ARCTIC FOX
Foxcicle - Bryant Freeman
HOOK
TMC300 SIZE 10
TAIL
KRYSTAL FLASH
UNDERWING
TEAL FLANK DYED CHARTREUSE
BELLY/WING
THREE DIFFERENT COLORS OF FOX FUR - LIGHTEST ON BELLY, GRADUATING TO DARK SHADE ON TOP.
HEAD
CLARET THREAD WITH CLEAR CELLIRE OVER.
Foxee Missouri Minnow - Bruce Whittle
HOOK
TIEMCO 300 OR STRAIGHT-EYE HOOK(I LIKE THE LOOK OF THE 300 SLIGHTLY TURNED DOWN EYE.)
THREAD
WHITE, RED
BODY
FLAT SILVER TINSEL
RIB
EXTRA-SMALL OVAL SILVER TINSEL (JUSTTO GIVE A LITTLE MORE TEXTURE)
WING
VENTRAL- TAN ARCTIC FOX HAIR / DORSAL-OLIVE ARCTIC FOX HAIR
HEAD
BUILT UP OF NEUTRAL COLORED DUBBING,IF DESIRED
Tying Instructions:
1. Tie in white thread. Make a body of flat silver tinsel with oval silver tinsel ribbing.
2. Tie in ventral and dorsal wing portions facing forward over the eye of the hook.
3. I dub a small amount of neutral colored dubbing over the head region to give the head a little more size.
4. tie the red thread in at the tie back point (approximately 1/4 to 1/3 shank back from eye depending upon desired appearance.)
5. Smoothly pull back wing portions, being careful not to mix colors. Tie down with red thread to simulate gills.
6. Coat with your choice of head cement - several thin coats allowing time in between to dry.
7. Form eyes with acrylic paint - yellow then a black pupil
8. Coat with several more coats of head cement.
Notes:
This fly is tied in the style of Keith Fulsher's Thunder Creek series. The name is not meant to detract from Keith Fulsher but I did not think it appropriate to give it a Thunder Creek name. I have seen some variations tied with marabou which is where the idea came from to use the arctic fox. The colors better imitate the "minners" seen in Missouri streams than other variations I have seen.
Hope to try them out next spring.
Foxy Lady - Glenn Seibert
HOOK
MUSTAD 9575 6X LONG
THREAD
8/0 WHITE FOR BODY - 8/0 BLACK FORHEAD
TAIL
PEARL DIAMOND BRAID
BODY
CHARTREUSE WOOL
RIB
PEACOCK HERL
WING
PINK BUCKTAIL, OVER WHICH IS SPARSEBLACK BUCKTAIL, OVER WHICH IS SPARSE CHARTREUSE BUCKTAIL, OVERWHICH IS ARCTIC FOX BODY HAIR, TOPPED WITH A SPARSE AMOUNT OFARCTIC FOX TAIL HAIR.
BEARD
PEARL DIAMOND BRAID
Governor Aiken - Stack Scoville
HEAD
BLACK
TAIL
WHITE-TIPPED BARRED WOODDUCK FLANK
BODY
FLAT SILVER TINSEL
RIB
OVAL SILVER TINSEL
THROAT
WHITE FOXTAIL TO BEND OF HOOK, THENRED FOXTAIL TIED SHORT, BEARD-STYLE
WING
LAVENDER FOXTAIL TO TIP OF TAIL
TOPPING
PEACOCK HERL
CHEEKS
JUNGLE COCK
Great White Hope - Aaron Hirschhorn
THREAD
WHITE
TAIL
WHITE ARCTIC FOX, TIED WOOLY BUGGERSTYLE
BODY
WHITE CHENILLE
EYES
GOLD DUMBELLS
COMMENTS
I'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE SPRINGAND FALL WITH THIS PATTERN. HAVEN'T TRIED IT OVER THE SUMMER.
beauteful pattern ......I' m interested to ty myself ...because am beleving on this pattern and I ' am sûr...you are a good fisherman and good Flytyer.....excuse my poor english language...remerber who ' s guy speaking right now....Yes it 's me Laval.....and I no, you prefer a CANADIAN '' STUF ''
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beauteful pattern ..
beauteful pattern ......I' m interested to ty myself ...because am beleving on this pattern and I ' am sûr...you are a good fisherman and good Flytyer.....excuse my poor english language...remerber who ' s guy speaking right now....Yes it 's me Laval.....and I no, you prefer a CANADIAN '' STUF ''