I've recently gotten into tying and while I anticipate Comparaduns/Sparkle duns will probably constitute my main tying focus (I've been tying them alot - striving for leaner bodies, etc)......I tied up a couple Usuals after reading a Loren Williams tutorial on his site.   Its definitely a scruffy looking fly...and I'm aware of the rough water Ausable conditions which inspired Fran Betters creation.   That being said.......2 thoughts came to mind.........it can be used during sulphur hatches - and the "white fly" hatch -  just wondering if any Housy guys ever use this - as this is where I spend alot of my time.  Finally....am I correct in that snowshoe hair has excellent floatability characteristics ?     Would I even treat it with floatant before fishing it....or treat it more like CDC - where the material speaks for itself. 

Awesome fly in the fast riffles, floats great, and during the sulphurs/cahills hatch the fish won't pass it up.  Was a go-to fly on the Housy during some of those early summer months when I fished it.

Yes, one of my favorites for the Hous,,,,, especially in the "White Fly" hatch late evenings.

Regards,
FK

change the dye on the snowshoe foot to match the hatch. I won't give away too many details, except to say using the usual footprint can be deadly for all major hatches on the housy, from the hendricksons to the late-fall bwos, and particularly effective in some circumstances between. Any time you see fish going after emergers, its a great pattern, just switch up the colors, materials (body/tail, always leave the snowshoe wing), and hook size to match the hatch, and you will have a fish catcher.

http://flyfishingdish.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/pa170076.JPG

Be sure to tie them like that ^^

Some people tie usuals with the wing all screwed up pointing out forward from the front of the body and they just don't work the same.

Mayflies look like a triangle, the wing on these should be facing straight up, slightly ahead of the center of the fly. Also helps with having a good center of gravity so the fly doesn't land head first (and float the same way).