Crosscut Squirrel?

[pab1]

Does anyone know where I can get crosscut squirrel zonkers?

[peregrines]

Pab1-

I haven't seen any X cut squirrel strips- (just rabbit). If you really need it you'd have to buy a whole skin and cut it yourself-- that said, you probably won't need it for most patterns and can just wrap a collar with the same strips you use for the tail.

For example this Slumpbuster was tied with the same lengthwise cut strips for the tail/body and collar:

Slumpbuster

[pab1]

Thanks peregrines. I love slumpbusters and tie them the same way. A "new" beadhead pattern I'm tying would work better with crosscut though. I saw some micro cut squirrel that may work a little better than the standard squirrel I have now. If that doesn't work I'll have to try cutting my own.

[Jimmie]

Seems like I've seen it but maybe not. I know that I've seen "Slumpbusters" with short collars. The ones that I tie are all too long. I like the slumpbuster too. It's my "go to" in swift current.

[tpcollins]

What are the different characteristics between a squirrel zonker versus rabbit?

[s fontinalis]

i'm almost certain i saw this in an online store. If i can find it again i'll let you know


Edit:

NO luck.

[mcnerney]

Originally Posted by pab1

Thanks peregrines. I love slumpbusters and tie them the same way. A "new" beadhead pattern I'm tying would work better with crosscut though. I saw some micro cut squirrel that may work a little better than the standard squirrel I have now. If that doesn't work I'll have to try cutting my own.

If you can't find it online, the best way I have found to cut hides is with a rotary cutter (like the quilters use for cutting fabric).
I did find this reference on the Fly Tying World site, this was tied by Bill Charles:


Hook: TMC 5263 or 5262 #10-12.
Thread: Olive 6/0.
Tail: Olive grizzly mini-marabou (aka: chickabou).
Body: Crosscut olive dyed Pine Squirrel.
Head: Gold bead.

Note: I love the look and action that cross-cut fur wrapping gives to Pike/Bass flies but the hair length of the commonly used rabbit fur makes it unsuitable for smaller flies. I found that Pine squirrel fur is just the right length for size 8 to 12 streamers. It is not available, as far as I know, in crosscut strips so you have to make your own.
This is by far my most productive streamer pattern and has saved many a day.

[silver creek]

Wapsi sells dyed whole soft tanned squirrel skins:

http://www.wapsifly.com/pdffiles/wap/page%2016.pdf

[peregrines]

tpcollins-- the hair on a squirrel zonker type strip is much shorter and finer than rabbit and the hair is not quite as soft. Squirrel strips also tend to be cut thinner than rabbit strips-- and squirrel is often available in "micro strips" thinner than 1/8" wide. In addition to the smaller profile, squirrel doesn't pick up as much water as the longer softer rabbit fur so patterns tend to be a bit easier to cast.

On patterns like a Slumpbuster, especially on smaller sized hooks like 10's and 8's with a squirrel strip for the body/tail and a wound strip of squirrel used in a collar, the shape ends up looking a lot like a sculpin, with a wide head and slender tail. If the same fly was tied using rabbit strips in those sizes it would end up looking more like a meatball because of the longer hair.

[seajay]

J.Stockard has Squirrel Strips 3/32" item # nm-770033 in 8 colors.