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I have really fell for this rabbit strip stuff and even though I have only tried the strip on the tail and chenille for the body it worked well. I had some with Silver/Blue/blue & white rabbit strip tail that was on them. Here are some chart and some white for you to look at. These have zonker tails and crosscut strips for above the tail.
And yes they take a bit longer to tie, but not so much you shouldn't try them.
Skip
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b4...8/DSC02939.jpg
i really like them...i have done a few myself but didnt turn out that good i dont think
Skip
Sweet!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing
Fatman
I use rabbit in some of my smaller jigs,size 1/32 and under due to hare length.I clip it from the skin and tie in as a tail . My favorite ones in the picture are the white body,chartreuse tail.That's an awesome color combination.
I just tied one yesterday by clipping it off the skin. Gonna have to tie some strips on for some leech patterns. I just have to figure out how to cut strips from a pelt. Have had a dozen white skins for a couple years now and always massacre them when I try to cut strips from them.
Some place I just saw a video of how to cut your own strips. It didn't look really safe, but I will look for it tomorrow.Quote:
Originally Posted by fish_4_all
Why are you guys cutting it off the skin? All mine are still on the skin.
Skip
Actually I buy the strips already cut and clip the hare as close to the skin as possible.I just pinch the hair as close to the skin as possible,cut it and tie it in as a tail.I've been doing that for some years now. It works,the fish seem to like it.I'ts hard to teach an old dawg new tricks which is why I'm here on cc,to learn something new and find better ways than what I'm doing now.
I really like your jig designs here. Definitely crappie busters!!! I admit I'm a dummy beginner, but what is a "zonker tail?"
CR
Zonker is a strip of rabbit skin that is cut length wise into a 1/8" or even a 1/4" wide strip.Quote:
Originally Posted by crappieranger
Crosscut Rabbit is just want is says, the skin is cut across the rabbit so hte hair comes off of the side where the Zonker is running with the skin.
I used it as a tail, but it is not rabbit tail and these use both Zonkers and crosscut strips.
Skip
I just do it that way. I might try and see if I can make some short strips, all I need is 1/2 inch long strip of skin with fur on it. There is a zonker cutter somewhere that I thought about getting once, I think it was from Cabelas.
I have used the cut off skin method, for 3 or 4 years know, and i tied mine on a 1/80 or 1/64 0z. on the bodied jig head, and i use the Magnum zonker strips. Rabbit has great action in the water, and gills Love'em. Quick and easy tie.
I use quite a bit of rabbit, I cut my own strips to any size I need by using a Fabric Cutter, have for years works well
Okay here it is, the video of a home made zonker cutter. Now I am not saying this is safe and as a matter of fact I am not going to start dying skins and making my own zonkers as I am sure I would cut my self and since I am on blood thinners it just wouldn't be smart. I can see it now rushing to the hospital with big cuts that will not stop bleeding, LOL so no thanks for me.
Skip
Here is it...
YouTube - Make Your Own Zonker Strip Cutter
i think the best way to cut strips is a 1x6 board and a sharp razor blade....lay it out on the board and slice away....
I love rabbit and you know that Skip!! However I haven't made the full change to use it much on my crappie jigs but I use the heck out of it on my bass jigs and on my bluegill/trout jigs!! I have used it for tails on my crappie jigs but never on the bodies.... but just might give it a try sometime!
That rabbit just breeeeeeeeathes in the water!!!
Bass Jigs
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/l...ssjigs-000.jpg
Crappie Jigs
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/l.../200811048.jpg
Bluegill/Trout
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/l.../200811035.jpg
AW I especially like your bass jig on the top pic and yes it is really live stuff in the water. When I use it for a tail I use the zonker, is that what you had done on the other pics?
Skip
Thanks for the compliment on the bass jigs Skip!! The chartreuse portion of each of them are the zonker strips while the olive, black, and black/olive are all marabou (just so folks won't think the whole underbody is rabbit.Quote:
Originally Posted by skiptomylu
Now to your tail question....
Not with the skins.... I clipped the hairs as close to the skin as possible.... (I know you don't like that method... hehehee!!)
On my bass jigs it's all skin cause I need that portion to assist with the wrapping and creating a good firm body.
On my bluegill/trout jigs I clip off the rabbit fur from skin because of the small size of the hook & body.... however I am working on a new method that will include skin but I'm cutting that small piece off of the bulk patch that is on the cross-cut skins.
On those crappie jigs pictured, it's the same as what I did on the bluegill/trout fligs (not my term, saw it somewhere, like it and use it!).
So on my zonker strips, I'll use the longer hairs for my crappie jigs and the shorter hairs on my bluegill/trout fligs.
It's not that I don't like it (talking about cutting hair off the skin), but I just feel it would stay on better and it should have more action and the base of the hair is not tied down??Quote:
Originally Posted by AWMiller
Just asking here as I am more fowling the fly tying guys as I feel they have probably tried it all.
Skip
Aw I was just picking on ya Skip!! Some methods I'll leave the skin on and some I'll take the skin off... kind of like cooking with chicken! hahahaha!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by skiptomylu
On some of my trout flies, I'll use chartreuse or hot pink rabbit on top and it acts as a visual for me so that I can see the jig real good on the water. Or it my fly calls for a parachute, then I'll sometime sub in rabbit.
But it certainly has a lot of uses in tying!!
You know AW I just got my fly rod about a year or a little longer back, but I did have one as a kid. Now I just wish I had kept it up as much as I did other rods and reels. I just kind of feel left out at this point.
I mean I still can do it now and all that, but I must think how much fun I could have had while catching all the fish I have caught. Like when I lived 11 years in Ingleside TX. (near Corpus) and caught lust loads of red fish and that would have been awesome on a fly rod. I caught tons of them that were like 12 -14 pound range and in shallow flats so the run they do there is something special. I always used lures and never live bait so the fly rod should have been right in with that.
Just regret,
Skip
yeah i've still got my flyrod and take it with me all the time whether i'm going for bluegill/trout/crappie or on the surf for some rock perch or whatever hits it!!! Get that rod out and take it with you when you hit those crappie! It's a blast!
On another board, it was explained this way (I tried it and the strips looked bad).
We pelt, then use a comb to add a part into the strip. Use straightedge and cut the part. Then wet comb, and add another part, then cut. Continue until done.
My problem is that the strips looked good at over 1/4", but when I tried to get the nice stips you can buy, the strips looked shoody.
Here's a couple of mine ...
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/c...r/IMG_0373.jpg
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/c...r/IMG_0374.jpg
I will see if I can cut some to try, worth it to me for the action. Not sure I will do it like the video though. Almost scary.
I wonder if you can cut across the fur, basically a strip where the fur is lying to the side and wrap it around the hook to create a think body?
That would be the crosscut strips I use on top.Quote:
Originally Posted by fish_4_all
Skip