In this week’s “How to Tie” video feature, Gunnar Brammer teaches us one of the toughest techniques in fly tying to perfect, spinning deer hair.
Learn About This Technique:
Difficulty: Difficult
There are many techniques in fly tying that are complex and tedious, but working with deer hair can be some of one trickiest to master. Not only do you need immense dexterity to control the hair before even putting it on the hook, you also need to manage density, space, and trimming. All of these steps require extreme patience and can result in absolute failure and set you back several minutes if not done carefully. With that being said, when tying and spinning deer hair does come together you can make some of the most beautiful and effective flies an angler could dream of.
A major factor in successfully working with deer hair is having the proper thread. In this video, Gunnar uses GSP 150 denier, allowing him to use enough force to pull down and secure or spin the hair around the hook shank. If your thread is weak or damaged then discard it, as there is little likelihood of withstanding the pressure needed. Working with deer hair requires perfection and starting with the proper thread is absolutely essential.
Like all aspects of fly tying, without a pattern to practice on this skill is useless. Whether it is summer or winter, there is always a need for flies that use deer hair. This material is prominent in streamers for trout, such as Galloup’s Wooly Sculpin, and popper patterns for bass, such as the Deer Hair Frog. Although this may be difficult for tyers of nearly any level, no one has ever regretted the final product created from spinning deer hair in any capacity.
Ingredients:
- Thread: GSP 150 Denier
Now you know how to spin deer hair!
Video and ingredients courtesy of Gunnar Brammer.
