Do you guys take longer to tie kip tail jigs then feather tails? I just can't speed this kip tail up much. I take so much longer tying them I want o just say no more Kip tails, but I can't.
Skip
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Do you guys take longer to tie kip tail jigs then feather tails? I just can't speed this kip tail up much. I take so much longer tying them I want o just say no more Kip tails, but I can't.
Skip
It's hard to just say "no more" when the finished product looks and performs so well. That's like using rabbit zonker, it takes longer, but I feel like it's worth it. LOL
Scott I like the rabbit and don't count that in this. Lots of hair I have no issue with, but that darn kip tail and even buck tail is so hard to be fast. I bet I can tie more than 12 kip tailed jig in a hour. If I have my materials out I am pretty comfortable that I can do at least 20 and maybe 25 an hour.
Rabbit is worth the extra time and effort IMHO!
Skip
I've been using fox alot lately and really like tyeing with it. Great action. Bob Marriott's has fox zonkers. I take the fur off the hide and it is the perfect length for a jig.
I have a ton of fox that are in tail form and I do like it a lot. Been using it for a few years now and have all the most important colors. However this kip tail stuff with a small jig head with a collar is a bi%&ch to tie fast. I don't think that I can get any faster at them. I don't feel that I can charge what my time is worth though and just need to be happy I only have a few customers that like that stuff. I do have to admit after last spring though that this stuff works great early spring. I think this next year I am going to force my self to fish some of my fox more. It's a lot easier to tie then kip tails at least for me.
I just feel like I have stepped back 4 years in my tying every time I have to tie some of these. Maybe it's just me and my perfectionism that makes it worse. I mean since I am not in this other than a hobby I take my time tying anyway, but at least with hackle I can tie them fast and be happy as they usually come out good and I can do something like 25 in a hour of them with same color.
I know some can tie a lot more than I can, but I do like what I do so this is it I guess.
Skip
skip i'm just the opposite i hate maraboo and i only use kip tail. i tie on jigs with no collar though, never even tried with a collar. i don't have a dedicated place to tie just use kitchen table and the wife hates the boo floatin around the house lol.
Oh yeah if you got the bou out you can't have wind or it's all over the place. I do sometimes get hot tying bou because I don't let any wind in this room then and if the AC comes on I sometimes have to wait until it stops, LOL!Quote:
Originally Posted by jusanothajoe
Tying kip tail on a bare hook is easier for sure and easier to cover all around the jig head. I had these heads made with a small collar and a slight flair on the end of it so I can tie thread neck hair jigs with these. I have other heads for other styles, but this one is kicking my tail. I got them done, but talk about slow going and I thought I would never get the 180 of them done and thankful there was not more.
BTW, Marabou is not as fast as hackle for me either and I can tie a hackle jig a lot faster, but even marabou is faster than me and Kip tails, LOL!
Skip
never tried hackle gonna have to give it a try. you guys tie some real good lookin jigs with it.
I am on a kiptail tying binge right now. I can tell you why I just picked up a tail and started in. I will say that tying commercially is alot different than tying for one self. Yes they are alot slower to tie but there is something about one of those little hair jigs that are so beautiful. Must admit that I use more bou jigs but I always carry a box of hair jigs with me and do use them. The sand bass and bream love them for some reason on Caddo. But every once in a while the Crappies will go wild over them and you have to tie them on your line behind a tree. Love those days.LOL
Redman
Redman I first time used some of these little jigs last spring and talking with Crazy he uses kip tail and squirrel tail jigs early, like before they move to the banks until just after they move in and that fits what I tried and worked for me. I was setting up to get a bunch of wedge or arrow head shaped jig heads for some guys in Louisana and after the first samples came in (2) I tied them up and one day sitting here tying I just wanted to go pitch one in here to see what it looked like and if anything would hit it. I went down to my bank and 20 minutes later I had 4 and smallest was 14". I was just putting it out under a cork about 15"-16" and putting it right next to the bank I was standing on. A couple days later I went out in my boat and was trying them again, but could find but one bank that had some that early and caught a bunch more crappie. SO I did learn they work and work well especially early spring.
Crazy said he goes back to feathers after they get on the bank good and I went back to my feathers too after that since the SRA started dropping the lake which moved the crappie out to 9'-10' where they stayed the whole spring. Of course I long line troll a marabou Roadrunner the rest of spring which is my number one bait in spring.
There is a time and place for these little kip tail jigs, but I knew when the guys form Louisiana wanted a bunch of these because it's about all they use I knew there had to be something to them.
Skip
This is just my personal choice. Now please consider that the vast majority of my pursuit are panfish. The only hair jigs I tie are ones with rabbit or fox fur. On the microjigs I usually cut the fur from the skin when using rabbit. On the larger Jigs I use with skin and hair intact. While some cuss rabbit when tying I use a small container of water to use to tame and seperate the hairs when neccessary. I have tried squirrel hair but not really impressed with it either
I find marabou easier to tie with but rabbit fur jig more durable. When palmered just right the the 1/16 and 1/8 oz jigs take on a very nice "shad " profile when using the the zonkered rabbit strip. Some prefer the " cross cut " for palmering it does a neater job but I stick to the standard cut more work and not as neat but better action in water.
Kip and bucktail I never fool with. In fact I got a lot of buck tail if someone wants to trade for it.
Thanks, but I have no issue with anything other than Kip tial and don't really like buck tails either, but not as bad as these little buggers.
Rabbit, marabou, Fox and many others are easy and I can tie them pretty darn fast or fast enough.
It's as much a vent/rant as anything because I know there is not a better way I don't think so.
Skip
skip you gonna give me some pointers when i buy my hackle???
I like tying kip because IMHO it is a more durable jig. Some things are worth a little more effort.
Sure just send me a PM when ready and I will help you pick what you need.Quote:
Originally Posted by jusanothajoe
Skip
Talk to me SON on that kip and buck tail we might be able to make each other happy. I got stuff I ain't never gonna use short furs are one of them I know I have at least some rabbit and some artic fox . Let me know what you use.Quote:
Originally Posted by hays47
I've got some that I just don't care to work with myself. Squirrel is one, and kip isn't far behind. Now that I have some no collar jigheads I need to try it again. Anyone have some white, chart, or gray foxtail I might be interested. I think I have enough bucktail til the next century, and don't tie it much.
Skip thats about the time of year that I remember that I use them. I will agree with you I like long lineing a roadrunner from the end of Feb thur the first part of April. Then its to the timber. People look at me like I am crazy for doing that but I seem to catch bigger fish by doing that. I might not have big numbers of fish but mine are always the bigger slab crappies. White heads with chartruse body and tails. and white heads with white bodies and blue tails. I also like the Eletric chickhen with a flo pink head. Have started to chop up a chatruse Berkley gulp worms as a little added treat. It works well, better than the crappie nibbles. might give it a try and use a razor blade or very sharp knife to cut up the worm in 1/4 inch pieces.
Redman
Usually by late April I will be a little deeper, but still pulling that RR. I usually can get some nice ones in water somewhere between 10'-13' about then.
Skip
Yeah any kind of hair is gonna take longer than hackle but c'mon they look so nice LOL
Fatman
I know, but man the guy ordered 180 of them and since I can't sit all day tying because of my back, I thought it would never end, LOL!
As for squirrel tails I can pick probably 4-5 a month if I want to. They get run over all the time here and you know if he was not there a hour ago when you pass that spot, he's fresh, LOL! Actually I usually don't even stop as I have plenty and even 4 or 5 from my yard. My yard is always full of them little destructive creatures.
Skip
Skip-Us Louisiana crappie jiggers appreciate the recognition! Kip tail ties do catch us alot of sac-a-lait.
Yes they do and I even am a convert and will use some especially early next spring. My only complaint is when using a thread neck jig head that has this small collar are slow tying and not sure I can keep tying them at the price I have been. I can tie all day and feel like I worked my tail off and still not enough done. For sure never would even think of selling them wholesale. Shame it's like that.Quote:
Originally Posted by ijerkum
Skip
skip we use a lot of hair without no problem, but maybe I'm just used to using it but it just takes be just as long as using feather.