Title states the question. I have been doing deceivers and bass bugs spinning deer hair on bare metal shank. I picked up a book the other day that said “experts” agree that it is easier to spin deer hair on a hook shank that is covered with a thread body.
Well I guess that makes me NOT an expert. I know I can try this myself on my own hooks. But it would be interesting to hear opinions from the FAOL world.
Is it iasier to spin deer hair…and PACK it on a bare shank…or on a thread body?
tks
Jim
Jim,
I always spin mine on a bare shank. Tried with a thread base, but couldn’t pack it as tightly.
Works for me.
Buddy
Bare shank works best for me.
Regards,
Scott
Thank you Buddy and Scott. I was sitting on the seat in the engineering library (in the bathroom on the commode) and picked up one of the many things I have collected and never looked at. It is a book called “The Art of Fly Tying”. As I stated earlier it said “most experts agree that is easier to spin deer hair on a shank with a thread body”. Sorry to repeat.
But that is what caused me to wonder about it. I am still quite the rookie at fly tying. Going from spun deer hair deceivers to nymphs to emergers to midges to cripples to streamers… etc.
tks for the reply. Gurantee if it works for you two guys…it’s the best way for me to do it.
tks again
Jim
Spins and packs best on bare shank.
I did run into problems with articulated flies though since you have to bind the wire to the hook before starting the front fly. i found that the UNI gel spun thread i was using was pretty slippery so i made sure to wrap it as smooth as possible and was able to get decent spin and pack. had to work the hair side to side to get it to pack but not bad overall.
I use a thread base for all my flies, even spun deer, I find that the fly is much more durable that way.
Usually I will spin on a bare hook shank. However, talking with Chris Helm, he explained that his “Brassie” hair packers should be used on hair spun on a thread base. The brassie is used to push the thread base not the hair. The thing to remember, though, is that Chris doesn’t usually spin deer hair!!! He places the hair around the shank and flairs it. Subtle difference, less movement.
I think the best advice is suck it and see. Find a way that works best for you.
Cheers,
A.
Hi Whitewolf,
You wrote,
“I picked up a book the other day that said “experts” agree …”
Well, I guess that statement says all there is to say about the author of that book.
Allan
The new tiers at my fly tying course table last Sunday had the exact same question. I always put a base of thread down as I am generally tying in a butt or tail but then I overwrap that thread with a kevlar thread which is smooth and slippery, and then go from there. As such I have a base of this kevlar thread which is as smooth as the hook shank and I have never had any problems with the fly falling apart or not getting it packed tight enough. I have been tying Atlantic Salmon buck bugs and bombers this way for 30 years (and the fish have never complained either 
).
What I told the new tiers is that you should do it however it feels comfortable and that spinning deer hair takes alot of practice to get the desired consistency of density and durability.
Dwight