Rabbit skin for fishing flies

Hi all,

I have a regular rabbit permission and use the rabbits as dog food for friends so most is put to good use.
I did previous do fly fishing and used to tie flies with rabbit skin (zonker strips).

Has anyone tried to tan their own and possibly dye it?? What did you use??

They can be bought easily enough on the internet, but just thinking of repurposing the skin as usually left for foxes and corvids and can’t beat home projects for some things.

Mark
 
I am not sure if there are many, or any, flies that use rabbit fur from an untreated skin (which would be used as a dubbing) that are in wide use. Hare's ear fur yes, ditto seal fur. Mole even. But rabbit other than as a strip of tanned skin with the fur for a leech fly or zonker (as yourself) I am not sure. I think so little would suffice that the faff of home tanning a skin rules it out.
 
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Snowdonia Supplies do a chrome based tanning kit which I've used on sheep and deer skins. There's also brain tanning.

Use a pressure washer with rotating head to flesh them, much quicker than manually. See YouTube to check details on power.
 
Thanks for the responses, I did wonder if the effort out weighed the benefit in the long run, but will have a look a bit more on YouTube learning to see if feasible for a few or a costly skill to experience.
Cheers
 
A quick search on the internet might show what sort of flies use rabbit fur (as against strips of hide with the fur attached). Also what the stuff sells for from those such as Veniard that list it. That might help?
 
Hello, Have a look in a Haberdashery Shop for Dylon Dyes , Cold or Hot , ?? For Rabbit fur i would pin the skin on a piece of wood , Dye it and let it dry so it would not shrivel up, Once dry cut into strips to tie the zonker pattern, Caught a lot of trout on this fly at Farmoor, Using a hair dryer stops the fur from matting up
 
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Hello, Have a look in a Haberdashery Shop for Dylon Dyes , Cold or Hot , ?? For Rabbit fur i would pin the skin on a piece of wood , Dye it and let it dry so it would not shrivel up, Once dry cut into strips to tie the zonker pattern, Caught a lot of trout on this fly at Farmoor, Using a hair dryer stops the fur from matting up
Just to add the Hot Dye works best
 
Got some Dylon for some of my hunting gear - if I want a washed camo effect I apply due to break up say a plain olive jacket. Will give it a go, nothing much to loose other than a few quid 👍🏼
 
Making plans to get to the permission this weekend so hopefully be able to trial results in the short term, but will update once I’ve had a trial and error 🤔🤣
 
I think you can also make dubbing with rabbit fur. I’m sure I recall seeing a video or two on YouTube where the fur is cut if the skin with a beard trimmer. The fur is then put in a coffee grinder to make it more dubbing like
 
Rabbit fur makes for some lovely dubbing,or cut into strips for zonker.
Pegged on a board with salt is how I used to do it,or wrapped around dog training dummies.
I've even made some salt water lures with the strips.
The best dubbing I've found for river nymphs is mouse fur, it's deadly.
 
Coves pheasant tail nymph uses rabbit fur for the thorax. I have a feeling the original grey wulff used rabbit fur for the body.
I just pull the hair off a freshly shot rabbit and keep it in a bag it will pull right off leaving the skin bare. I know that this mixes the guard hair and softer under fur but for the flies I tie it suits well .
 
Wow thanks all, some real gems of info being shared. Interesting about the mouse fur as do rat control around a local house with hens and mice are also a problem, so included on the hit list……something to consider!!
 
A quick search on the internet might show what sort of flies use rabbit fur (as against strips of hide with the fur attached). Also what the stuff sells for from those such as Veniard that list it. That might help?
Hello, Trout and Salmon Fly tying material can be expensive depending on where purchased, Companies like Veniard rely on their quality and customer service as a top UK brand
 
Hello, Trout and Salmon Fly tying material can be expensive depending on where purchased, Companies like Veniard rely on their quality and customer service as a top UK brand
A dear friend now long passed left me his entire Fly Fishing tackle including Materials to make trout patterns and some are back in the Pounds/ Shillings/Pence Days, I did buy a Square of Deer Hair years ago and that was a fiver,
 
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