NATURAL SELECTION

MATERIALS MADE BY NATURE ARE ENJOYING A RESURGENCE IN FISHING.

Dr. Jason A. Halfen

Natural fibers, including bird feathers and animal fur, have a long and storied history in fishing. Fly anglers have relied heavily on them to reproduce numerous preys and temp their favorite gamefish in both freshwater and saltwater. Despite the advent of attractive artificial materials, countless flies—whether intended to mimic insects, baitfish or crustaceans—continue to include real feathers and fur among their main components. Of course, drifting dry flies for trout in a mountain stream and dabbling a faux shrimp for bonefish on a sandy flat are far from the only applications for natural materials in contemporary angling. In fact, feathers and fur are enjoying somewhat of a renaissance in lurecraft, as anglers rediscover their versatility and their innate ability to trigger bites. FUR-TIVE CREATIONS Bucktail has been utilized to fashion…

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Game & Fish East (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

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