Hair

Kinda new to tying and I’ve been using bucktail but what’s the difference in kiptail? I don’t wanna order without a little guidance


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Quick question, any reason for the preference in "hair" as to feathers?

Realized that didn't help ya much...
I don't tie much hair, but I have and as far as tying for sacalait, kip tail isn't as hollow a hair, it doesn't spin or break as easily as buck. Kip is great, just doesn't move much. Neither do really. But I'd use kip for lethargic fish in cold water.
Not sure that made sense....


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Kip is calves tail and I've used it some. I don't have much luck with lots of it in at once. Smaller amounts have worked better for me.

Man I haven’t tried feathers yet really don’t even know what type feathers to order... I’m going to help run a snow goose spread in a couple weekends and I’m gonna pull a bag full and try them...

Thanks for the info on kiptail... I ordered 3 colors of it and gonna try some... is it just softer and thicker? That’s the reason you saying don’t use to much?


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Clancy, kiptail or calftail is much more durable than buck or doe tail. It also will get softer and somewhat transluscent when it is in the water. I fish kiptail jigs in the 1/64 to 1/8 oz. range under a small float with a crappie nibble on the hook and maybe a small split shot between the jig and float. I tie them with only the hair, no chenille etc. and try not to use too much hair, because they won't bite it as good. I usually use two contrasting colors of hair. I tie it with ultra fine clear mono thread which stretches and holds the slippery hair good, and then switch to red flat waxed nylon thread over the mono along with a tad of super glue thin before the red thread, the jig will never come apart this way.

tying with kiptail takes some getting used to, the tail will have shorter hair towards the butt end and it gets longer towards the tip, the tail will usually be good for several sizes of jigs depending on what part of the tail it is from and how long it is. I use a pair of side cutters to cut the tail in sections through the bone if it has one, this makes the hair easier to get to and cut from the tail. I will cut a little bunch of hair and pull some loose stuff from the butt of it lightly and then pull any straggly sideways looking strands too, then I will note the curvature of the hair bunch which usually there is a little curve to the hair and lay it on the jig with the curved ends facing downward, I wrap it tightly with the mono and then turn the jig over for the other color hair. I usually make the belly color lighter in color and also shorter than the backbone color, this helps give it a tapered look. try to get your thread neck as short as you can, maybe 1/8" long on a 1/16 oz. don't be afraid to add a minnow thru the lips to the jig, or a half a redworm for other species, these are big crappie baits for some reason and they used to be called pinkie jigs back in the day.

another thing is I use single edge razor blades to trim the excess length of hair just behind the jigs head before finishing the thread wraps, I do this by very carefully pressing on the hair just in front of the wraps and use the lead head as a backstop, so the razor blade is being pushed at an angle towards the lead head so as not to cut the thread under the hair and yes I do this a lot and it sometimes means starting over. don't try to make the jigs as long as the crappie bucktails either. just a few tips, hope this helps.

To me craft hair is a better way to go .

To Me A lot depends on what weight jig or size hook your tying on. If you're tying on a #8 you'll throw a lot of hair away if you use bucktail vs kiptail. Craft fur is good stuff and so is the synthetic hair from Fly Tyers Dungeon. If your just staring out I would look at fly Tyers dungeon for both flash and hair. Rabbit works well on smaller jigs also(Zonker Strips).Attachment 287474Attachment 287475 Goldish jig is 1/8oz with synthetic hair and smaller jigs are 1/48oz rabbit hair all with tulip paint eyes. Tying gets very addictive!!!!

Attachment 287481 Here’s a couple bucktails that I’ve tied


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