polar bear fur

[Jay Wirth]

I would love to try some fly patterns with traditional materials. Anyone know where I could find me some whitebarhair??

 

[Jig Man]

x2....

 

[Radtexan]

I thought there were restrictions owning it ???

 

[Kdog]

Funny this has come up, a couple weeks ago I ran across an article about a hair jig that at one time was the most productive hair jig ever made for lake erie walleye. I even remember buying a few in the early 80's and they were exhoribantly priced but did catch fish. Anyhow, I started looking for polar bear hair and yadda yadda yadda, long story short it is readily available in canada and not hard to bring home if you are sneaky. Other option is finding old fur (Pre-1972)

Its available and expensive
http://www.flies4fishing.com/Retail Catalogs/Fly Tying Materials/Polar Bear Hair.htm

you really want some, this place has legal hair
http://www.boonetrading.com/PolarBear.html

Although I do not feel its the same, several places claim that Yak hair is closest
http://www.bearlodgeangler.com/fox-raccoon-squirrel-and-calf-hair/uv2-yak-streamer-hair/

BTW Fatman has or did have a decent supply see this thread http://www.jigcraft.com/jigcraft/showthread.php?tid=3461

 

[Bucho]

Polar bear hair is hollow, it catches the sunlight and leads it on to the bear´s skin. I heard it was the only hair that naturally shows uv-effects. Cool stuff, much sought after for baltic sea trout shrimp patterns. Good thing Greenland joined the EC together with Denmark, no way they let us import it otherwise!

 

[Fatman]

It's really nice to tie with and it dyed up really well

Rad if you can prove it's pre-CITES it's easier to get. The stuff I got came from an old skin that was on a fly shop wall from the 1930's. It was actually easy to get once a little paperwork was done.

Kdog - I'm with you yak hair is nowhere as good as the Polar Bear. You notice the red wording above the hair on the fliesforfishing site. "Polar Bear hair cannot be exported from Canada"

 

[dmm26]

Let me look into some polar bear fur.
I know a guy that hunts for them up here and I might be able to get some off of him.

 

[Radtexan]

How do THEY prove it's not pre what ever ?