Homework from Alex C's Class 1

[billy 0]

I must be the only one doing the homework from Alex's class...

 

Wooly Bugger (1 w/bead, 1 w/out - forgot to add it)

 

I trapped too much hackle under the tinsel - doh

 

much better

 

and the Clouser Minnow (made with synthetic and tied much thicker because of the not so clear water):

 

 

 

Did I do good teach??

[Alex C. 0]

Yeah those look great :headbang: . The only thing I see that you want to watch is to not make any thread wraps behind the eyes on the "hook point side bundle" of hair on your clouser.

 

Kinda like this

 

But what you have posted will still fish great, especially if your local waters are mostly dirty :headbang:

 

 

[Alex C. 0]

something I just noticed on your first bugger is that the tinsel looks like real metal tinsel, is it? If so it's gonna make things tougher than they have to be. When you have the extra money try to pick up some small mylar tinsel. It's gold on one side adn silver on the other, and is much easier to wrap.

[billy 0]

Now, that makes sense - about not tying the material down on the hook side.... i see the difference. Thanks for the tip. I have the Mylar tinsel, I don't know what I used (obviously not what I thought I was using). I do enjoy your classes.

[billy 0]

On the clouser minnow -

 

What is the secret to make the deer hair lay down on the shaft? As soon as I tighten the thread it flares. Am I using the wrong type of hair? :dunno:

 

I used synthetic materials on these two, but on others I have tried the hair does not act the way I want it to.... :wallbash:

 

I think I need a remedial course... or some expert guidance...

[Alex C. 0]

There is no one type of hair that you have to use. But traditionally they are tied with bucktail.

 

If your hair won't sit low, then there's something probbly pushing it up. Let's look at this one again

 

 

With the yellow bundle of hair, the thread wraps behind the eyes are holding it so that it lays flat. So what do you do since a couple posts ago I tolod you not to do that with the other bundle? here are a few things to troubleshoot off the top of my head. If theres omeone else reading with something to add, please do.

 

1- There shouldn't really be any type of bulk or materials tied in on the bottom(hook point side) of the shank. look at yours and see if there is some type of bulk that is causing your dark colored bundle to stick up.

 

2- Look at my wraps on the head. There is a small gap between the first wrap and the eyes. The point directly under the eyes is gonna have the "most" bulk. Now that still shouldn't be much, but, if your wraps are tight like they should be, the closer they get to that little mound of thread under the eyes, the more that hair will stand up.

 

3- Some types of hair are just going to stand up higher than others and there isn't much you can do about it.

 

Hopefully that makes sense, and helps

[billy 0]

It makes a lot of sense.

 

I have been tying deer hair and it wants to spin on the shank. I have tried to make it lay down, but to no avail so far. I think I am not applying tension to the thread in the correct manner. When you applied the hair, it laid down. When I applied it, I spun it. What is the proper sequence to not spin the hair (or can you not use deer hair). The deer hair not acting right - surely cannot be my application :bs: - is why I chose to use synthetic. I can make the synthetic play nice (or at least nicer).

 

Inquiring minds want to know...

[Alex C. 0]

You want your hair to come from the tail.

 

[billy 0]

I guess it helps when you use the right stuff... oh cool, another excuse to buy more stuff....

[Alex C. 0]

Buying more stuff is always cool. But what's even cooler is that you learned that just because it's from a deer, doesn't mean it is all the same hair.

 

Two characteristics I look for when buying deer tails/ bucktails are how well the dye took to it, and the straightness of the hairs. Usually if the dye job is bad you can rub the hairs and the color will bleed onto your fingers. Sometimes you won't be able to find a tail that doesn't bleed. With the hair straightness, look at the clouser I tied in the pic again. You can see the hairs are kind of krinkly. Well sometimes you'll see a tail with nice and straight hairs. I personally like the krinkly hairs. BUT, some people like to look for the straight ones. I don't think it matters much to the fish though. But is something you might want to pay attention to.

[Hollywood 0]

 

 

I have been tying deer hair and it wants to spin on the shank. I have tried to make it lay down, but to no avail so far. I think I am not applying tension to the thread in the correct manner. When you applied the hair, it laid down. When I applied it, I spun it. What is the proper sequence to not spin the hair (or can you not use deer hair). The deer hair not acting right - surely cannot be my application :bs: - is why I chose to use synthetic. I can make the synthetic play nice (or at least nicer).

 

Inquiring minds want to know...

 

The same thing was happening to me. Don't reef on the thread when you start out. Do a half dozen or so wraps with just enough tension to hold the hair in place. Then start tensioning the thread more as you go. This way, the thread that is already laid down takes the tension and not the hair. This has stopped mine from flaring.

 

Also, if you pinch the hair and do a 'loop through' between your thumb and forefinger three or four times before you let go of the hair (again, don't tension the thread any more than necessary), it won't spin around the hook shank. I keep my fingers on the hair until I'm done the wrap but that's just me.

 

HTH

 

[beaverfsu 0]

Nice work. I wish I had these classes when I first started!

 

If the buck tail is flairing, start wraping the tread away from the head down the buck tail, don't use alot of tension. That usually helps lie it down. I have tied clousers with synth's when fishing for bluefish, other than that, it's bucktail.

 

I personally like a longer, marabou tail on my buggers. It gives alot of movement.

 

Enjoy your new addiction!