Fishing Forum

[]The mad tinkerer has been at it again. Since my original post about "Bunny Honey Jigs", I have been researching and experimenting with new and different applications of bunny fur in flies and jigs. I am working on a writeup on how to select and use rabbit fur in these lures. In the interim, I thought some of you might like to see some of my newest stuff...mostly in large sizes...for macks and salt water use.

Petty4Life recently sent me a few "used" jigs made from bunny fur, called "Bunny Busters" (see attached pic). These are made with "zonker strips", readily available from most fly tying suppliers. One strip is tied in for an elongated tail...while another (same or contrasting color) is wrapped "palmer style" around the shank of the hook. This produces a large profile with the fine fur...which breaths and pulsates with minimum movement when wet. These jigs have become favorites with many fishermen, fishing for many species...freshwater and salt.

I have incorporated the wrapped body concept into my latest models of bunny jigs for macks and salt water fish. I am building them on my new large sized Roadrunner heads...up to 1 1/2 ounces. These heads ride almost perfectly horizontal when attached to the line...making them ideal for vertical jigging. Most fish respond better to a horizontal lure than one hanging vertically or at an angle.

I am also altering the traditional bunny jig structure. Customarily, they are made from wide strips of bunny fur, rolled over and cemented to form a tube. Unless you use very flexible glue, they tend to lose some of the natural flexibility that makes bunny fur so desirable for lures.

Instead of fur tubes, I am cutting a strip about half an inch...with lots of fluffy fur on it. I secure it to the hook so that the tanned skin side rides down and the pulsating fur is on top. This is the design for the zonker flies, and they have been scoring big time for many years. However, the flies use a strip only about 1/4 inch wide. That is the size strips I use for wrapping the upper body on my newest creations.

So far, I have completed new models in only the traditional white and some in grey. I am ordering several different colors in zonker strips, so that I can play with some combinations...especially in the smaller sizes. I envision that a Bunny Buster type jig in crawdad colors will work almost anywhere there are bass. And, black is a universal color...either plain or with chartreuse or red contrast. Both combo up with black very well. In a nutshell, any wooly bugger colors that catch fish will work just as good, if not better, when made up into similar colored bunny jigs.

I will post some "how to" pics and the writeup on working with bunny fur when I get it done. As a general statement, let me suggest that when you cut the fur strips from a whole skin, place the skin fur side down and use a sharp craft knife or razor blade to cut the strips. But, do not apply too much pressure on the blade...driving it all the way through. That will cut some of the fur fibers on the other side. Better to cut most of the way through the skin and then pull the strip away from the main skin.

When you cut strips, cut vertically...to run parallel with the "grain" or lay of the fur. This applies both to the main tail pieces and to the thinner wrapping strips. The only difference is that if you want a thinner body section, you can cut wrapping strips across the grain...ending up with a strip with the hair slanting to one side. This gives a flattened and layered appearance when spiral wrapped on the hook.

Also, when working with bunny fur, work on a piece of cloth or carpet. This helps control the loose hairs that fly all over the place. You will need a blower or a vacuum when you finish. After a long session of cutting and wrapping, your work area will look like it had a bunny fur snowfall. And you will have hairs all over your face and up your nose. Fun Stuff.

Anyone know any good sources for whole skins in chartreuse, black and long haired white?
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Those are dandy looking jigs. Can you say "Deadstick specailist"? They should do the trick on macks for sure. You make a mean jig, TD![/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I think a few without the spinner blade would be just the ticket when the fish are jig shy and no action means good action.[/size][/font]
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TubeDude-

I ordered dyed rabbit skins from [url "http://www.flyfishusa.com/"]http://www.flyfishusa.com/[/url]. They have 30+ coloras. I ordered white, black, green variant and gold varient. I was very pleased with the quality. Here are pictures of a few I tied with white. I haven't tied any yet with the other colors. I haven't had a chance to fish them yet, but they sure look great in my hot tub! LOL I need to paint eyes on some, too. Thanks for all your help. Your new critters look terrific!

Don
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[cool]Hey, Don. First, thanks for the great website. They have some great materials at reasonable prices. I will be trying some of their goodies for sure.

Second, I think your first generation bunny jigs look great too. I'm sure it will take a while to get used to them, and how to fish them, but they can be the difference between getting arm cramps and not getting crap. Another good tool to have in the arsenal.

I plan to make up a wide variety of different jigs and lures with some of the new colors. I am especially anxious to try some of the palmer tied fur bodies on some buzzbaits this next spring. I have been playing around with making a slow and shallow running buzzer out of a light spoon...rather than the heavy buzzbait form. Initial casting tests are encouraging. Now I need to show them to some fishies.

Email or PM me if you think we can trade some ideas. I don't remember if I sent you my writeup on adding eyes to jigs. And, I am in the process of writing "recipes" for some of the exotic glitter colors on the new Roadrunner heads I am using...like "electric grape"..."motor oil"..."June bug"..."pure gold"..."Christmas gold (with red and green flecks), etc.
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TD "the Mad Tinkerer" I think those jigs look really nice and the first gens from Don are also real good looking, now just add a little sparkle and you've hit the mark!
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Always impressive TD! When I tie a lot with bunny fur, or marabou for that matter, I always have a wet sponge (in a cheep bowl, empty cool whip contaner, etc.) by my work area. I use it to keep my fingers damp, especially after cutting a strip of fur. The damp, no soaking wet, fur will not fly around nearly as bad making for faster cleanup and happier wives or roomies.

As far as marabou is concerned. I use dry hands to get the stuff on the hook. Once on the hook I get my fingers wet and stroke the marabou back. It makes it 10x easier to tie other materials on the hook. Also, it works a tad better than licking ones fingers or spitting on your lures/flies.

Happy tying to all!

ES
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[cool]Good points. I also keep a damp spong or cloth handy for working with flyaway feathers and fur. More effective and more sanitary.

You never know where some of that stuff has been. Even worse, you sometimes don't remember what you have been handling before licking your fingers.

Pick up a cheap dust buster at a yard sale. Everybody gets rid of them sooner or later. They also work to keep the light fibres down to a minimum.

When tying many fly or jig patterns, using marabou, it is almost impossible to do a good job of wrapping if you do not dampen the feathers as you work. The bunny fur can be just as ornery, if you are using fur with long hairs...especially when wrapping strips around hook shanks coated with glue.

I also use a lot of empty plastic containers...whipped topping, bread spread, etc. They also make good "drying racks" to hang painted jigheads between steps in the painting and eyeing processes. I haven't decided whether the low fat whipped topping containers are any better than the regular.
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Killer jigs. I think white fur with glow head and a little flow flashabou tied in would definitely be a winner.
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OK I re-read this thread again about the bunny jigs and have a question or two.

When tying the jigs do you let the leather with the fur on it just flap in the breeze (sort of) or is it somehow attached to the shank of the hook? I've never tinkered very much with whatever I've thrown out st the fish usually fishing just "stock" rigs & jigs. So this is all very new to me on how to put this whole thing together.

Yeah I know us "Old Farts" are supposed to know all this stuff about fishing but I'm just recently "really" been into fishing in the last year or two.
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[cool]I'm a few notches ahead of you on that one. I bought some of that super new glow powder awhile back, and just recently mixed some up for the big roadrunner heads. That stuff is amazing. I come into my office before it gets light in the morning and I almost do not have to turn on a light, because the glow from the two jars and the jigs is still strong.

I got both the blue and green glow powder. It is white, in daylight, but glows either bright green or blue in the dark. It starts to show up even in low light, so it should be great for early and late...and under the ice.

I do not have any blue glow flashabou, but I have both the green and white (that glows green).

As you can see, in the attached pic, I make the blue glow just like a standard white jig head. Until it gets dark, it works fine in white. For extra accent, I put the green glow powder over a base of chartreuse. It is white and dulls the chartreuse...until you lose some light. Then it lights up.

Shoot me a PM and we can negotiate a "field testing" arrangement. I think I owe you a couple of the larger roadrunner heads. I can make them up to 1.5 oz...like in the pic. You probably saw some on your recent get together with BLM.

I have a bunch of new colors too...including blacks...some with chartreuse eyes, some with gold glitter, some with red glitter. Also have "motor oil" and some exciting purple variations. I had a whole series of pics, but my computer barfed over the weekend and I lost everything I had just put on and had not backed up.
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[cool]Hey, FFM, no need to rationalize the age thing. I'm kinda sensitive on that issue myself.

I am trying to put together a step by step writeup, with diagrams and pics, on working with the bunny fur. Had a good start on it until my computer decided to get nasty and had to be "System Restoreed". Lost everything I had not backed up within the last few weeks.

To give a simple answer, When I make my newest bunny jigs, I cut a strip about a half inch wide. I position it so that the skin side will ride facing down, when fished on the jig head. I figure out where I need to hook it to make it lay right on the hook and then insert the hook point right in the center of the strip. I wrap a few turns of tying thread around the upper part of the jig head, to anchor the strip, and then bring the end of the strip forward until I can wrap it around the barb or collar on the jig head. After a couple of turns of thread to hold it in place, I squeeze a thin line of GLUE-IT fabric glue along the inside fold of the top paart of the strip and then power wrap it tightly to the hook shank. This secures the strip against both turning on the hook shank and being pulled down during use. When that fabric glue dries and cures (several hours) it is there for the duration.

The final step (on my new jigs) is wrapping the zonker sizes strips up the remainder of the shaft. I anchor one end and apply a thin bead of the glue. Then I wrap it forward and tie it off. Believe me, when these things finish curing, you have to have a machete to tear them apart.

New is good. I have been tying my own flies since about age ten, and making jigs, spoons and spinners for at least "plenty" years. I continue to learn something new all the time...like working with bunny fur. No apologies ever needed for a natural curiosity for learning new fishing stuff. I figure that when you stop learning you stop living.
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I think I'm gonna have to get some of this stuff and try it out! This will be my first attempt at altering or creating something new. WIll let you know what things fall out in the future. THanks
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