Marabou Jigs

[Sturzman]

I've been getting into tying my own for the past few months, but pretty much the past few days. When tying my marabou on, I'm sort of in the dark on this. I have the individual feather with the stem. Is it best to tear the marabou off the stem so it sort of slides off or maybe cut pieces of marabou off with scissors. Or possibly do you just tie it with the stem on. My jigs just don't have that oomph, they seem kind of sparse and scraggly as shown below.

[BC Steel]

The few times that I have used marabou I have palmered it around the hook to give a fuller life like breathing motion to the jig.

[Drifterat]

Sturzman, marabou is a pain to work with, but once you figure out a few tricks it's not too bad. But I'd suggest giving crosscut rabbit strips a try, as well as some schlappen feathers. Both of those palmer (which is simply wrapping the stem of the feather around the hook shank) very easily and make great finished products.

If you want to look at a way of palmering marabou check out this link on tying a Popsicle fly.
http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/protalk/rowley/philsbox/popsicle/popsicle.phtml
But palmering marabou is something that I look at as punishment.

That was the first one I found when doing a Google search, so a little searching of fly patterns would yeild some good links.

When I use the marabou on my jigs I usually cut several feathers and bunch them around the hook shank and wrap the thread several times loosely. Then tighten and wrap the feathers, this spins the feather bunch and makes the tail end "poof" out. It's hard to explain, but once you get it, it's easy.



 

[Fllyfishy]

Matt, I can give you a few hands on tips if you want to hook up sometime.  Send me a PM.  I might have to put together a tutorial on marribou, and schlappin sometime soon. 

[Steelheader69]

I hate tying marabou.  Figures that I spent a few years production tying them for flyshops in the late 80's/early 90's.  LOL.  (well, Alaskabou type patterns on fly hooks that is). 

Real key to getting a full profile is palmering.  Tie in by the tip and fold the feather.  Should only take 2 maybe 3 total plumes folded to get a full profile.  You should keep all of your marabou on the first 1/3 of the hook closest to the eye (or in this case jighead).  You don't need to go any farther back then that.  Key is to keep the marabou tight as you palmer it.  Don't spread the wraps too far.  Usually though 3 plumes can give you a nice profile.  Make your primary color (rear color) your first two.  Then use the last plume as your collar (or can use schlappen).  I used to have tutorials on it, but they were erased.  LOL.  Think I may have them saved on some old files.  Will have to see if I can dig them up.  Lost all my tutorial pics on my old harddrive when it crashed.

[First Bite]

Sturz

I prefer to use palmered schlappen and/or hackle for my jigs but will tie also tie marabou at times.  I palmer all my feathers and I think the final product is a nicer looking jig.  When I palmer marabou, I lay the feathers down on top of each other and wrap them back to the jig head.  Before you start to wrap the feathers, make sure they're lined up together.  It takes a little practice but you'll get a feel for it very quickly. 

Here is a pic of a purple & pink palmered marabou jig I tie

[Drifterat]

mmmmmmmm tasty...

Thank you Sir, may I have another?

 

[Sturzman]

Mark or anyone else who can answer this. Do you guys take the entire feather, stem and all and wrap, or do you take plumes or pieces of marabou off of a feather and wrap those.

[BC Steel]

I use the stem and all. I tie in the tip and wrap the butt to the head of the jig. That way you are assured that the butt isnt going to get to big to handle near the finishing wraps near the end.

[Backer51]

Matt the first few jigs I tyed, my marabou was backwards, meaning I was tying the stem down first.  Start with the tip of the feather and wrap towards the head of the jig.  When the stem starts to get too big tie off and tie in a new feather.  SH69 showed me the it was possible to palmer two feathers in a 1/4" of space.  Good luck tying.

[Sturzman]

Thanks guys, I think this all makes sense now, I'll be sure to try some more tying soon.

[Steelheader69]

If you ever need some free help, let me know.  I can show you how to do it pretty easily.