Tails

[ThrowingTimber]

Not the end all, but here is how I was taught.

Place your hook in your vice, (Im going to assume you’re right handed, Im a Lefty but I tie right handed)

The eye of your hook should face to your right if you’re looking at it left to right.

When you look at the eye of the hook take note of the inner diameter of the eye of the hook..

Take your thread and thread it through your bobbin (if you find that you break your thread often 2 things. A. spend the 10 bux for the ceramic bobbin B. put some wax on a tooth pick and swirl it around the tube for your bobbin if it aint ceramic. ) If you still snap thread, get kevlar thread, yeah they make it.

[ThrowingTimber]

Begin your first wrap make sure that your wraps go away from you. Always wrap AWAY from you. You’ll want to wrap an area the size of the inner diameter of the hook. If you look at the eye of the hook, begin your first wrap approx. the distance from the eye, the same distance as the hooks width itself. This gives your bucktail something to sit on if you will. (if you’ve got hard as nails I like to hit this first wrap with a drop, stuffs relatively inexpensive) Your call do or dont. The measurement is the pic on the right.

[ThrowingTimber]

You’ll want to tie in your flash if you’ll be adding any. (it varies really on if you’re just tying in sparklies or going for a lateral line ie. Like on a baitfish., not so say you cant tie in your flash to run on the sides then your bucktail over it, its all a matter of preference) Again you’ll want to measure. You want your flash to extend about 1.5 times the length of your hook shank, sometimes 2.0 times the length of your hook. You can tie in your flash, at the mid point or forward portion of that first initial wrap you tied that should be all set with hard as nails. I was taught to tie my flash in at its mid point then flip it back and give it a few wraps to hold it in place (this helps, if you notice some tails you can pull the flash right out) The extra step of tying it in at its mid point (tying it forward) then flipping it back and securing it will take an extra 15 – 20seconds but in the long run, they’re custom plugs right. Ok so at this point you, got the measurements, you’ve laid down your first wrap, you’ve secured that, and you’ve secured your flash. Bring that thread back up to the right-hand-side and don’t crowd your eye. (remember you want the distance of your first wrap to the hooks eye to be the same distance as the diameter of the hook) Basically grab your flash, find the middle, give it 3-4 wraps fold the second half back give that 3-4 wraps.

[ThrowingTimber]

Here is the flash tied in you can begin to see the head slightly forming. Its off to the side for the picture but you'd place it ontop or on the sides your call.

[ThrowingTimber]

Ok now you’re ready for the tail (I wont profess to know everything about hair selection at this point because that would be another couple pages itself) Grab yourself a chunk (every tyer in the world just puked) you’re happy with and trim it as close to the hide as possible (get good scissors and don’t skimp here, it will save you headaches) pinch the messy clump of hair near the base where you cut it. Now figure out how long you need the hair to extend. With your free hand pinch the hair at the length you want it, now flick the base of the hair the (the portion you cut close to the hide) this will get rid of any under hair (its kinda floaty you don’t want it it’ll change your action **floaty is a technical term** ) First pic is the messy hair, second pic I'm holding the tail at the desired length and you'll see the under hair flaring out the sides.

[ThrowingTimber]

After flicking out the under hair. Notice it in the back there, its hollow and very **floaty** you dont want it.

[zacs]

yes, i do it all the time. hard as nails is the product i use.
works for me...

[justplugit]

Great post Vic, Thank You. Now your gonna make me try tyin again. I hate tyin, my mits are waaay to big.

[ThrowingTimber]

I really dont think its your hands JP. The guy who taught me scotty has hands like oven mitts and he ties these wicked tiny ants, midge files n stuff for trout. I really think its just a matter of getting comfortable handling the materials. Youre not under any sort of rush to get it done or anything so playing with the materials and figuring out what works for you should get 'er done.

[reelecstasy]

Same exact way I do mine, great post Vic... Salty keyed me in on a few of the fine points a few years ago at plug fest, it pays to listen...

[nightfighter]

hmmmm, and i need a bunch for cutty.....

[justplugit]

Ya Vic, but his appendages prolly work.

[Karl F]

ya make it look easy.. I'm prolly the only guy who needs a shrink to get me to tye, and I ain't made that appointment yet ... just something about it, gets me nervous...

[Clogston29]

Thanks. Some good tips there. Just to add a little something, I find that the easiest way to tie off at the end is to make a small loop with braid and wrap that to the hook with about ten tight wraps of thread when the you’d normally tie off. Then cut the thread, put the end through the braid loop, and pull the tag end of the thread under the wraps by pulling out the loop of braid. A little hard as nails, head cement or epoxy and your all set.