dubbing

[sticksteer]

I have been tying crappie jigs for a while now and have never used dubbing. Can I use the Danville 210 flat waxed for dubbing or do I need something else?Any info you can give is more than I know about it at the present.

[deathb4disco]

I don't think you need dubbing for crappie jigs. Dubbing is mostly used to make bodies for small flies.

There's more info in the jig tying forum on this. Just search that forum for "dubbing".

[AtticaFish]

Well, I'm mostly self taught on the tying stuff, but here is what I do for dubbing on flies. I use pretty much any thread, but have a slice of solid wax that I slide on the thread to coat it before I twist on the dubbing. It helps the dub to stick to the thread, but have no clue if this is right... a small junk tying kit I bought had the wax, and this is what I've always used it for. :D Correct me if I'm wrong anyone...

For the bodies of small flies, lately I have been using peacock herl wrapped on. Has a very cool look and has been working good so far this season. Have learned you have to make sure it is locked in every couple of wraps or has a tendency to unravel once wet.

[sticksteer]

Small flies is what I want to use it on,sorry, didnt make myself clear on that. I'll check out dubbing in the search feature,
Attica, how do you "lock it " down every couple of wraps ?

[AtticaFish]

I just wrap the peacock 2 or 3 times then wrap my thread over it twice to hold it to the body, wrap the peacock, wrap the thread over it... and keep going till the body is done. You can get way with this with the peacock because the fibers are sparse and you never see the thread. If you do this with chenille, there is a lump every other wrap and doesnt look good.

I posted this a little while back, has a peacock body... got me over 30 keeper gills and 20 keeper crappies so far this year.

[sticksteer]

thanks for tht info, btw ,thats a good lookn' bug.

[ACSooner80]

Ok, Attica maybe I messed something....but what size hook is that, and what is all the material that you used? I've been tyin jigs, but wanna start w/ flies now, I have a flyrod I have had for bout 6 months but not been able to go out and use it yet. But plan to soon!

Thanks,
AC

[AtticaFish]

ACSooner - I make these mostly on #8 hooks. I just use cheapy bait holder hooks and bend them so they are not off-set and also smash down the bait barbs on the hook shank.

For tying the fly - The tail is black deer hair, only a couple of hair fibers. I build up the shape of the body with the thread (burgundy sewing thread) then tie in a piece of peacock herl at the back of the fly. Wrap the herl forward. Then tie in a neck hackle feather (rust color) and wrap it for the collar. I over-wrap the hackle a little to make it lay back, then just make a head with the thread and whip finish.

You can weight them as well by wrapping the shank with some led wire before you tie on thread. This color combo has done the best for me with this fly, but you can substitute anything. Check out the "Fly Tying" section on Fly Anglers OnLine for some good patterns.

[Ken Jones]

ATTICA-After I tie on my tail and build up the body. I tie my peacock herl on and use head cement on the body before rapping my peacock herl to body. This method the herl lasts longer fishing it. 35 years tieing flys.

[AtticaFish]

ATTICA-After I tie on my tail and build up the body. I tie my peacock herl on and use head cement on the body before rapping my peacock herl to body. This method the herl lasts longer fishing it. 35 years tieing flys.

Thanks Ken - I actually had a thought to try that not too long ago. It sorta came to me in a discussion on how to make chenille more durable. I learned to do it with chenille a while ago from store bought jigs that were glued in this way. Just never put 2 & 2 together but plan to try this when I restock my gill flies for next spring.