Willow Drifter
01-16-2005, 05:07 PM
I have been on my vise for the last couple of days and it sure has been relaxing. Between work, my 2 wild little minions, and my beautiful pregnant wife, down time has been a rare commodity. :eek:
I would have to say that better then 50% of the jigs I fish with are tied with rabbit fur. Most of my jig fishing is chasing Silvers or fall Rainbows. When chasing the rainbows I have had the best luck using a flesh pattern and rabbit fur is the way to go for flesh flies. Next on my list for rainbows is a black or purple Egg Sucking Leach with bunny fur as well. I have gotten some Emails and PMs regarding the techniques for tying with rabbit fur so here is my stab at it for you.
The jig I will be tying is a flesh pattern that represents the skin, meat, and skein of a freshly filleted salmon. This was one of my favorite jigs last fall.
The number one tool you will need when tying with rabbit fur is WATER! Rabbit fur will get in your nose, ears, basically everywhere. Water is the greatest tool to tame this stuff. I have a nice little pot of water on my desk that I dip my fingers in while thing.
When buying rabbit fur you can get it in a couple of different configurations. I use just regular old rabbit strips. I look for full, thick fur and thin strips. You can also get cross cut rabbit strips, when tying with these you will not get as full a fly and in my opinion less movement in the water. There are also jumbo rabbit strips. For our use on these jigs it is best to stay away from jumbo strips as they are just too wide for our use.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-096F.JPG
For a tool list you can my other posts on tying jigs or shoot me a PM or email.
The materials we are going to use are super simple.
Hook: 1/0 Owner (your choice of brand, I like the Owner hooks).
Bead: 11/32” Solid Brass Bead (Nickel plated or Polished Brass).
Thread: Kevlar or GSP (Gel Spun Polyethylene) and black thread for the head.
Tail: White Rabbit strip.
Body: White, Orange, and Grizzly rabbit strips.
Other Materials: You can add Pearl Flash, Flashabou, or Ice Fur to the jig for added flash. Use your imagination. TRY THIS JIG IN OTHER COLORS. IT IS VERY DURABLE AND A KILLER!
1. Place your hook in the vise and make sure that it is secure and won’t move up or down when pressure is applied to it.
2. Next thread your bobbin. Neatly cut the end of the thread. Take the tip of the thread and insert it into the bottom of your bobbin and then suck the thread out the tip with your mouth. This is way faster and easier then using a bobbin threader and it is free.
3. Wind the thread onto the shank (the long flat part of the hook). Hold the loose end of the thread in your non-tying hand between your thumb and index finger. Wind the thread backward and then forward over itself to lock it into place. You will need to use a little pressure to make sure it doesn’t slide around. Wind the thread back until you have it good and tight (this may take 10 or so turns). Pull the tag with your non-tying hand and cut it tight against the hook. (Kevlar and GSP threads are very, very strong so don’t wind them around a finger and pull too tightly. They will cut your skin. They are also very slick so it may take a little getting used to).
4. Next thread the pin through your 11/32” solid brass bead head. Wrap the thread around the pin and the shank of the hook. You will tie the pin on about mid shank. Wind your thread back to the point of the pin and then forward to the bead. This makes sure your pin and bead are really secure. Then wind (in wide spaced wraps) back to the end of your pin at the end of the hook shank.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-092F.JPG
5. We will start with the tail. Take your white rabbit fur and pinch an end with your left hand. Choose the end with the fur moving back over itself, the tips should be pointing to the left. While holding it, pinch the ends of the fur and skin between your fingers. Take your scissors and slip them on top of the strip but under the fur. Trim the fur off about ¼” so you just have the strip.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-094F.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-095F.JPG
6. Now tie in the strip with the fur side down facing the barb of the hook. Secure it very well. Cut the strip so it creates a 1” long tail.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-098F.JPG
7. Once you have secured the tail move your thread to the head of the jig. We are going to tie this jig a little differently. We are going to start at the head and work backwards to the bend of the hook. This will create a very neat and VERY durable jig.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-100F.JPG
8. Take your grizzly rabbit strip, trim the end like we did on the white strip and secure it to the side of the hook shank. You will want to secure this perpendicular to the hook so you can start wrapping it right away. You can do this with a series of figure eights with your thread. As you secure the end wind your thread over it along the hook shank towards the hook bend. This will create a nice under wrap and as you wind the rabbit strip backwards over itself it will become very durable. As you wind the rabbit strip back, make sure you have nice even wraps that don’t overlap themselves. As you wind keep wetting the fur and pull it over the head. This will keep it out of your way.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-101F.JPG
9. Wind the fur back about 1/3 of the hook shank. Take your needle and make a separation in the fur with some facing to the left and some to the right. This is the area that you will be securing with your thread.. Wrap your thread over this very tightly about 10 times. Now trim off the end and secure it to the hook.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-102F.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-103F.JPG
10. Now take your orange rabbit fur and tie it to the hook as you did the grizzly. You will repeat steps 8 & 9
For the orange and the white fur.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-104F.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-105F.JPG
11. Now that you have your white fur wrapped all the way to the bend of the hook you are ready to tie it off. You are going to tie it off so that it is directly over the existing tail that we tied in on step 5 but with the fur side away from the hook barb. Tame the fur with water and create a nice area to secure with your thread. Take about 20 nice wraps and then secure it just as you would a regular head. With a series of half hitches or whip finish. Secure it with your favorite head cement.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-106F.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-107F.JPG
12. For finishing off the head I like to use a half-hitch. I found a good explanation of this technique in the FFF booklet Introduction to Fly Tying (by Al Beatty & Bob Lay)
a. THE HALF-HITCH: The half hitch is one of two methods used to finish the fly. It is really nothing more than an over-hand loop that is placed over the eye of the hook and around the hook shank. When the excess thread is pulled out of the loop, it tightens around the hook shank and keeps the thread from unwrapping. Three or four of these applied to the hook is one way of tying off the fly.
It is applied like this:
· With the thread attached to the hook, hold the bobbin in your left hand with about four inches of thread between the hook and your bobbin.
· Hold the forefinger and the middle finger of your right hand apart about an inch and, with the back of your hand facing you, lay them across the thread.
· Rotate the fingers toward you 180 degrees forming a loop with the thread wrapped around the fingers.
· The thread from the bobbin crosses over the thread from the hook forming an X between your fingers.
· Slip this loop over the eye of the hook and gradually remove the slack from the thread. As the thread is tightened remove your finger and allow the thread to secure around the hook shank. (I like to do this about 5-7 times to really secure the head).
The finished Fresh Flesh Jig. :dance:
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-111F.JPG
When selecting materials you can visit your local fly shop or visit Mark Anderson’s great site firstcastjigs.com.
That pretty much does it for tying a rabbit strip jig. These jigs are a real winner in lots of ways. Very easy to tie, extremely durable, offer tons of movement, and most importantly they catch fish. As you will read in all my posts. Try different colors and styles, USE YOUR IMAGINATION. :dance:
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.
WD
I would have to say that better then 50% of the jigs I fish with are tied with rabbit fur. Most of my jig fishing is chasing Silvers or fall Rainbows. When chasing the rainbows I have had the best luck using a flesh pattern and rabbit fur is the way to go for flesh flies. Next on my list for rainbows is a black or purple Egg Sucking Leach with bunny fur as well. I have gotten some Emails and PMs regarding the techniques for tying with rabbit fur so here is my stab at it for you.
The jig I will be tying is a flesh pattern that represents the skin, meat, and skein of a freshly filleted salmon. This was one of my favorite jigs last fall.
The number one tool you will need when tying with rabbit fur is WATER! Rabbit fur will get in your nose, ears, basically everywhere. Water is the greatest tool to tame this stuff. I have a nice little pot of water on my desk that I dip my fingers in while thing.
When buying rabbit fur you can get it in a couple of different configurations. I use just regular old rabbit strips. I look for full, thick fur and thin strips. You can also get cross cut rabbit strips, when tying with these you will not get as full a fly and in my opinion less movement in the water. There are also jumbo rabbit strips. For our use on these jigs it is best to stay away from jumbo strips as they are just too wide for our use.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-096F.JPG
For a tool list you can my other posts on tying jigs or shoot me a PM or email.
The materials we are going to use are super simple.
Hook: 1/0 Owner (your choice of brand, I like the Owner hooks).
Bead: 11/32” Solid Brass Bead (Nickel plated or Polished Brass).
Thread: Kevlar or GSP (Gel Spun Polyethylene) and black thread for the head.
Tail: White Rabbit strip.
Body: White, Orange, and Grizzly rabbit strips.
Other Materials: You can add Pearl Flash, Flashabou, or Ice Fur to the jig for added flash. Use your imagination. TRY THIS JIG IN OTHER COLORS. IT IS VERY DURABLE AND A KILLER!
1. Place your hook in the vise and make sure that it is secure and won’t move up or down when pressure is applied to it.
2. Next thread your bobbin. Neatly cut the end of the thread. Take the tip of the thread and insert it into the bottom of your bobbin and then suck the thread out the tip with your mouth. This is way faster and easier then using a bobbin threader and it is free.
3. Wind the thread onto the shank (the long flat part of the hook). Hold the loose end of the thread in your non-tying hand between your thumb and index finger. Wind the thread backward and then forward over itself to lock it into place. You will need to use a little pressure to make sure it doesn’t slide around. Wind the thread back until you have it good and tight (this may take 10 or so turns). Pull the tag with your non-tying hand and cut it tight against the hook. (Kevlar and GSP threads are very, very strong so don’t wind them around a finger and pull too tightly. They will cut your skin. They are also very slick so it may take a little getting used to).
4. Next thread the pin through your 11/32” solid brass bead head. Wrap the thread around the pin and the shank of the hook. You will tie the pin on about mid shank. Wind your thread back to the point of the pin and then forward to the bead. This makes sure your pin and bead are really secure. Then wind (in wide spaced wraps) back to the end of your pin at the end of the hook shank.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-092F.JPG
5. We will start with the tail. Take your white rabbit fur and pinch an end with your left hand. Choose the end with the fur moving back over itself, the tips should be pointing to the left. While holding it, pinch the ends of the fur and skin between your fingers. Take your scissors and slip them on top of the strip but under the fur. Trim the fur off about ¼” so you just have the strip.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-094F.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-095F.JPG
6. Now tie in the strip with the fur side down facing the barb of the hook. Secure it very well. Cut the strip so it creates a 1” long tail.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-098F.JPG
7. Once you have secured the tail move your thread to the head of the jig. We are going to tie this jig a little differently. We are going to start at the head and work backwards to the bend of the hook. This will create a very neat and VERY durable jig.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-100F.JPG
8. Take your grizzly rabbit strip, trim the end like we did on the white strip and secure it to the side of the hook shank. You will want to secure this perpendicular to the hook so you can start wrapping it right away. You can do this with a series of figure eights with your thread. As you secure the end wind your thread over it along the hook shank towards the hook bend. This will create a nice under wrap and as you wind the rabbit strip backwards over itself it will become very durable. As you wind the rabbit strip back, make sure you have nice even wraps that don’t overlap themselves. As you wind keep wetting the fur and pull it over the head. This will keep it out of your way.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-101F.JPG
9. Wind the fur back about 1/3 of the hook shank. Take your needle and make a separation in the fur with some facing to the left and some to the right. This is the area that you will be securing with your thread.. Wrap your thread over this very tightly about 10 times. Now trim off the end and secure it to the hook.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-102F.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-103F.JPG
10. Now take your orange rabbit fur and tie it to the hook as you did the grizzly. You will repeat steps 8 & 9
For the orange and the white fur.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-104F.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-105F.JPG
11. Now that you have your white fur wrapped all the way to the bend of the hook you are ready to tie it off. You are going to tie it off so that it is directly over the existing tail that we tied in on step 5 but with the fur side away from the hook barb. Tame the fur with water and create a nice area to secure with your thread. Take about 20 nice wraps and then secure it just as you would a regular head. With a series of half hitches or whip finish. Secure it with your favorite head cement.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-106F.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-107F.JPG
12. For finishing off the head I like to use a half-hitch. I found a good explanation of this technique in the FFF booklet Introduction to Fly Tying (by Al Beatty & Bob Lay)
a. THE HALF-HITCH: The half hitch is one of two methods used to finish the fly. It is really nothing more than an over-hand loop that is placed over the eye of the hook and around the hook shank. When the excess thread is pulled out of the loop, it tightens around the hook shank and keeps the thread from unwrapping. Three or four of these applied to the hook is one way of tying off the fly.
It is applied like this:
· With the thread attached to the hook, hold the bobbin in your left hand with about four inches of thread between the hook and your bobbin.
· Hold the forefinger and the middle finger of your right hand apart about an inch and, with the back of your hand facing you, lay them across the thread.
· Rotate the fingers toward you 180 degrees forming a loop with the thread wrapped around the fingers.
· The thread from the bobbin crosses over the thread from the hook forming an X between your fingers.
· Slip this loop over the eye of the hook and gradually remove the slack from the thread. As the thread is tightened remove your finger and allow the thread to secure around the hook shank. (I like to do this about 5-7 times to really secure the head).
The finished Fresh Flesh Jig. :dance:
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/505/4401MVC-111F.JPG
When selecting materials you can visit your local fly shop or visit Mark Anderson’s great site firstcastjigs.com.
That pretty much does it for tying a rabbit strip jig. These jigs are a real winner in lots of ways. Very easy to tie, extremely durable, offer tons of movement, and most importantly they catch fish. As you will read in all my posts. Try different colors and styles, USE YOUR IMAGINATION. :dance:
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.
WD