EZ Body tubing

[jmccall]

I teach beginner saltwater tying classes for UFTRI. Recently I tried teaching baitfish patterns which use EZ body tubing. The one thing the students struggled with was tying the tail end closed. I tried showing them how to wind the tail with thread and secure with some half-hitches. My question is does anyone know any easier ways to accomplish this? Thank you and my students thank you.


John

[Smcdermott]

Personally I find using a whip finishing tool makes it easier to control the placement of the thread. I use one anytime I need to be very precise with the tie off.

Sean

[JohnDe]

I suspect that you are already reversing the hook in the vise so that the tail is either to the right or on top. It would be near impossible for a righty to wrap to the left beyond the bend of the hook. Removing the hook from the vise all together and holding it in one hand and wrapping with the other may work. Either a hand whip finish or the long whip finish tools help. Of course the whip finish (by hand or tool) is another lesson. Is a half drop of super glue cheating?

[tsheehy]

It depends on the pattern you are tying, but I typically do it like you would whip a loop in a flyline. To use this technique you would have to be preparing the tail first and then securing it to the hook once it is finished.

Pinch the tubing down with thumb and forefinger of each hand, trap the tying thread under one thumb, letting the bobbin hang loose. Then move your hands such that the bobbin whips around the tubing a couple dozen times until it is secured. Then you can finish with some half hitches and secure with CA.

Hope this makes sense, easier to do than describe.

-- Tom

[Henry]

I use an extra long thin gauge sewing pin (bodkin is too thick and clumsy) to provide support while whipping. Being right-handed, I insert the pin tip well into the tubing and use my left hand to firmly hold both. I then whip the pinched down section using my right hand. The pin provides enough support for the tubing preventing it from flopping around. When the whip is completed, I leave a tail of tying thread of perhaps 2 or 3 inches long to prevent the wraps from undoing themselves. I then add a small drop of zap a gap to the wraps and immediately pull out the pin. Once the glue has dried, I trim the thread tag.

One other benefit of my method is that the small hole at the tail wraps provides for additional water drainage making casting easier.

Hope this helps out some of your students,

Regards,

[jmccall]

These are all very good suggestions. Thanks everyone, my students should have a much easier time of it now


John