Bass bug

[Hairstacker]

Was thinking about our upcoming July 22 bass bugging extravaganza event and decided to start futzing around with deer hair. Haven't tied any bugs since last year and found it fun to get into it again. Tied one so far:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/Sachlil/miscbassbug.jpg

[Adam Grace]

That'll catch a bass

[David Lee]

Sweet tying , as usual ...... :)

I'm in the same boat - Haven't tyed Deerhair in several years , but after our Diver chat , I've busted out several dozen .

Whatcha gonna call it .... Rabbit Taps ?

David :D

[Hairstacker]

Actually, after looking at it for a while, I decided to upgrade it. Each side now sports 4 black rubber legs that just tremble and quiver at the slightest disturbance. :twisted:

[Richard]

Several DOZEN :shock: :shock: :shock: It don't think I could do that many in a year. I wish I had your skill David. =D>

Here is a diver I did recently. Even though I have said that I don't think color mattered I have recently done well with divers with yellow in them, thus this version.

Easier to tie - MAYBE I could do a couple of dozen of these in a year :D is a gurgler I tied to try at Little Frank's next week.

http://www.usfca.edu/fac-staff/davisr/Diver2web.jpg
http://www.usfca.edu/fac-staff/davisr/Gurglerweb.jpg

[David Lee]

I wish I had your skill ......

I wouldn't call it skill , Richard ..... just too much time on my hands !?! For the Hairbugs , I'm looking at just under an hour per fly (trimming included) . Of course , those are the stacked , impress your friends bugs .... not the basic , loose ones that catch fish and are expendable .

By the way , YOU tie as fine a Bug as I've seen . Nice Gurgler , as well .... I like that split stiff weedguard on that one a lot .

Hairstacked has probably the sharpest- trimmed Taps Bugs out there . I have a few of his bugs here .... and each is just perfect . Most of my hairbugs are the "5 Beers and 6 smokes" types - after the first few fish ..... they all look the same , anyways :P

David :D

[SullyTM]

I want one Mike [-o< Why do you think he's called Hairstacker? Mike is an excellent tier of deer hair...a true student of the craft.

[Hairstacker]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the very kind comments! Actually, my bugs are no better than those Richard's been tying and certainly no more effective from what I have seen.

If you want to see some real works of art, check out some of the bugs in the warmwater section on www.flytyingforum.com -- very humbling when I see some of those amazing bugs. Some of those guys are on an entirely different plane.

The one thing I do strive to do, especially on bugs I give away, is take the time to trim them very carefully. It makes a big difference obviously in the final appearance, and I easily spend as much time trimming as I do all the other steps combined. That said, David is absolutely right, they look like crap once they're fished, which is the reason (aside from laziness) I don't bother to steam my bugs during the trimming process. I just like 'em to look pretty in the box, ha.

[David Lee]

I personally wouldn't hesitate to throw any of the three above bugs - each one looks like it'll do the job ......

Which is ...... :evil: THUMP BIG BASS :evil:

Nice stuff , fellas !!

David :D

[Flyjunkie]

Both the Deerhair Bugs Look great... the Hairs' nicely Packed..which seems the hardest thing for Folks just getting into Bass bug Tying to get the swing of....

I've been tying and Fishing alot of Marabou Muddlers and Muddler Minnows this past Spring.. I tye them Monstrous #2 being the Smallest, with Currently #1/0 being the Largest.. Also tying alot of Dahlberg Divers in various colour schemes..

I've spent most of this Year, so far, Flyfishing at a Private Community lake..."WESTLAKE" for Bass... Gotta a small Bass Boat to use there and the Bassin' can be Epic at times....

I enjoy spinning,packing and Trimming Deerhair... although if I haven't done it in awhile..I gotta take my time on the First one..then it all comes back and I move thru them Fluidly enough...

Be Careful with those Double edged razors when trimming.... :wink:



DEAN........ 8) 8)

[Darian]

Hey Mike,.... I've been thinking about the Rabbit strip tail on your Tap's variation.... It looks great. 8) 8)

I'm curious, tho. :? Won't the fly float vertically when the tail becomes saturated :?: :?: If my thought is correct, the fly probably won't "pop" when strip retrieving.

Also, by adding rubber legs, isn't the bug heavier. :?: :?: Seems like that construction is better suited for a diver. :? :?

[Richard]

I appreciate the comments on my bugs, but I will admit that they are intended to catch fish, not anglers, as you would see if you saw them up close. :wink: I have a stacked hair bug that KD gave me that is so beautiful I can't bring myself to fish with it. I sure don't have the same feeling with the ones I tie. :lol:

I have two primary reasons for spending so much time packing them tightly. One is that they float better for a longer period of time and the second is that they hold up better to catching fish. Assuming that I catch any fish on any given day. :roll: I have found that a diver that works for one fish will work for others even though it stops being "pretty". As long as it holds its basic shape and stays on top it will catch fish. Didn't say that I could catch fish only that the bug can. :D

I am looking forward to seeing those of you who can make it to Bethel Island on the 22nd and seeing your art work in action. :) :)

[Flyjunkie]

Here's the Big Muddlers :
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/Flyjunkie/Muddlers1.jpg
The Heads are Tightly Packed, There is no additional weight applied to the Hook..they do float in the surface nicely... But I Only fish them on Shooting Head Lines... get a seductive Diving action going that way...

And Here's a five pound(Or better) Bass from Westlake that found such Big Muddlers too damn Tasty....
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/Flyjunkie/Westlake0502062.jpg

Have Fun at Bethel Island....

DEAN.... 8) 8)

[Darian]

Hey Dean,.... At's a nice Bass!!!! Never even thought to fish a muddler as floater/diver in still water. :? :? Keep the info flowing. :D :D :D

[Flyjunkie]

DARIAN,

A better explanation of the "Sinking Line, Floating Fly" method is this:

I fish a 250 grain Streamer express integrated Shooting head on my 7wt. rod.. a Leader of 6 feet tapered to 8lb. test is used.. The Fly is either a Muddler Minnow or a Marabou Muddler (in white, Olive or Chartreuse) I tye these with Big, Bulbous Heads and trim them "in the Round", not the "Sculpin Profile" I use on the same patterns for Trout. I want these Monsters to float or bob back up following a short strip. I pitch back into the shoreline, around the Various Docks that Line the Lake (Any Structure would be applicable) I let the line sink to the Bottom, the Muddler will set in the surface film, with it's "tail end" down in the water. a Strip of the line, up to a foot, is then imparted.. the Shooting Head will pull the Muddler downwards- the Bulbous Head causes the Muddler to wiggle on the strip. After the strip is completed, allow time for the Muddler to wiggle back up as the Deerhair head causes the fly to bob up towards the surface. Watch Your Line during this assent Often this when the Bass will slide up on the Muddler and oh soo gently Suck it in You usually feel no "Take" only suddenly notice there is resistance on your Line.. I side arm strike set when i notice Any Resistance at this time.. usually it will be a Bass on your Line...
The Advantage of the Bulbous head on the Muddlers is that the head will feel natural and the bass will hold it longer, allowing you to notice the take.. Often I feel the resistance when I begin the Next strip... the Bass has held onto the Muddler that long...

Here's another Bass caught the same day as the previous one.. it's "abit" smaller, Note the Marabou Muddler in it's Mouth???
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/Flyjunkie/Westlake0502061.jpg

I've also used Dahlberg divers with this same method of fishing them.. the Dahlbergs are great because you get alot more Wiggle during the strip and on the Drift.. often it's what is needed...

The Great thing about this "Sinking Line/Floating Fly" method is that the fly can actually be fished over Weeds and rarely hang up...

Give this Method a Try, I Know it will Produce for you... :wink:

DEAN...... 8) 8)

[Darian]

Dean,.... Actually, I've used a variation of your method, myself. Always with a Dahlberg Diver, tho. 8) 8) I use an intermediate or slow sinking integrated head. haven't tried a super fast sinking head, yet. :? :? Good method :D :D :D

[Flyjunkie]

Dean,.... Actually, I've used a variation of your method, myself. Always with a Dahlberg Diver, tho. 8) 8) I use an intermediate or slow sinking integrated head. haven't tried a super fast sinking head, yet. :? :? Good method :D :D :D

DARIAN,

You can vary what the Grain weight of the Integrated shooting head line.. it happens that the Sage RPLXi 7wt. in the two pictures was being fished with a 250 grain... But I've been know to fish a 225 or a 300 grain on the same rod...
The Advantages of the Integrated shooting heads are that if you can cast far enough, you can actually fish from the edge all the way out to drop offs..and even down the drop off face...
I like your use of Intermediate or Slow sinks.. in shallow Environments (With no steep drop offs) they would prove the better choice... :wink: But if you want that Muddler/Dahlberg Diver to Really Dive down, the Heaver Grained Lines would prove the better choice... 8)

Another excuse to buy a spare spool and some more flyline.... :wink:


DEAN...... 8) 8)

[Darian]

Amen!!!!!

[Chris V]

Great looking fly's guys!

I've been tying divers (though not dozens) and gurglers (with the same type of weedguard as yours, Richard) for the upcoming delta trip. Maybe I'll try a few Muddler Minnows or a Marabou Muddlers- they certainly look like they produce! NICE FISH :shock: