# Proper maribou length?



## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

I just started tying my own steelhead jigs( yesterday!) and I am not sure about the length of my maribou? How far past the hook is too far? I set up a test tank on my bench and I really like the action of the longer skirt(1-1 1/2" past the hook) but I didn't know if there was such a thing as too long.


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

I think most will tell you that it's ultimately up to you and what you think the fish will like. Tie some in different lengths and fish them. Practice understanding what is a good amount of marabou to jig weight ratio. Too much material on a 1/64oz jig might not undulate as well in the water as the same amount would on a 1/32oz. Be selective on your cuts and be precise and clean. It makes a difference to take your time, be slow and methodical. As i said in another post, you'll find a rhythm.

When I first started out I probably made close to a couple hundred jigs that I just don't use. They are no where near as clean and "fishy" looking as the ones I tie today. I got carried away with all these colors and jig weights and thread colors.

My advice would be stick with one pattern or jig. Say for example, a black 1/32oz jig head and purple marabou (which is a killer color combo by the way). Tie that same jig over and over until you're satisfied. Once you like where you're at then you can try two colors. Then add flashabou or crystal flash. Start simple. Simple jigs will catch fish everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

More importantly - have fun, be creative, and proud of your work! And even more so, use them!


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

Thank you for the advice 1more! It's funny that you say that because last night I was sitting at the bench with piles of different colored maribou jumping all over the place tying like the devil was cracking the whip and I told my wife I need to cool it and pick a color/ pattern and just practice! Lol. I had maribou floating around like confetti at Mardi Gras! This morning I got up grabbed a coffee a d sat down and tied these!


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

Those look great nice job


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

TRIPLE-J said:


> Those look great nice job


Thank you, Good Sir!


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

Those will 100% catch fish. Nicely done! I think that length is just fine.


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

1MoreKast said:


> Those will 100% catch fish. Nicely done! I think that length is just fine.


Thank you! I tried one out in the test tank and if i saw one swim by I would take a swipe at it!


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

I tend to keep the dressings very sparse.

I also figured out it's way more efficient to tie one batch of a certain color/style jig at a time.
I used to jump back and forth too much = a big mess & less production.


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

Those look great! Is that tinsel chenille?


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Those were from last year. If I remember right, some of that was sparkle chenille and some just had silver tinsel ribbing over wrapping the chenille. The purple ones were actually tied with some old spey hackles and tinsel ribbing.

I've had good luck with that peach colored chenille with buggers, and it worked good on the jigs too.


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## Buzzy (Jul 2, 2011)

Looks awesome man.
2 things I do with marabou.
1. get your pieces together in one hand and with the other use the back of you scissors to break off the tips of the marabou. You should be holding the marabou very close to where the end of the tail is going to be. The with the scissors hand place the backside of the scissors near the marabou pinch point and pull off those spindles to get an even tail. Cut tips on marabou looks not as good.
2 if you wet your marabou before you it it on you can see the length it’s going to be while fishing. It’s also way easier to tie on and not as messy.
But you probably knew that!!!! Keep it up man looks great


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

Buzzy said:


> Looks awesome man.
> 2 things I do with marabou.
> 1. get your pieces together in one hand and with the other use the back of you scissors to break off the tips of the marabou. You should be holding the marabou very close to where the end of the tail is going to be. The with the scissors hand place the backside of the scissors near the marabou pinch point and pull off those spindles to get an even tail. Cut tips on marabou looks not as good.
> 2 if you wet your marabou before you it it on you can see the length it’s going to be while fishing. It’s also way easier to tie on and not as messy.
> But you probably knew that!!!! Keep it up man looks great


Great advice! Thank you! That's pretty genius, I never thought of wetting it.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

If you're worried about tail fouling, something the fly tying folks do to minimize tail fouling is tie the marabou down into the bend of the hook a little. It might not look "correct" in your box or in your hand, but it will fish fine and not foul as much. Of course, if you do that, you'd probably need to fill the space between the tie in point and the jig head with a chenille or other material to fill out the body. Plenty of options there.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

The purples are just abt perfect in my opinion. Smaller(lighter heads, smaller hooks) mimic small minnows so don’t increase the length too much or the fish may never get to the hook, just a mouthfull of featers! If you really like the longer tails, maybe add a “small stinger” hook to near the end of feathers. Larger heads/&hooks(say for salmon, or version of a spey fly/jig), can go longer. I like the natural end of the feathers when using maribou. I pinch the maribou and cut where my thumb and first finger end. It might seem on longer plumes your wasting a feather but I save them as there’s maybe 15 things you can use those squared off “shorts“ for! I feel it’s best to keep the ends naturally rounded and never cut them off square with scissors. Just my preference.


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

I like to wrap my Marabou just like hackle...start with the base of the feather then slowly wrapping the feather and combing it back with each wrap until it's near the end of the feather. Then pull the Marabou all back and layer the thread at the collar and finish. It's a much more dense pattern and the material is equal distributed. Adding crystal flash is super easy to apply at the collar by simply taking the fibers and folding them in half and tied to the collar.


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