How to Tie a Deer Hair Collar

The deer hair collar is used to add bulk to flies. The collar is common on streamer-style flies but is also found on nymphs, emergers and some dry flies. Tying the deer hair collar is an easy task with special attention to the thread tension. To much tension causes the hair to flare, and too little tension does not hold the hair in place. Tying the deer hair collar is a common and easily executed task for most fly tiers.

Things You'll Need

  • Vise
  • Scissors
  • Deer hair
  • Hair stacker
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Instructions

    • 1

      Secure the hook in the vise, and tie the front section of the fly. The collar is attached near the head of most fly patterns.

    • 2

      Cut a chunk of deer hair from a hide. Comb the underfur and broken hair fragments from the clump with your hands. The result is a clean section of hair.

    • 3

      Place the clump of hair in a hair-stacker with tips facing down. Tap the hair-stacker against a hard surface to align the tips. Hold the stacker in a level position and separate the two sections of the tool. This will expose the tips of the hair.

    • 4

      Remove the hair from the stacker and hold the hair on the hook shank. Adjust the position until the tips meet the desired collar length. The typical collar stops at the halfway point on the hook shank.

    • 5

      Apply pressure downward to cover the entire hook shank circumference with the hair. Make four loose thread wraps to gather, and hold the position of the hair. Make any necessary adjustments to the hair position, and make an additional four moderately tight thread wraps to hold the hair. Cut the base section of the hair off the hook.