by Robert Schneider January 2, 2002 I know! You're scared already. Don't be. Take a look at our instructional effort, give it a few tries, and you'll get the hang of it. I'll show you how to spin hair by using antelope hair on a bare hook. Learning this way takes some of the stress and strain out of it. Before you know it, you'll be turning out Muddlers, hair bugs, and Irresistibles to impress friends, relatives, wives, mothers, kids, and numerous other world leaders. Our instructions assume that you can already perform some basic fly tying operations such as attaching thread to a hook.
Materials: Antelope Hair (as pictured) or very hollow deer hair will do. 3/0 monocord thread of any color Any large size hook such as #8 Mustad 94840 Scissors and a blunted needle for stroking fur out of the hair.
Step 1: Put Down a Thread Base
Put down a few turns of thread--just enough turns to get started. After you have the thread wraps on the hook, apply a little lacquer. The shank does not need to be totally covered with thread. In fact, I prefer spinning onto a nearly bare hook shank when that is possible. The reason is that hair spins more easily on metal than on thread.
Step 2: Cut a Section of Hair
For this exercise, we want a small quantity of hair. You will learn very soon, that too small a quantity won't turn around the shank, but too large a quantity will simply break your thread. Just take a look at the photo to get an idea as to a good quantity for a beginner. Take your scissors and cut a section about 1/4" in diameter. Next grab the hair by the tips, take a toothpick or a blunted needle, and run it through the hair to remove the underfur. This is important because if fur is left in, the hair will not spin as easily.
Step 3: Place the Hair on the Hook Shank
Place the hair on the shank with the left hand, take the thread in the right hand and take a couple of turns around the middle of the hair section. Now, here's the trick. The tension on the thread must be just barely strong enough to keep the hair in position, but not so strong that it is mashed. Get it? With practice, you'll get the feel. Unfortunately, this is a step that's intuitive, your fingers need the education of experience here because no one can state the precise amount of tension.
Step 4: Spin the Hair
As you release the hair with your left hand, quickly tighten the thread with your right hand. Just pull the thread toward you as though you wanted the thread to cut through the hair. The hair spun, didn't it? Success. Now lacquer the base of the spun hair.
Step 5: Repeat the Previous Operation
What's left? Let the spun hair dry, then take your scissors and clip it to shape. There you are!
Take your left hand and stroke the front edge of the spun hair upright, then with the right hand, move the thread in front of the spun hair. Now, you're set to add more spun hair to your hook.