Preparing deer tails

[bigjim5589]

You're welcome! Hair is always a good choice for such jigs. If you ever get into fly fishing, tying flies is similar to tying jigs, and they don't have to be display pieces to catch fish on them. You'll get better the more you tie.

This first photo is a jig that I tie for Stripers. There are similar around that use plastic baits, and they can be added to this jig, but I like the hair and so do the Stripers. I modified an inline trolling head to make this into a jig.  Only make them in 3/4 & 1 ounce, and both have an 8/0 hook.

The second photo is a spinnerbait that I also tie for Stripers primarily, and with bucktail. Just something else that's different than most folks use. Others make them too. but not many use them for Stripers. These have 4/0 or 5/0 hooks in them. 

[efishnc]

 My dad was an ardent bucktail walleye man his whole life, and I was as well until my 20s when I drifted into bass fishing.  One year Dad tied a red, white and blue spinner-bait for me as a birthday joke and I caught a LOT of fish on it before finally losing it.  Anyway, jigs don't have the same longevity as a spinner and therefore don't see nearly as many fish, but suffice it to say I was impressed how well the bucktail held up to the beating it took from all those fish.

[bigjim5589]

My dad was an ardent bucktail walleye man his whole life, and I was as well until my 20s when I drifted into bass fishing.  One year Dad tied a red, white and blue spinner-bait for me as a birthday joke and I caught a LOT of fish on it before finally losing it.  Anyway, jigs don't have the same longevity as a spinner and therefore don't see nearly as many fish, but suffice it to say I was impressed how well the bucktail held up to the beating it took from all those fish.

Good story! My Dad had friends on the Eastern Shore side of MD who had been waterman, and we went and fished with them many times. Small bucktails were the lure of choice for Striped Bass. I grew up fishing them mostly for fish in the Chesapeake Bay & tribs, but they'll catch fish anywhere.

Some of the first bucktail jigs that I ever tied, were reties, of jigs we used, and the hair had been chewed off. That was a good learning experience, and I've been tying them ever since. I've tied many flies too with bucktail.

I've even since obtained molds for the old head styles we used when I was a kid, even though some newer heads are a lot more popular. The older I get, the more I miss some of that from when I was a kid, so I guess I'm a bit nostalgic now.

The old stuff still catches fish! 

[WALLEYE WACKER]

There are a lot of die hard buck tail guys out the and solid white seems to be the most popular color it just flat out catches fish of all kinds.

[bigjim5589]

There are a lot of die hard buck tail guys out the and solid white seems to be the most popular color it just flat out catches fish of all kinds.

Yes sir! That's the consensus among Striped Bass anglers too. The majority choose white most. Black, yellow, wine, and chartreuse are the other most popular colors, but possibly it doesn't matter what color is used, they'll still catch plenty of fish. I like a Root Beer color brown for hair jigs for SM bass, so bucktail is a versatile material. 

[efishnc]

The older I get, the more I miss some of that from when I was a kid, so I guess I'm a bit nostalgic now.

You're in good company here... many of us have decades of fishing (and crafting) under our belts, and there is just something about going old school that puts even more 'pride on the line'.

[bigjim5589]

You're in good company here... many of us have decades of fishing (and crafting) under our belts, and there is just something about going old school that puts even more 'pride on the line'.

Yes sir! I am in great company here I believe, and fully understand what you're saying.

There's too many folks today who do not take much pride at all in what they do, and I miss that also, as that used to be normal when I was a kid, at least in my family. I know that many here may see that too as well. 

[toadfrog]

Just for giggles 3/32 or there about.

[bigjim5589]

Just for giggles 3/32 or there about.

Cute little fellow! 

[Lines]

Looks like that minion character.  I like it toadfrog.

[Fatman]

I clean them the same way as everyone but I do like to brush through them with an old hair brush to really get any dirt or grit out of the hair.  I've gone to Fly Dye from Anglers Workshop.  They are out of a lot of colors right now but they work very well and a little goes a long ways!  http://www.anglersworkshop.com/Water-Fowl-Feathers/Anglers-Fly-Dyes

[bigjim5589]

I clean them the same way as everyone but I do like to brush through them with an old hair brush to really get any dirt or grit out of the hair.  I've gone to Fly Dye from Anglers Workshop.  They are out of a lot of colors right now but they work very well and a little goes a long ways!  http://www.anglersworkshop.com/Water-Fowl-Feathers/Anglers-Fly-Dyes

I've read that Fly Dye was a good choice. I've stayed with Jacquard or Dharma's dyes, just because they've worked well for me.

When processing them from raw, or even if buying them packaged, cheap hair conditioner also can be used to aid in making the hair softer and to get anything out that might be in the hair. It does need to be rinsed well in cold water, or it tends to make them attract dirt that may be in the water.  I've never had it cause a problem with dyed tails, but I guess that depends on what dyes might be used.

[Fishermanbt]

Well, I pulled 6 of 8 tails off the drying boards and I’m very pleased with the results. I ended up dying a few with the Rit colors I had and they turned out good enough for my application. My daughter supervised me dying them so it was well worth the experiment. I can’t wait to dress up some of the manic mullet jigs I’ve been pouring to see how they work. I’m thinking the salty critters won’t stand a chance during the annual beach trip.  Thanks again for all the great advice and guidance.

[bigjim5589]

From your photo it looks like you got a decent dark gray, wine, and a dark purple. I've had problems getting a nice deep black, but have ended up with some very nice gray shades in my attempts, which I like for backs when tying baitfish streamer flies. Some of the dark gray is fine as a black too, but when I want a deep jet black now, I just buy them already dyed.

I've found it takes a lot of dye for me to get a good black, and frankly for the prices of deer tails that I buy most, not worth the effort or cost to me.

That wine color you got there would be great for bucktails for Stripers!

Like you I don't get too concerned if colors don't turn out as I want, as anything I end up with I'll use.

I haven't tied any of those Manic Mullet heads yet with hair, but I have a couple on my desk now that I intend to do just that. I painted a few white, so that's what I'll be tying. Like you, I'm looking forward to trying them.

[Fishermanbt]

You’re exactly right on the colors.  I didn’t try black since I have still have two that I purchased. I looked at the website you had mentioned. I had no idea such a place existed. Since most of what I will be tying will be white I think I will just stick with what I have and buy a few chartreuse, pink and a few other fancy colors as needed. The fish I will be targeting in the sound at the beach will be stripes, trout and flukes. This past year they really enjoyed a white buck tail with a MF green earthworm color trailer.
Here’s a few manic mullet I poured ready to be dressed up as well as an ultra minnow I powder painted and tied