Clark here...and here's the beef; there's more than one way to skin a cat right? Well there's also about a million ways you can spin deer hair... OK probably not that many but you get the idea. This article will cover the way I primarily stack deer hair. The other method I recommend (spinning) is very similar, however instead of stacking a clump on the top and bottom (shown below), you take the clump and before you pull it tight, you literally spin it around the hook then cinch it tight. This is the real way to "spin" or "stack" deer hair and is probably capable of producing slightly nicer results. However, for the sake of simplicity and equal quality results, this is how I roll my pieces.
Ok stay with me here. You have the back portion of the fly tied, and your eyes tied in with plenty of room behind them...ready for the secret? MAKE SURE YOU USE GSP 200 for the rest of this. In my opinion, it is the ONLY thread you should use for spinning/stacking hair.
Next, take a nice hefty clump of deer hair (belly or Primo). Don't be shy with your clump here and cut it as close to the hide as you can.
Next, take a comb and brush out the under fur. This stuff is a super fine fur that will keep your deer hair from flaring out properly if not removed. It will also keep your fly from floating as well, which is not ideal for patterns like mice, birds and other topwater flies. It just plain sucks so comb it out of there.
Next, take your clean clump of deer hair and wrap the thread over it two times. Don't sinch down yet! These are called containing wraps, and are essential.
Now, if you were doing the "proper" method I mentioned earlier, here is where you would tighten your thread causing the hairs to spin around the whole shank...but I ain't no proper sum bitch so lets get it on!!!!
With your fingers pinching the clump of hair, keeping it from spinning around the shank, ready, set, pull tight! Here's where it get tricky...how tight you ask? I pull it as tight possible to get that awesome flair. However, the fun part is when you go too tight it literally cuts through the hair and your back at square one. Don't be afraid here to flirt with the line! And always remember, there's no such thing as too tight!
Heres a front view of what you have here.
Next, rotate your vise upside down. Don't make any more thread wraps or try anything fancy. All you're doing is turning the fly upside down. You should still have only the original 2 wraps, and maybe one more. No more than three
Don't get lost here. What you do is get another fat clump of hair and plop it right down on top of the one you tied in already on the reverse side of the hook. Two wraps and pull tight again. Try to get it as close to your last two wraps as you can without being on top of them because if they are on top, there will be a lot of thread which will show in the trim process.
Ok, now all you do is keep clumping hair and putting it on the the top and bottom sides of the hook. Make sure every time you put a clump on, push all the previously tied in deer hair backwards. The whole idea is to push/stack your clumps together as tight as possible. WARNING: watch out when pushing hair back...it's a great way to get a hook in your finger; another reason to make sure the hook is de-barbed before you start.
This is showing more clumps tied on the top and bottom and forward.
Keep going and experiment around the dumbbell eyes. Theres no single way to explain how to go around them. The bottom side wont have eyes so I do that side normally, then on the side with the eyes I do the same two wraps but diagonally around the eyes. Watch the Pocket Rocket Tutorial for reference.
Always leave a little room before the eyes on the shank so you can get that clean looking nose on your flies. and remember to push the hair back in between wraps. Usually there is not much room in the front of the eyes so I will take a really big clump of hair and actually spin it around the shank like mentioned at the top of the page. The only reason I do this is because it tends to get tight up front. If you have the room and want it extra tight, stack two clumps on like the rest, on the top and bottom of shank
Abra Kadbra! You're done! Well not quite... but you now have a hook with a giant blob of deer hair on it, so congrats! As long as you followed the directions it should be as tight together as you can get it and you'll be ready to see your hard work pay off in a matter of seconds.
KEY NOTE! Get good razors!!! Here'ss a HUGE SECRET. I use Dorco Shaving Razors... they are the same as Wilkinsons, but a hundred times cheaper. Spending money on name brands is for chumps, I don't care what anyone says. FYI razors will only stay sharp for one or two flies, yeah it sucks but you're welcome for the money saver tip...its a huge difference, trust me.
Ok now trim away. you can do whatever you want here. I tried for a sculpin look on this particular fly.
Bottom view...that'll do
A more streamline profile. this is some tight stacked hair here. I drew on it with a number two pencil...So yeah the fibers were pretty tight.
Some other example of heads. Nice and clean
Toight like Tiger!
Cleanup is half the fun!!! Hahaha
HAPPY TYING AND STAY TUNED FOR MORE TUTORIALS!!!
-CLARK
