Glad to hear you are up and running.

Kip - I can't help you much because I have some trouble with it myself. I have always used it for small (1/80-1/32oz.) jigs that never look too good. If you plan to do more 1/8oz. jigs, I would suggest using bucktail. With a decent bucktail you should be able to use nearly every hair, they are much longer hairs.

Chenille - I try to stop wrapping it before I get to the hook point to keep the gap open. It doesn't always turn out like that but I try.

Marabou - Yes, strip from the vein and position it on the hook so you don't have to cut the tip off the tail, cut the stripped end.

A picture may let others help more, they're worth a thousand words. :rolleyes: Have Fun!