Spinning Deer Hair Question

[JoeSperanza]

Do any of you deer hair connoisseurs spin deer hair in a loop and then wrap it on the shank? Seems like it might work, I don't know how tight it can be packed. I really do not like doing deer hair flies BUT they have their place and I need to suck it up and do more . Any pros or cons on this method<-->post 'em up

I tried a few tests and I can't seem to getthe hair tightly packed like the normal way of spinning hair, seems like it would be good for bombers cause the hair is not too tight and the hackle will wind thru it good. I guess it will work for flies that don't need a vary tight packed body or head OR those really cool looking frog colored patterns

[NickConwall]

Found this on the net for ya, I was trying to grasp your idea of using a spinning loop for deer hair & I think this may be what you are looking to do, it doesn't show adding in any hackle but you could see how it could be tied in front or back.
flyanglersonline.com/features/canada/can284.php

hope it helps!
-N

[JoeSperanza]

that is it, I am just trying to figure out how to get it packed and tight enough to make a deer hair popper of dalherg diver, looks good for most everything else, i personally think it will be good for bombers. I';ve tried really stacking the hair in the loop and that helped a little, I'll keep trying and see what I come up with

[Frank Swarner]

You just have to bite the bullet and do it the traditional way Joe. Not that spinning the deer hair in a loop won't work or doesn't have applications.........it does, but I don't think you'll ever get it packed tight enough for bombers or bass bugs.

I'm not that good at it but get fishable flies. I learned watching a Jimmy Nix video and a Dave Whitlock video....I think Chris Helm has a video out there too. Kelly Galloup's streamer fishing video has some good tips in it as well.

1. Use strong thread such as monocord or kevlar.

2. Not all deer hair is the same.......I like using deer belly hair. Again check the quality between patches.

3. Make sure you comb out all of the under fur before trying to spin the deer hair.

4. A clump of hair the thickness of a pencil is good to start for spinning. If you want more hair on the hook, use that same size clump but flare it on bottom of the hook shank then flare another same size clump on top of the hook shank

5. Make 3 - 4 turns in front of the hair then push it back using your finger nails.....then do the next clump(s) and so on and so on.

6. The pros trim with a flexible razor blade .......... I just use scissors cause the razor blade gives me the hee bee jee bees.

Hope this helps a little Joe!!
Frank

[k clancy]

I gave putting the hair in a dubbing loop a serious try a while back, Frank's right, you won't be able to pack it tight enough.

All of Franks' suggestions are good, re: the trimming, I use a blade for an injector type razor, they are not flexible and only have one sharp edge so they only scare half the bejesus out of me but still I have experience with the emergency room as a result of less than complete attention to what I was doing.

After watching Nick, Steve & Charlie several times, I kinda got the drift, clean the hair well, keep the size of the bunch manageable, use Kevlar or similar, use 2 clumps ( or more) per section of hook shank, get the thread in front of the clump before packing it well, resign yourself to the fact that it takes a while to get it down and practice.

good luck