This program will help you shorten your learning curve on how to work with hair to create beautiful and effective bass bugs. Learn about the various periods of the winter coat of the whitetail deer, which hair is to be used for which flies, from trout patterns to bass bugs. Which subspecies of the whitetail deer and other ungulates have the best hair for tying, where the hair is found on the body of the hide, and other characteristics of the hair that you should understand.
Also explained is the proper thread to use and the most effective tools to make tying these bugs easy. All the techniques for handling the hair, how much hair to use, spinning, stacking, installing gills, crafting perfect bands of hair are shown in detail. How to craft a proportional bug, using serrated scissors along with a razor blade to finish the fly, and installing the eyes.
By following the tips and techniques demonstrated by Chris Helm with the correct material and tools plus practice, tying hair will become an enjoyable part of your fly tying pastime. Chris Helm of Whitetail Fly Tying Supplies has been tying flies for 35 years. Although he is well known for his study of whitetail deer and working with deer hair, he ties and teaches all types of flies.
The Buz Buszak Memorial Fly Tying Award was given to Chris Helm, which is the highest award available to any tyer. Chris has written numerous articles on deer hair, thread, specific fly patterns for various fly fishing and fly tying magazines both in the USA and abroad. To date he has completed 11 fly tying DVDs and enjoys all types of fishing but has a special love for bonefish, permit, bass, bluegill, grayling and pike.
Topics Include:
- Introduction
- Early, Mid and Late Season Hides
- Cross Sections and Hair Color
- Hooks
- Thread Tension
- Hair Strength and Hair Spinning Exercise
- All Techniques Slider
- Rubber Legs and Marabou Tail
- Side Stacking Collar
- Spinning
- Hair Density
- Stacking and Spinning
- Handling Hair Efficiently
- Spinning An Even Color Band
- Gills
- Hair Packers
- Finishing Head
- Whip Finish Tool
- Scissor Rough Trim
- Razor Blade Finish Trim
- Plastic Eyes
DVD REVIEW: New Hooked On Fly Tying: All About Hair with Chris Helm is part of an extensive list of titles. Combine a professional production company with expert fly-tying demonstrators and you get the New Hooked On Fly Tying series. The film quality is excellent.
Chris Helm is an acknowledged expert on deer hair and tying with deer hair and that is what this program is about. Helm opens with a lengthy introduction to whitetail deer and deer hair. Simply excellent! This is deer hair from the point-of-view of the fly tyer. Helm explains how seasons change deer hair, why some hair suits different applications, and where on the skin different hair types come from. Then get tying! Helm only ties one large Bass Bug, but frankly that one fly is a mini-masterclass in spun and stacked deer hair tying. The emphasis is on technique, not pattern.
I picked up more about tying with deer hair in half an hour than I could in years of tying - and that's exactly the point. Although the example is a bass fly, the materials, tools, and skills transfer to any fly with a deer hair body or head.
