Is there anything wrong with just using thread for the body other than it will be a little skinnier?
Usually the head cement is too thick for a jig and still not leave a hard spot and why I just make my own glue for the chenille where the finish is. I want it to soak in fast and not leave a hard spot. Head cement mostly is for fly tyers to put o the head of the fly and most don't have chenille used. Just an FYI!
Is there anything wrong with just using thread for the body other than it will be a little skinnier?
Thanks for the reply Skip! Also, have you noticed if crappie prefer one tail material over another? (I.E. bucktail, marabou, or belly hair)
Last edited by callmecamo; 01-30-2015 at 10:50 AM.
I think it depends on time of year which relates to how cool or warm the water is. I use to just believe in feathers, but since I have been tying some of that has changed. Let me tell you this little true story, some guys in Louisiana ask me to see if I could make some jigs like they wanted and I got them to send me a few of theirs so I could see them in hand. They had an unusual head style and used kip tail hair with that. So I got a guy to see if he could pour me some heads like they had and he ended up making a mold that was made from the sample I sent him. However I told him that I wanted a small collar and a slight flair at the end, no barb! Anyway he send me 2 samples that I painted and then tied. One day soon after that I went down to my bank with a little wimpy rod and one of the jigs tied on and a cork. I put it in the water just maybe 2 feet off the bank. Soon nothing happened so I lifted it out to move and I saw a swirl and a gold looking flash so I dropped it back in. 15 minutes later I had 3 crappie and the smallest was 14" long, LOL! Needless to say I was very impressed with the kip tail after that. I feel if the water is cold still the love it not moving as much as say marabou and nothing has the action of marabou so I am a huge fan of it, will use it all spring and then will use hackle and marabou tails in summer. Back to marabou in fall. I just about use a Roadrunner with marabou tail closet to 100% of the spring fishing! Bucktail I am still not a big fan of, but have tied a good bit of it and I do not like the Large Northern tails, prefer smaller Southern Buck tails for tying. If I was going to fish with some it would be smaller ones as the hair is not as thick or as stiff. If I want to spin some deer hair it would probably be body hair and not tails.
Oh and squirrel tails are also good!
Skip
Peak Vise Dealer
Tying Materials, Chenille and Hackle
For Pictures of my Crystal, Nylon/Rayon or
New Age Chenille Please PM Me! Also I
have the Saltwater Neck Hackle and some
colors of Marabou plus other things!Fishaholic_Jim LIKED above post
Thanks Skip! I want to try my hand at this as well. I like the jigs like PePop and SK use. Be nice to catch fish on jigs I made myself!
skiptomylu LIKED above post
Skip, this was good timing. Just saw your post because I was wanting to know what I needed to get started tying my own jigs. I've seen yours as well as others and almost everyone does some beautiful work. I make my own jigs and powdercoat them but I want to take it to the next level.
Do you believe you catch crappie more consistently on hand tied jigs than soft plastics?
Where would you recommend going to learn tying techniques, youtube, join a club, find a class etc.?
Thank again for the info. I agree about getting quality materials and tools to work with. Now I just have to learn how so I get some confidence. May need to go back and look at some of the pics you've showed over the years. Very professional.
The videos on YouTube are really helpful as long as they practice good methods, but when I learned the videos didn't exist, but I found a site for fly tying that had and still has the same lessons that are excellent! All you do is see how they tie things in and use them and copy that method and your jigs will be very good. Just find a lesson on a fly for what ever materials you want to use and see how they do it. Tat site has so much great info too and a great tips page too!
FAOL............ Fly Anglers OnLine, Your Complete Internet Flyfishing Resource.
Click on Fly Tying and then on Beginning tying. The first few are about materials and tools, but soon it gets into the tying. Also you will get a lot of helpful language info from that site and will help you always. Some just do the videos and never really learn some of the info they could use to help them later even if it's just knowing more about materials and what they are used for.
You probably will to see them use neck hackle for tails, but that's each and I even have video on cutting them for use.
Also if you have any questions just send ma a PM or email. Also if your interested in any materials I have just also send me an email and I will reply back.
[email protected]
Skip
pros and cons on c-clamp or pedestal vise