jonister Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 I recently have been wanting to try making some lures with fish skin and maybe clear coating some dead bugs on a hook for fly fishing. I am worried though that the skin will decompose or the bugs will rot. Has this happened to anyone or has anyone heard of it? I have tried the fish scales and it worked, but want to try frog skin and am worried that it will rot out or something and make my lures smell like dead frog for years. Will skin and bugs rot? even when clear coated? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigginpig Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 (edited) Yeah, anything made with natural materials will rot... eventually. That said, mummies are made with "natural materials." Some of those are older than we are. Mikko Okkonen (Solarfall) put up a really good tutorial on Youtube on how to use fish skin on lures. Go check it out. As far as the clear-coating insects thing goes... why bother? Flies work great, are super easy to tie, and fish are stupid. Cheers. SS Edited March 18, 2015 by jigginpig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 You might do an online search for bug collecting. I'm sure you've seen bug collections where bugs were attached to a piece of Styrofoam by sticking a pin through the body of a bug. Can't say for sure whether anything was used to preserve them or not, but these collections seem to last a long time. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 I did some reading on this a couple of years ago. I read an article about an Eskimo up in North Canada. Something about urine from breast feeding babies and stuff like that. It was very interesting and a good read.I decided to have a go myself. Persuading breastfeeding mothers to collect their baby's urine proved to be a bit of a stumbling block, especially with a language problem, so the fish skin had to settle for 50 year old urine fed on strong coffee.Of course, who should come to visit three days into the experiment, discovering a smelly bucket of three day old pee smelling of coffee and fish, but my exwife. When she asked about the half of fish floating in the bucket, I could not think of a good answer, so I told her that it wasn't mine, never seen it before.It was around about this time that I decided that it was not worth the hassle and dumped the bucket and its contents - far away.Dave 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaw Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 Did a horse fly about 4 or 5 yrs ago just on a whim cleared with Sally hansens and a little epoxy it's still hung in the shop with little to no rot but I never fished it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 I think it is more rewarding to go 100% artificial, the true test of man Vs beast. Below is a dragonfly that I made. It certainly had the butterflies fooled. They were so angry! Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc-Drew Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 I did some reading on this a couple of years ago. I read an article about an Eskimo up in North Canada. Something about urine from breast feeding babies and stuff like that. It was very interesting and a good read. I decided to have a go myself. Persuading breastfeeding mothers to collect their baby's urine proved to be a bit of a stumbling block, especially with a language problem, so the fish skin had to settle for 50 year old urine fed on strong coffee. Of course, who should come to visit three days into the experiment, discovering a smelly bucket of three day old pee smelling of coffee and fish, but my exwife. When she asked about the half of fish floating in the bucket, I could not think of a good answer, so I told her that it wasn't mine, never seen it before. It was around about this time that I decided that it was not worth the hassle and dumped the bucket and its contents - far away. Dave When I read this, I don't know if I want to believe that?! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 There are a number of different ways to tan skins. I remember hearing of one that uses the brain of the animal that the hide is taken from as well as urine. When tanning hides from animals like deer I've always heard it was best to use the brain, urine, etc. from the animal the hide was taken from. Tanning hides, in one form or another, has probably been around about as long as man has. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 Doc-Drew - I didn't actually tackle any Moms, but yes, basically it is all true, including the ex-wife bit. I had intended doing a report for TU, but gave it up. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 I did some reading on this a couple of years ago. I read an article about an Eskimo up in North Canada. Something about urine from breast feeding babies and stuff like that. It was very interesting and a good read. I decided to have a go myself. Persuading breastfeeding mothers to collect their baby's urine proved to be a bit of a stumbling block, especially with a language problem, so the fish skin had to settle for 50 year old urine fed on strong coffee. Of course, who should come to visit three days into the experiment, discovering a smelly bucket of three day old pee smelling of coffee and fish, but my exwife. When she asked about the half of fish floating in the bucket, I could not think of a good answer, so I told her that it wasn't mine, never seen it before. It was around about this time that I decided that it was not worth the hassle and dumped the bucket and its contents - far away. Dave I did some reading on this a couple of years ago. I read an article about an Eskimo up in North Canada. Something about urine from breast feeding babies and stuff like that. It was very interesting and a good read. I decided to have a go myself. Persuading breastfeeding mothers to collect their baby's urine proved to be a bit of a stumbling block, especially with a language problem, so the fish skin had to settle for 50 year old urine fed on strong coffee. Of course, who should come to visit three days into the experiment, discovering a smelly bucket of three day old pee smelling of coffee and fish, but my exwife. When she asked about the half of fish floating in the bucket, I could not think of a good answer, so I told her that it wasn't mine, never seen it before. It was around about this time that I decided that it was not worth the hassle and dumped the bucket and its contents - far away. Dave This is one of the funniest posts I've seen on TU. Thanks for the laugh Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigginpig Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 Good stuff Dave. You are a hero among men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeee Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 (edited) Soak the skins in borax for a day or so, I use to play around with taxidermy and that's what I used. I still have fish mounts that are 35 years old that look like they just came out of the water. Might work on bugs also ??? I forget the mix but as long as it is like a soup with borax and water it will work. Rinse off with clean water after and wrap over lure to shape and let dry. Or you could just look on EBAY for baby Eskimo Pee. : ) Edited March 18, 2015 by Jdeee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonister Posted March 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 Thanks guys for all the reply's! I have some experience tanning hides and such so i might try that on a frog skin. I have seen how Solarfall does it, and still wonder if it will decompose or not without tanning. my theory is that the micro-organisms that make stuff rot will not be able to live without oxygen under a thick coat of epoxy, and will therefor preserve the skin. My other theory is that skin and scales just don't rot very well. i have seen dead carp and shad skeletons with the scales in tact. Just a bunch of thoughts and theories . Who knows. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 Soak the skins in borax for a day or so, I use to play around with taxidermy and that's what I used. I still have fish mounts that are 35 years old that look like they just came out of the water. Might work on bugs also ??? I forget the mix but as long as it is like a soup with borax and water it will work. Rinse off with clean water after and wrap over lure to shape and let dry. Or you could just look on EBAY for baby Eskimo Pee. : ) Borax is an antifungal. It is the active ingredient in Timbor, a people/pet friendly termite and fungus treatment we sprayed on any mold we found on our const. jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeee Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 Mark as long as you remove all meat and tendons it works great. If you want to be really sure add a couple of drops of bleach and a few tablespoons of salt will kill almost anything and pickle it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 Mark as long as you remove all meat and tendons it works great. If you want to be really sure add a couple of drops of bleach and a few tablespoons of salt will kill almost anything and pickle it. I've been "pickled" before. It wasn't with borax, bleach or salt though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeee Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) Ray if you try and drink my mixture. After they find your body, they will be able to prop you up in the corner and leave you there for a few hundred years LOL Edited March 20, 2015 by Jdeee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 What's that old country song?.."prop me up with a beer in my hand"...lol..Nathan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 My days of black and blue elbows from leaning on a bar are long gone. I think I miss them, but, then again, the older I get, the better I was, so maybe this is one of those "golden memories", too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougarftd Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 This is one of the funniest threads in a long time borax will work BTW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonister Posted March 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 I had to google baby Eskimo urine for sale. No results on that but plenty of normal stuff for sale . I may have a new buisness! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 An excerpt from: Fish Skin as a Textile Material in Alaska Native CultutresProcessing Fish SkinsFor those who find the time to process and sew fish skins, they can attest that the time-consuming process requires patience and skill. After removing the fish head, tail, and entrails, the meat is separated from the skin, and the remaining fatty parts are scraped from the skin using a dull ulu, a spoon, bone implement, or seashell. Care has to be taken to remove all of the flesh without puncturing the skin. Historically, the skins would be soaked in urine for one or two days to remove excess oils. According to Rita Blumenstein, originally from Nelson Island, urine from an unweaned baby was preferred for this purpose. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeee Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) Jonister, Please take videos of you negotiating with the Eskimo mothers for the urine of their newborn children. In fact maybe take a National Geographic team with you. Man from lower US States tied to stakes and eaten by polar bears after asking for Eskimo Baby Urine. ; ) Edited March 22, 2015 by Jdeee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 They actually have a special tool for collecting the urine, called a KILIUTAQ urine scoop. It is a curved metal plate with a blunt edge and a wooden handle. It is used to scrape the babies soiled nappy or bed - The Inuit people have a tool for everything. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonister Posted March 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 I dont know what to say to that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
