15 replies to this topic

[Ryan Kral]

Hey guys. I have never tied any deer hair flies, such as the poppers or divers, or any of the other types. Is there a specific type of deer hair I should be looking for? Thanks, Ryan

[Mike G]

Ryan,

If it were not for deer tails and body hair, the world would be a dark place indeed. Bucktails are the heart of so many streamers. Deer body hair is at the heart of so many floating and diving bugs. Your question is pretty broad. The answer is narrow. Pick the hair based on the bug or streamer you want to tie.

[Colt Johnson]

Ryan, since you mention poppers or divers, I'm thinking that you are referring to flies tied with body hair not tails. You will notice that the hair on a deer tail is longer, uneven and wavy. As Mike G points out, the tails are perfect for streamers like clousers and the like. If you are going to stack deer hair to create that thickly packed body shape you see on deer hair poppers and divers, you will need the shorter more uniform body hair. It pays to get quality body hair when doing these in my opinion. I would recommend checking out some youtube videos as spinning deer hair takes some practice.

[Tom L]

Another consideration when spinning deer hair is to have a good strong thread. It will save you a lot of frustrations. I found these nylon threads work well.

http://www.cabelas.c...80;cat103886280

http://www.cabelas.c...80;cat103886280

The sizes on these threads are different from the Uni Threads. Use this as a rough guideline:

70 deniel = 8/0
140 deniel = 6/0

[Ryan Kral]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I was talking specifically about stacking deer hair, I use the bucktails all the time for streamers, but have never attempted any flies that require stacking. I'm pretty sure I know what to get, just curious if anyone had any input. Thanks again. Ryan

[Joseph at Orvis]

Deer body hair is good for spinning bass bugs; deer belly hair is best, I've got plenty at Orvis downtown. And Tom is right, the 100 or 200 Denier thread is just awesome for spinning or stacking hair.

BTW, I taught Cory Gale an extremely little bit about spinning deer hair back in the days when he was all thumbs. Seriously, the man tied like he had ten thumbs. This won't mean anything to you now, but if you get an audience with him, you will learn that Cory Gale is the Chris Helm of the ISA.

Joseph

[coryg]

Ten thumbs, huh? Joseph is right that you need body or belly deer hair. Preferably 2 - 2.5" long. If you can get a hold of some Chris Helm DVDs, that will definitely shorten your learning curve. Once you know the techniques, its a matter of practice. Drop me a PM and we'll see if we can get together.

Regarding Joseph at Orvis, he is a mentor and friend and a wonderful fly tyer. I still greatly miss the Thursday Nite Jams at One More Cast. I still wear my OMC hat.

[ronk]

The best bassbug ever was an old deerhair pattern called the Gerbubble Bug.It had a frog like shape & if tied properly when stripped would dive under making a distinct sound for which it was named.Sadly it's no longer around apparently because it was a difficult, laborious pattern to tie.

[Mike G]

Ron,

Whitlock's Gerbubblers are still around available from the site below and probably others.

http://www.alibaba.c...hing_Flies.html

The Gerbubble Bug is in its third generation. Lovings Gerbubble Bug born about 100 years ago had a balsa body with hackle whiskers glued in gruves on each side. Around 1980 Whitlock reincarnated it in deer hair again with hackle whiskers on each side. It is an elaborate pattern though no problem for Cory, I am sure. In the 21st Century Barlett's Gerbubble Bug came to light with marabou whiskers. Lefty Kreh recommends it highly for slow or still water. A lot of tyers use foam bodies for the Bartlet version. I used a Blockhead body to make this one since it had the keystone shape needed for the pattern.



Take your choice.

[ronk]

Mike
I doubt that a blockhead can duplicate the same subtle action or sound that deerhair imparts to this fly.But if it did it would be a better choice as it would float permanently & be more durable.Bring one to the blowout if you're coming.I'd like to test one out.

[Gavin]

This is the orignal gerbubble.

Attached Files

•  Cropped G Bug.jpg   361.55K   27 downloads

[Rob G.]

Gavin, neat article, where did you find that one?

[Mike G]

Mike
I doubt that a blockhead can duplicate the same subtle action or sound that deerhair imparts to this fly.But if it did it would be a better choice as it would float permanently & be more durable.Bring one to the blowout if you're coming.I'd like to test one out.

Ron,

No question about the action being different. The Blockhead is an overachieving popper since the square face presents a lot more surface area than a similar round cork or foam popper. Being softer the deer hair would have a more subtle sound unless, as some tyers do, you use a coating like silicon or epoxy to stiffen it. But why do that? It destroys the purpose by turning the deer hair bug back into a cork popper.

No matter what the body material, the thing that sets the Gerbubble family aside is the whiskers. Without adding a lot of weight they give the bug a bigger footprint on the water.. In addition marabou whiskers stay in action even when the bug is not moving. That is ideal for lakes or slow waters. Now the Blockhead Gerbubble is a bit of a hybrid that makes a big rukus when popped, or undulates and tantalizes when it is not moved at all. Best of both? Getting back to deer hair, one could probably get the untimate in subtle by putting marabou whiskers on a deer hair bug. I do not do a lot of deer hair, but someone may want to try it.

[Mike G]

This is the orignal gerbubble.

Gavin,
The note in this pic you posted a while back says the R/W bug on the left is a Gerbubble Bug. I think it is more original.

[ronk]

Gavin,
The note in this pic you posted a while back says the R/W bug on the left is a Gerbubble Bug. I think it is more original.

Except for the lack of whiskers on the sides the middle one looks most like the bug I used to be able to get from LL Bean.The body was black with a white face that made it easier to see on the water in low light.The slanted face is what allows it to dive when stripped & make that unique sound.It was also a very ez casting bug.

[Gavin]

Those Brooks bugs are pretty beat up and probably older. Cant see whiskers on the white one either. I got that scan from an old timer in my local fly club. Think he said it was from a magazine in the early 1970's. He sent this too.....The originals were tied by a guy named Bill Gallasch accourding to one of the Joe Brooks books. Cant remember which one.

Attached Files

•  Gerbubble Bug 5.jpg   207.07K   11 downloads