Why does the hair like to stand out like this?

[alhersch]

I have been tying jigs for about a year now, a couple months ago I puchased a vise and bobbins. My sooooooo much easier!!! Anyway I have used only deer hair on most of my jigs and most times they stand out like this:



other times they look normal(to me):



Also most times I need to be really carefull how I start to wrap the threads or I get jigs that look like the jig in the top of this pic.



Any ideas why? Am I using too much hair?

Thanks for your help,

Al

[shipahoy41]

IMHO...............

A little too much hair, (Bucktail is more difficult than kip tail to get right)... practice very neat wraps. (Notice how much better the white kip tail is in the 3rd picture) Before you do your first wraps, be sure the hair is completely around the jighead. Make your first two wraps loosely to be sure the thread is contacting all hairs and then begin to tie tighter and neatly. (Notice the green one in the third picture....IMHO could be tied neater) Add a drop or two of head cement or hard as nails on the completed jig. (The second picture has some loose threading at the bottom.)

[alhersch]

Kip tail? Is that also know as calf tail? I bought a box full of all kinds of different hair and feathery stuff, I don't really know what all I have yet, and probably won't use half of it.

The white stuff was a LOT easier to tie, but I also tied those 2 using 2 different clips of hair(however ya wanna put it). I tied the hair on one side of the jig with a few wraps then the other side. Seemed to work much better, I am learning all the time as I go! I do like the looks of that slightly curly hair much better.

I also cover all the wrapping and head with the hard as nails nail polish when i'm done. Should I only use a drop or two?

Thanks for all your help!

Al

[Slabo]

Are you using tail hair or belly hair? Belly hair almost always stands out like that. The hair is too coarse and too stiff to use belly hair on jigs. I like bucktails or Kip tails the hairs are longer and much thinner and know where near as stiff as belly hair. Now if you get down towards the end of the buck tail (base) the hair is thicker and will stand out like that. You may also want to try a collarless jig jead just wrap your thread on first and than lay your hair on and start wrapping it up. Good luck!

[grits and gravy]

The bucktail hair you are using is hollow, and when you wrap it down it will stand out. Try using the thinner hair on the buck tail or using kip tail. These hair are solid and will not flair nearly as much. You can also try craft fur or artic fox fur. The artic fox fur you can find in a good fly shop and it is very fine with the texture of marabou but it is still strong like fur. The only problem is that if you tye too much fur on the jig it has the tendency to tye itself into knots and is very difficult ot manage. So try using as little fur as possible but still giving the jig a good profile.

[fishhunter775]

Some bucktails are just plain corse hair for one reason or another.If you put too much tension on the thread it will cause the flared out effect.You want it real snug but not too tight on them.Good Luck

[skiptomylu]

Deer hair is hollow and when tightened down it will flair. You have to make loose wraps first and then tighter as you wrap to the hook eye. That should help keep it from over flaring.

Skip

[alhersch]

Makes sense to me guys.

Hah, I just checked and you guys are spot on! The green and orange hair in the pictures is belly hair, and odly enough the pink is tail hair... A patch of belly hair is about as heavy as a really small patch of tail hair. LOL

Guess I thought I had enough hair to last me a few years, but.... now i'll have to go buy some more tail or calf tail hair.

Also, what would I use chinese rooster chest for? I have about 3 bags of it.

Al

[Crappie Kid]

Try using Craft fur.... it is a little more pliable and i think easier to work with... Plus try not to use collared jigs.... Jigs with no collars are easier to tie and i think look better.. JMHO

Zeke

[skiptomylu]

Try using Craft fur.... it is a little more pliable and i think easier to work with... Plus try not to use collared jigs.... Jigs with no collars are easier to tie and i think look better.. JMHO

Zeke

Agree 100% about the collar! Collars are for soft plastics actually and are there to help hold the soft plastic on the jig.

I am a huge feather fan, but I do tie some hair jigs for customers and just got some new synthetic hair (see Sig Pic) that I am kind of taking a liking to.

Still 98% of my tying and fishing is using hackle or marabou.

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