Deer hair – posts for parachute dun emergers

 

There are heaps of options of materials for posts for parachute dun emergers. Deer hair is a great option because it is buoyant itself, has a natural look, there are plenty of color options if viability is a problem and unlike some other post materials lands softly.

Set out below are the steps for a right handed fly tier to tie a upright divided hair wing. If your left handed please remember to swap it around.

Process

A
  1. Clip a bunch of deer hair from a patch. Select a bunch as thick as a match stick  when held tightly and use that measure to determine from trial and error the appropriate amount . You want enough to make a viable post but not so much that it can't be tied into the hook shank comfortably.
  2. Use a deer hair stacker to get all the tips lined up.

B
  1. Take your thread to exactly where you intend to tie the post in. This is about the 2/3 position.

C
  1. Take the stacked bunch of hair in your right hand, bunching it up into a tight mass as you do, and carefully hold the tight mass of hair along the top of the hook shank at the tie in position.
  2. Without moving the tight mass of deer hair swap your grip from the right hand to the left hand. Get used to sliding the thumb and fore finger of the left hand onto the material to be tied in and the shank of the hook ready to undertake a fly tiers pinch.
  3. If your happy with the length of the deer hair, that the deer hair is even and that the deer hair is in the correct position Take a couple of tight wraps of thread to lock it into position.
  4. If you not happy with the length of the hair, can see that the tips of the deer hair are uneven or that the deer hair is in the wrong position go back to the previous step.

D
  1. Do additional wraps of thread to ensure that the deer hair is secured into position on top of the hook shank.
  2. Trim the butt ends of the hair off horizontally

E
  1. Once you have trimmed the butt ends proceed tying all the but ends down on the hook shank.

F
  1. Where the butt ends are tied in should finish up as a gentle slope not a ridge.
  2. Use the fingers of your left hand to stand the deer hair post  upright and take a several few wraps of thread in front of the post to hold it upright.

    G
    1. To bunch the post up and hold it together as one contiguous mass take several firm but not tight wraps of thread around the base of the post. If the wraps are too tight then the deer hair in the post will flare out.
    2. Proceed to the next step in tying your deer hair post fly.



    Last Updated: April 2, 2011
    Author:
    Categories: Free fly tying