Question about hair

[LMBarnett]

What is the difference between kip tails and buck tails? I have never used kip tails before, but I make alot of buck tail patterns in the patterns you guys are all mentioning in other posts and do just fine with them. Is the Kip tail easier to use? Does it have any better action? Cheaper?

[shipahoy41]

Kip tail is from a cow tail. Easier to use with smaller flies for Crappies, Bream etc. and IMHO has better action when tying 1/32 or 1/64 flies.

Bucktail is from a deer. Great for larger flies for Bass, Stripers etc.

[skiptomylu]

Kip tails is not as stiff as buck tails and the hair is shorter.

[redear]

the kiptail hair is great to work with, and the thread seems to grip it pretty good to, meaning it's not as slippery as some hair. Also it seems to be more durable than bucktail, won't kink or break as easy. But you can buy ten tails and some will be better for 1/16 jigs and some will be better for smaller sizes. Some will be real kinky, and others will have straighter hair. Breaking them in 3 or 4 peices will allow easier access to the hair for cutting. kiptails will not stack evenly in a stacking tube, but you can lay a bunch down on a clean surface and push on both ends with your fingers and it will even the tips up pretty good.

[shipahoy41]

Breaking them in 3 or 4 peices will allow easier access to the hair for cutting.

This is so true! I just wanted to highlite this in case someone missed it in the previous post.

[redear]

the thing about kiptail I've noticed is you need to determine the fullness that gets results. When I first started messing with kiptail three years ago, I was tying the jigs very full, meaning right much hair volume for the size of the jig. This didn't get very good results for me, even tho the jigs looked good. Then I read crappie keiths website, and saw that he was using a little sparser hair clump on the jig, which I tried, and lo and behold, I had results all of a sudden! So I'm thinking that a little sparser clump of hair may allow it to move a little under water, or breathe should I say. Anyway, I think the world of keith and his website, for sharing the finer points. Bucktail still has a place for me tho when tying 1/16 and 3/32 casting bucktail jigs. Fishdoc has used these on kerr reservoir to catch thousands of crappie each year. white hair red thread and a plain lead head, tied sparse enough to see light thru the hair. this is a real good jig for casting and retrieving in open water using the countdown method. He even ties them on 1/32 heads and catches the crappie in jan. and feb. with these. so you see I just lie in waite for these old pros to throw me a bone. lol ( info. I can use) If it wasn't for them as well as this site and these guys, things would have probably never came together that well.

[Fatman]

As everyone says buck for bigger jigs and kip for smaller and ship is RIGHT break them in pieces for easier hair removal.

Fatman

[sticksteer]

Willsjwills showed me the difference in the buck tails, the ones you buy are from northern deer and have stiffer more course hair. The bucktails you get from our southern deer is much better for tying crappie jigs, its much finer and easier to use. Check with your local deer processors during the season and they will probally save you some.

[redear]

If you can cut the tails off before any skinning begins, you'll get tails in better shape, cause when blood gets on the white hair it's too hard to get out and ain't worth messin with. I like to get'em right off the back of the truck, be suprized what you can get by lying in waite at a country store, guy comes in to tag a deer and you congradulate him on a nice job, and as you tell him how nice his deer is, just ask if he is gonna do anything with the tail. works every time. actually my wife and her kinfolk have a little hunt group, and they hunt my land too, so when I show up at the skinning pole they commence to cuttin a few off, and toward the end of the season I gotta tell'em I got enough. lol. just freeze them, and use one at a time, no need to debone them.

[shipahoy41]

the thing about kiptail I've noticed is you need to determine the fullness that gets results. When I first started messing with kiptail three years ago, I was tying the jigs very full, meaning right much hair volume for the size of the jig. This didn't get very good results for me, even tho the jigs looked good. Then I read crappie keiths website, and saw that he was using a little sparser hair clump on the jig, which I tried, and lo and behold, I had results all of a sudden! So I'm thinking that a little sparser clump of hair may allow it to move a little under water, or breathe should I say. Anyway, I think the world of keith and his website, for sharing the finer points. Bucktail still has a place for me tho when tying 1/16 and 3/32 casting bucktail jigs. Fishdoc has used these on kerr reservoir to catch thousands of crappie each year. white hair red thread and a plain lead head, tied sparse enough to see light thru the hair. this is a real good jig for casting and retrieving in open water using the countdown method. He even ties them on 1/32 heads and catches the crappie in jan. and feb. with these. so you see I just lie in waite for these old pros to throw me a bone. lol ( info. I can use) If it wasn't for them as well as this site and these guys, things would have probably never came together that well.

I have always been an advocate of the "Less is more" philosophy or to put it another way "Addition by subtraction". You will catch more crappies by giving the jig the profile of a minnow with a little flash. Less material also makes it easier for the crappie to get to the hook. Less is more and fish it slow.