spun my first dozen jigs

I got all my stuff at once yesterday and made my first jig. Actually I surprised myself. They weren't works of art but I think they will catch a fish, maybe a desperate one anyway. After tying a few, I have questions.
I made mostly kip tail but a couple marabou.
On the kip tail, after you use the longer hair (i'm using 1/16 #4 hooks) on the tail, the shorter hair don't seem to have much use unless I make those tiny jigs. Am I wrong here?
I made a couple jigs with chenelle and if I ran it too close to the hook point, It didn't leave a lot of hook gap. Would it be better to use a #2 hook on the 1/16 jig? I am having to get use to using these small size jigs, I use to never go smaller than a 1/8 jig (plastic).
On the marabou, do you normally strip the feathers off the vien where you will be wrapping? I also had a fit with that whip finish tool, but mastered it finally.
Well thats enough questions for now..Thanks Ray

Any pictures? Tying is awesome in my opinion and it's very addictive, especially after catching a fish on one of your creations.

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! :)

There are some great tying videos that Skip and I have posted in the archives. I would suggest that all new to jig tying consider looking at them.

Look at the beginning of this forum. The topic is "For someone new to tying"
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/jig-t...new-tying.html

I planned on posting some pics last night but the camera wouldn't focus well in the dim light. I will have to re-learn how to post them.

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Originally Posted by jacobwyn

Any pictures? Tying is awesome in my opinion and it's very addictive, especially after catching a fish on one of your creations.

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I am finding that out. I got promoted to a minnow on the forums, but when my wife saw the mess I made on the kitchen bar, she gave me a plankton rating. :D

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Originally Posted by rtark

I planned on posting some pics last night but the camera wouldn't focus well in the dim light. I will have to re-learn how to post them.

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Hey your camera needs to have a macro setting to get a good focus on close shots like most of us use for pictures. My camera will focus well in low light if need be, but it also has the macro setting.

I don't see any need for a #2 hook on a 1/16, but I do know some like them better. I even would go to a #6 for kip tails if the hair is short and it will make a difference which kip tails you buy. Some have longer hair and some not so much. If you are using Sickle hooks the gap between the hook point and shank is the same for a #4 Sickle and a #2 regular bend and the Sickle hook has a bit shorter distance from the head to hook point on the shank. Some of my customers that just kill the crappie use a 1/16 and #6 Sickle hooks.

Skip

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Originally Posted by skiptomylu

Hey your camera needs to have a macro setting to get a good focus on close shots like most of us use for pictures. My camera will focus well in low light if need be, but it also has the macro setting.

I don't see any need for a #2 hook on a 1/16, but I do know some like them better. I even would go to a #6 for kip tails if the hair is short and it will make a difference which kip tails you buy. Some have longer hair and some not so much. If you are using Sickle hooks the gap between the hook point and shank is the same for a #4 Sickle and a #2 regular bend and the Sickle hook has a bit shorter distance from the head to hook point on the shank. Some of my customers that just kill the crappie use a 1/16 and #6 Sickle hooks.

Skip

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I got pics, now I will try to post them

I've figured out the kip with the very short hair,it's like under fur,and now I pull it off when I cut the wad from the tail.I hold it back about half way and that really soft under fur will come off with a slight pull,then it clumps up like a cotton ball on the table and I throw it away.Then you have just the longer nice hairs in your hand for the jig.I like the size 4 sickles for a 1/16 kip tail.I had a bunch of the size 1 poured,so I used them.lol.