Bucktail taper

[Joe Smolt]

I want to learn how to tie better with bucktail for salt water flies. When I see the pictures in salt water fly tying books, they seem to achieve a nice tear drop shape with the bucktail hairs tapering to a point making the obvious sillouette of a bait fish. When I tie with bucktail, invariably the hair tips are spread out like a Christmas tree. How does one achieve a good taper with bucktail?

Joe

[Kevin Giusti]

Hey Joe I used to have the same problem. When I tie like a hollow fly with the bucktail tied in reverse then pushed back (use a pen with the guts removed) you have a little control of the taper with the thread dam you build up in front of the bucktail. But the best "secret" I know is finish your fly then go hold it under a running water faucet. Then I lay the fly flat on a paper towel and let it air dry. When the fly dries it keeps a nice baitfish like profile. Try it out. Kevin

[scottflycst]

Joe,
Cut the bucktail hairs from the hide (just the amount you need for the fly) then re-align the hair tips so they form a taper. I usually do this on my tying table. Pick them up carefully, take a soft loop around the butts at the tie in point with your thread. Then tie them to the hook shank but don't pull too hard on your thread because that will cause them to spread. Might take a bit of practice but this works well for me.
Scott.

[cabezon]

Hi Joe,

A problem is that bucktail hair is hollow, some more so, some less so. When you tie it in, it tends to flair a bit as the hair compress, more for hairs from the base of the tail, less so from the tip. Even if it tends to flair on you, you can tame it with a few loose loops right behind the tie-in spot to bring them back into line. In general, there is enough of a range of hair lengths when you cut out a clump from a deer tail that I don't remember having to make too many adjustments to end up with a nice taper. You can also tie in several small clumps: an initial longest one in the middle and then shorter ones top and bottom to provide some of the taper as well. In general, sparser is better.

Steve

[FT]

Another thing is to use less bucktail in the wing because when you use too much, the hair will flair out quit a bit from the thread pressure needed to hold in place. You want the illusion of bulk, not bulk itself, and the best tyers of bucktail streamers (fresh or saltwater) tie pretty sparse flies.