toadfrog Posted November 8, 2017 Report Share Posted November 8, 2017 It has been many years since I had a request to do a hair jig in anything but buck tail , Marabou or hackle . My question is Can you still buy real polar bear hair . Not the synthetic that is pro-ported to be as good . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimP Posted November 8, 2017 Report Share Posted November 8, 2017 Not as a US resident, if you lived in Canada no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted November 8, 2017 Report Share Posted November 8, 2017 1 hour ago, JimP said: Not as a US resident, if you lived in Canada no problem. This is correct I am in Canada so no issue here My buddies is a taxidermist so I get all kinds of stuff for free including polar bear hair. Tried to send polar bear hair south once and it never made it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted November 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2017 Figured I'd run into that . Guess the guy is out of luck . I'm to far south to drive up there . LOL Besides I don't know anybody that would pay my bail on the way back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 On 11/7/2017 at 9:23 PM, toadfrog said: Figured I'd run into that . Guess the guy is out of luck . I'm to far south to drive up there . LOL Besides I don't know anybody that would pay my bail on the way back. Ya, outlawed to bring into US many years ago. Got my But# hammered pretty bad as a kid when I used up my Dad's supply on some frivolous streamer fly. I deserved that one I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted November 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 I guess I better ask this given all those tree hugging laws that might cost me time in the slammer . Does anybody know how the synthetic hair does in the water . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimP Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 (edited) Synthetics works great. I have almost fully switched to synthetic materials for flies and fly rod poppers. The colors are vivid and much more durable than natural hair. I have lots of poppers that have some age to them, some have had birthdays, and look as good as new. The natural materials look ragged after a year, even less if put away wet a time or two. You might have a bit of a learning curve trying to figure the different textures as they relate back to the materials you are used to tying. The synthetics can be tied in combination, along with naturals with good results. Bucktail is the one of the common tying materials that has not been duplicated by modern materials. At least one company has made synthetic "BuckTail" and tested by a few tiers with mixed results. I have no experience with the synthetic bucktail however. Edited November 10, 2017 by JimP Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 Still, no synthetic seems to match the shimmer and translucent properties of "baby seal fur" or "polar bear hair". Having used both, I can compare. If you have never used either, then you can be fooled by advertising, etc. This is not a comment on the ethical, moral, legal, etc., issue, just a statement of fact. And yes, they do collect baby seal fur from shore lines now and sell it as dubbing, and it helps some for those of us old-timers, but ........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 36 minutes ago, Anglinarcher said: Still, no synthetic seems to match the shimmer and translucent properties of "baby seal fur" or "polar bear hair". Having used both, I can compare. If you have never used either, then you can be fooled by advertising, etc. This is not a comment on the ethical, moral, legal, etc., issue, just a statement of fact. And yes, they do collect baby seal fur from shore lines now and sell it as dubbing, and it helps some for those of us old-timers, but ........... So true you can substitute for synthetic and still make productive flies but some of the properties of polar bear hair make it superior last time I got polar bear hair from my taxidermist buddy it was a 50lbs bag. As soon as I made it know I had extra I would part with it was gone with 24hrs It is highly prized for salmon flies here in BC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 Funny thing is that I think you get slapped on the hand if you smuggle drugs into the US, but get sent to prison for life times 2 for Polar Bear Hair. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted November 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2017 Looks like I'm up a stump on this one . Time to do some bear research . I'm wondering what gives the bear the special hair quality we crave as tiers . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjs Posted November 15, 2017 Report Share Posted November 15, 2017 From what I remember from my visit to the zoo polar bear hair is fiber optic to tramsmit light to the bear's black skin. Don't see polar bear at the local store anymore, and the last they had all had burnt tips. Hoarding what I have left, but what good is it in a drawer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted November 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2017 Tie it up and put them out there for sale . Surely you know somebody that buys jigs from you that would like to have some vintage lures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StriperCandy Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 I think polar bear fur isn't even actually white. It's clear and scatters the whole spectrum so it looks white. So I would guess the quality you're after is that special sparkle you get from color transmitted by pure light vs reflected from pigment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 15 hours ago, StriperCandy said: I think polar bear fur isn't even actually white. It's clear and scatters the whole spectrum so it looks white. So I would guess the quality you're after is that special sparkle you get from color transmitted by pure light vs reflected from pigment. You are correct and those properties are the reason it’s a prized material Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted December 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 I guess I should ask , What is the best , closest thing I can use in place of polar bear hair . I can't seem to find any optic fiber in a small enough diameter to tie with and still have any action . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 You won’t find an exact match but it’s comonly subbed with bucktail, yak, and a number of synthetics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StriperCandy Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 Interesting... https://www.allure.com/story/color-changing-hair-dye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted December 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 Thanks for the info. Push come to shove I'll try it if I can't talk him out of trying to simulate it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulRushing Posted April 27, 2018 Report Share Posted April 27, 2018 The last time I saw this hair in Canada and they could be really bought without problems, but it is possible now and in America to buy P.S. lately was keen on grammar check uk and the results do not really please me, but you can increase the level of grammar) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Young Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 Do you know anyone with a white dog? I have a white Jack Russel Terrier. You should see how his hair lights up under UV. Others have commented on their dogs white fur having the same effect. You don't have to trim the hair. Just show up with a brush or flea comb. You will get plenty. I have stared a collection - just in case something happens to the little guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clemmy Posted August 25, 2018 Report Share Posted August 25, 2018 Never used, but found this: https://www.boonetrading.com/collections/polar-bear-fur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Young Posted August 28, 2018 Report Share Posted August 28, 2018 Cheaper to buy a white dog, me thinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted August 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2018 There are a lot of products I could use I suppose . Thanks everyone . I guess I will have to just wait until the real thing comes along . That usually means something that passed customs before U.S. law was changed . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted September 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2018 A dream come true . On my bucket list now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
