Hairwing Streamers - Hair slips out

**SlowNDeep** · 04-13-2007, 10:50 PM

Whenever I tie hairwing streamers, they look OK, but as soon as some of the hair starts to slide out, all of it slips out from under the wraps.

I remember reading somewhere that there is a trick to getting the hair to stay under the wraps.

I'm talking specifically about hair that is not hollow (for example, squirrell tail), I have no trouble with the hollow hairs staying put. The harder, slipperier, solid hairs are the ones that tend to fall apart on me.

Anyone know what I'm talking about? Or am I just nuts?

Defeatist · 04-14-2007, 07:56 AM

Slo,
The answer to your question is really simple and will help you out tenfold. When you go to tie in your hair wings, cut the tips that are going to be tied in at a 45 degree angle. The shorter side towards the vise. So basically the shorter fibers are underneath the longer ones on top. When you cinch those babies in the longer fibers will lock the shorter ones in to the shank and they shouldnt come out if done properly. If I didnt explain this well, look at it like this. IF you are a right handed tyer, angle the fibers as longest on top will be from the hook eye back towards the rear of the hook. Make sense? I usually do 2-3 wraps around the hair before I starting wrapping it to the shank of the hook as well. Good luck and see you on the river....

You up for some floating again this year? I am looking forward to moving some serious slabs of butter on the housy....I am working on a newer version of my streamer....can you say larger, more movement and oh so tasty to the fish.....LOL

The stro

**SlowNDeep** · 04-14-2007, 10:06 AM

Thanks Stro,

Thats the opposite of the way I've been doing it. I always cut the hairs on an angle but have always tied them on with the short edge of the angle up top. If I understand you, the short edge of the angle will be on the bottom - closest to the hook.

I can always get them to stay if I dont taper the cut, but the fly looks like a$$.

You know I cant wait to float the river; it's only gonna keep getting better from here. Goin into year three of natural flow, I think we have another year or two of solid improvement with the hatches and holdovers - watch out!!

alanb_ct · 04-17-2007, 08:15 AM

I build the hairwing streamers the same way, the angle cut is the key. The angle also produces a nice tapered head. I am putting a simple picture in the gallery to show the method (I can't seem to post pictures here). By the way, if you put material on the underside of the fly, you must flip the taper cut. This is an essential technique for flies like the stacked blonde (keel hook version).

FK · 04-17-2007, 08:57 AM

The salmon tyers who make commercial hair wings have an old method for slippery hair.

The key is to tye in layers, not the entire bunch at once. A small amount of hair then advance the thread about 1/16" then some additional hair and again until the fullness of the wing as desired. This also makes a slimmer tapered head easier to form.

You can also add some head cement to each layer as you advance the thread, this will really lock in the slippery hair.

Regards,
FK

**AaronJasper** · 04-17-2007, 10:26 AM

thanks fk for the suggestion. the glue also works for spinning deer hair. defeatist taught mike and mike showed me this weekend how to do it. its so much easier when you glue the layers before tying in new ones.