Our first ties...

I have a 12 year old and a 14 year old. Last night was busy but we couldn't wait so late last night we each tied one!

We watched one segment of the video then we sat down to replicate what we had seen.

I tied the first one to demonstrate the technique again. It is flawed. Badly. We discussed those flaws and the reasons for them.

My youngest son tied the second and did a little better, but still had some issues. Once again we dissected the issues together.

My oldest son tied the last one for the night and he tried, very hard, to avoid the issues the other two had in common. He did better, but had some different problems.

The end result is three jigs that will likely catch fish but all three are far from perfect. We know that. We are just happy to have tied them! Together.

:biggrin

Attachment 126026

In the picture, mine is on the right, my youngest son's jig is on the left, my oldest son's jig is on top.

Well I think you picked one of the harder materials to tie well to start with so good job for you first on all of them. Get some jig heads with a collar and no barb, but that flair at the end of the collar and that will help control you thread and keep it better in place. If you have some synthetic hair use it as it will be easier to tie well.
Looks like you guys have the basic idea down well, but really use to easier material than buck tail to start. If not cynthetic hair then marabou and don't just tie the whole feather in, take the barbules off the stem and make a stack that you can pinch and pick up to tie in. It will most likely be too long and decide where to cut it before you tie it in so you can cut the end that get tied in and not the nice ends of the marabou. It will make a big difference in looks and in action of the jig.

Looking really good for you fisrt ties though, really!

Definately agree with Skip - Bucktail to start, and they came out looking like that NOT BAD AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!! One thing that might help out some is to cut the collars off the jigs you have, and it will make it easier tying.

The collars on the jigs we had were our main complaint and the source of most of our troubles. We have a vacation coming up in a few weeks so my buying is on hold until after that. But my first purchase, after vacation, is going to be some red sickle hook jig heads with no collar or, perhaps, the flared collar mentioned by skiptomylu. And some more flashbou. And some synthetic hair material. And some... Well, you know how it goes.

I didn't mention this before wither, but it was midnight last night by the time we got around to tying these. :Doh:

Understand the problems as I think that I have had them all at some point or another, LOL! If you like red hooks that is fine, but I never use them and don't like how fast the red comes off and just exposes a gold hook. Grousefly and probably some other here can make the heads with the good collars if you want. I mention Grousefly because I buy a lot of jig heads from him, but I imagine Night Prowler may also have them as well as some others. For synthetic hair just get some craft fur, but my favorite to fish with is marabou especially spring and fall, but I do love hackle tails too. I don't use hair much my self, but if I do it's usually something else not easy at first which is Kip tails, but that stuff works for sure.

Just keep trying things,

Skip

We've got a pretty good stock of marabou and chenille too. The teaching DVD that we purchased featured a deer hair jig as the first one and we didn't get any further into it than that. I told the boys that I want them to watch the demo on the marabou / chenille combo before they try to tie one of those. Perhaps we will get that far into the DVD tonight!

You have a PM

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skiptomylu

You have a PM

---

Thanks. :biggrin