Tails

[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.

[ThrowingTimber]

Notice that once I've got the hair I want to use all, nice and neat, no stray hairs or underhairs laying around I cut the portion I'm tying down. what you REALLY want to notice is: A. Its cut at a SLIGHT angle, dont make it a wicked sharp angle you'll f it up. B. The angle of the cut, is the same length as that initial wrap I laid down.

[ThrowingTimber]

Now when I secure the hair, it secures a bit at a time with each wrap. (thats key, if you think you're going to secure it all at once you got another thing coming to ya) in the pic you cant make out the thread, but the first wrap secures the green area, the second wrap secures the red area. This is being tied on the top only, if you wanted to go all around the hook youd secure this with 3 or 4 wraps. Rotate your hook, grab a chunk of bucktail, flick out the **floatys** (again thats a technical term) cut at a slight angle place that on the hook shank, secure it. Easy and clean.

Once you have that down (really its just a matter of getting used to switching the material between hands) you can take larger amounts of bucktail, and secure them in place with 3-4 wraps (medium tension) and if you pinch the hair it will work its self around the hook.


OK, once you have that secured in place, wind your thread all the way to the front and wrap it all the way to the back. Cutting that slight angle in your hair does two things, makes it easier to secure A. and B. begins to build your head (you know what I mean if you've ever just wrapped crazy amounts of thread on the hair to get 'the look' I know Im not the only one to ever do that )

[ThrowingTimber]

Ok most of it is secured and you can begin to see a slight head forming, hint if you drop your bobbin and its waaay too close to your hook point, at this step you didnt measure right. About 7-9 wraps and this thing is secured, no need to kill it with wraps, but it sure makes em purty! wrap front to back and dont go fast, (the hurrieder' you go the behinder'er you'll get)

[ThrowingTimber]

when you place a good sized clump of hair on the hook shank, you've already: Flicked out the floaty's **thats a technical term** and you've cut it at a slight angle. (so your hair is good to go) You place the hair on your hook shank, secure it (again medium tension, whats medium tension, medium tension is dropping your bobbin and watching what happens to the wrap) Ok, so now you got this massive clump of hair(which softens or kills action) on your hook shank, pinch it a LIL bit! Dont pinch it hard, take your index finger and tap it to your thumb.. yep pinch it that tight. With each pinch, more of a squeeze really, you'll see and feel the hair move around the hook shank.

[ThrowingTimber]

There is your head. Tie that off with a few half hitches, dont worry too much about whip finishers and foofy stuff like that since you're going to epoxy your threads. Finish with head cement or 5, 10, 30 min epoxy (the faster it sets the more yellowing you'll get, beachmaster had mentioned something about using a uv inhibitor in fast curing epoxy maybe that can be used here. Im not sure, give it a whack and let me know). If you go with the epoxy, you'll need to make a spinner for the head to get a nice round head. You can get the motors here: Fly shops sell these with a switch and a styrofoam circle for like 30 bux. the $2.75 deal is what youre looking for. Grab that up, buy your wife/girl/ flavor of the month a nice flower bouquet. When they die (the flowers) rip out that styrofoam "Thinggie" (thinggie is a technical term) and cut it into a round piece. Take that, round piece and stick it on that motor. Go to home rip off and get an extension cord thinggie for a lamp. Wire that to the $2.75 motor. Make a wicked nice stand for it (you got a shop full of tools), so your styrofoam thinggie can spin free and your tails will spin without hitting the base of your spinner thinggie. Spin til they're dry and you're done.

And thats about it. Again I dont profess to know everything about tying or hair selection etc etc. This is how I was taught and I figured it may help someone out. There are some VERY talented tyers here John K., OJ, Scott B., Andrew, Nib ties a mean tail too, these guys come to mind immediately, and I welcome them to chime in with any corrections or points for improvement.

[BigFish]

Thanks for all the trouble Vic....I will let you know how I make out!