Hareline Extra Select Craft Fur
A staple material in modern saltwater fly tying, Hareline’s Extra Select Craft Fur is one of the highest quality craft furs available. This is one of the fullest craft furs around and it has fibers long enough for the largest saltwater and freshwater patterns. Craft fur is used mostly for streamers, although the “underfur” can also be used as a dubbing. You can really get creative with the 36 different colors Hareline offers.
Uses
Patterns and Tying Techniques - Typically, Craft Fur is used as wings and tails on streamer patterns, like the Gotcha. It can also be spun into dubbing loops and used to create streamers with full profiles like the Bulk Head Minnow. Reverse tied and pushed back you can tie Hollow Fleye style or reverse tied Thunder Creek style. Another great technique is layering with similar materials like marabou such as in the Ragdolly Fly by Andreas Andersson. The underfur can be used as dubbing like in the Spawning Mantis Shrimp.
Comparisons
Extra Select Craft Fur vs Pseudo Hair - Extra Select Craft Fur is thicker and slightly coarser than Pseudo Hair. It also tends to clump together less and provides a sparser profile. Craft Fur has a slight taper from base to tip with the tips being blunter than Pseudo Hair, whereas Pseudo Hair tapers to thin tips. Craft Fur comes on a 5 by 5-inch patch and Pseudo Hair comes on a 5.5 by 8-inch patch.
Example Flies
Streamers - Streamers are where Craft fur really shines as a material. For example, the (UN)Holy Diver uses Craft fur mixed into the wing. The Gotcha might be the most popular fly with a Craft Fur wing but Clouser Minnows can also be tied with it. The Spawning Mantis Shrimp incorporates Craft Fur into both the tail and as a body dubbing. The Crafty Shrimp and Fur Shrimp both use it as well. Other flies include epoxy baitfish like Surf Candies, Gamechangers, Bendbacks and crab flies.
Pack Size and Physical Description
Approximate Dimensions - The longest fibers are 3-4 inches in length and come on a 5 by 5-inch patch.
Pack Size - One patch per pack.
**These sizes and dimensions may vary based on manufacturer changes**
