A style of fishing becoming more popular each year is that of Fly Rod fishing with Floating Bugs. These Bugs represents the large moth, butterfly, etc., and are constructed of a large variety of materials. Some have cork bodies. Some have Balsa Wood bodies. Others all hair bodies. Bodies covered with chenille, and other materials. One of the easiest to make and I believe one of the most successful styles, is entirely constructed from the body hair of the deer, reindeer, or caribou. All of these hairs are rather coarse and hollow consequently are very buoyant, and when properly made into a copy of the living insect, they have a soft, lifelike body that appears very natural when taken by a fish. These soft bodied Bugs are not so apt to be ejected before the Angler has time to set the hook, as are those with hard bodies.

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Bass Bugs tied by the author (actual size)

Although the object of this book is to teach the Angler how to tie his own flies a few words in regards to the writer's personal experiences in using these Bugs might not be amiss at this time. Floating Bugs are mostly tied on large size hooks and generally used for {51} bass. However, I have had a great deal of luck and many pleasant experiences with them tied as small as a #14 Model Perfect hook, and used with a 4x Leader. The small sizes will take many large trout, and are readily accepted by all pan fish. When fishing in still waiters with the Floating Bugs, whether it be for bass, pickerel, trout or pan fish I use a light leader, treated so that it will sink. I cast to a likely looking spot, beside an old stump along lily pads, or to an opening in the lily pads themselves. I let the Bug hit the water with quite a splash, as a living moth of the same size would, and there I let it lie, absolutely motionless, as though stunned by the blow. By all means do not be impatient, let the Bug lie perfectly still for two or three minutes, and then simply move the tip of your rod just enough to cause the Bug to quiver on the surface. Again let it lie perfectly still for a minute or two; usually about the second time the Bug is made to quiver you can expect a strike, and when a big bass comes after one of these Bugs, he comes full of action. When fishing fast water, I fish them exactly as I would a dry fly, upstream or up and across the current. My personal choice for color is the natural brownish grey body hair from either the deer, reindeer, or caribou. Wings, tail and body all the same natural color. I tie this pattern from size 2/0 Model perfect hook down to size 14, and us {52} the larger sizes for bass and pickerel, and the smaller sizes for trout and pan fish. I remember one very pleasant experience that happened in northern Maine three years ago. There is a small, deep, spring fed lake of about ten acres in area, completely surrounded by wilderness; this lake had been stocked with, Rainbow Trout and closed to all fishing for five years. I was fortunate in being there about two months after it had been opened to fishing and was invited to try my luck, after first being advised that although some very nice catches were regularly being taken on a Streamer Fly fished deep, also on live bait and worms with a spinner, no one had even been able to take fish on the surface. I arrived at this lake about one hour before dark, and it was one of those evenings when the water was actually boiling with rising trout. In fact never before or since have I seen so many fish breaking water at the same time. I immediately made up my mind to take fish on the surface. I began fishing with a small spider, and changed fly after fly for the next half hour with the same results as had been experienced by other dry fly fishermen. In desperation and with darkness fast approaching I tied on a size 4 Grey Bug and cast about thirty feet from shore. The Bug hit the water with quite a splash and didn't even as much as put down one fish, and several continued to {53} rise from within a few inches to a few feet from where the Bug landed. I waited a couple of minutes and gave the Bug a little twitch, nothing happened, again I twitched and again nothing happened. I began to believe I was stumped when again the Bug was moved ever so slightly for the fifth time, and remember this was at least seven minutes after it first hit the water. A fish struck. In a few minutes I landed a 2 1/4 pound Rainbow. Before darkness had brought the day to a close I had landed three more beautiful Rainbows averaging 2 pounds each. I had never since had the opportunity to fish in this beautiful little lake. Some day I hope to return, and again try, and I believe succeed in taking these beautiful Rainbow Trout on the conventional dry fly. However, this one little experience proved conclusively to me the absolute necessity of patience in fishing Floating Bugs.

FLOATING BUGS: THEIR CONSTRUCTION (SEE DIAGRAM 9)

First let us begin by making the most simple; that is, one that has the Body, Wings, and Tail, all of the same material and color. Follow the illustrations carefully and even your first attempt will be a masterpiece.

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Although I use well waxed 00 tying silk, you will find that regular sewing silk size A will work best on your first attempt. First wax your thread thoroughly and take a few turns around the shank of the hook and tie in a small bunch of hairs for the tail, as in Diagram 9, Fig. 1, page (55). We will assume that we are using regular deer hair cut from the hide. Next clip a small bunch of hairs, about the size of a match, close to the hide. You will notice there is some fuzz mixed with the hair at the base close to the skin, pick out the fuzz and place the butts of the hairs under the hook as in Fig. 2, Take a couple of loose turns with the tying silk, hold the tips of the hair with the thumb and finger of the left hand, and pull the tying silk down tight. You will notice that the hairs spin around the hook and the butt ends will stand out pretty much at right angles to the hook, as in Fig. 3. Cut off the tip end of the hairs on the dotted line, press the hairs back tightly, apply a drop of water-proof lacquer to the base of the hairs and the hook, and repeat the same process of tying on a small bunch of hair, each time pressing it back tightly. Remember this is important, because the hair must be as close together as possible to make a firm, smooth, buoyant body.

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Diagram 9

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When you have built the body up until it looks something like Fig. 4, remove it from the vise and with a sharp pair of scissors trim and shape it until it looks like Figs. 5 and 6. At this stage you should have 3/16" of the shank of the hook left just behind the eye, where you will tie on the wings. Cover this bare hook with the well waxed tying silk, and lay a bunch of hair on top of the hook for wings as Fig. 7. Crisscross the tying silk around the wings and the hook until they are securely tied together. Place several coats of lacquer over he junction of the wings and hook, to more securely bind them in place. Lacquer the entire wings if you wish and when they have partially dried, press them flat, spread them, trim them as Fig. 8, and your Bug is completed.

Any combination of color may be used, different colored wings and tail, different colored rings in the body. White body with red tail and wings is a good pattern. Yellow body, black wings and tail another. Various feather combinations can be used for wings and tall. Create your own designs, and develop your patterns.

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CORK BODIED BASS BUGS (SEE DIAGRAM 10)

These high floaters are easy to make and may be tied on most any size hook desired. Kinked shank hooks should be used to prevent the body from turning on the hook. Colored lacquer or enamel can be used to decorate the bodies, and eyes can be either painted on, or regular small glass eyes inserted and held in place with water-proof glue or lacquer. Any of the fancy feathers that are used for regular bass flies can be used for wings. Hair or feathers can be used for tails, etc. Let us first make one of these cork bodied Bugs on a size 1/0 hook. Take a 1/2" cork cylinder and with a razor blade shape it roughly as Diagram 10, Figs. 1 and 2. Then with a piece of 00 sandpaper held in the right hand and the cylinder in the left it is a very simple matter to give the body a nice smooth, shapely finish. Next cut a small V out of the body as in Fig. 3. This is easier to fit to the hook and easier to cement securely than simply making a slit in the cork. Press the V slit over the hook as in Fig. 4. Apply cement or lacquer liberally to the inside of the V slot, and to the hook shank. Press the piece that was removed securely back into place, bind tightly with string, as in Fig. 5, and let set over night. Next day when the cement has thoroughly dried and the body is permanently fastened to the hook, remove the string and with the sandpaper touch up any rough places on the body, and give a coat of lacquer or enamel of the desired color.

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Diagram 10

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When the body enamel has dried, take a pair of feathers for wings (whole feathers that have the quill in the centre, same as are used for regular bass fly wings are best), and with the tying silk bind these fast to the top side of the shoulders as in Fig. 6. Tie on a tail close to the body, paint on the eyes, paint any other color or designs you wish on the body, and the Bug is completed.

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Diagram 11

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ANGLER'S KNOTS

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in Diagram 11, page (60) show a very convenient way to tie a dropper loop in the leader; roll the gut between thumb and finger at (A) Fig. 1, next invert loop (B) through (C) Figs. 2 and 3.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 make the best knot for or a loop in the end of a leader, gut snells etc. Pull loop (C) through loop (B) Figs. 5 and 6.

Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are about the easiest and most secure knots for making leaders, the ends are in the centre of the finished knot and can be clipped close.

Figs. 10, 11, and 12, the figure eight knot, is the best for tying flies to the leader, it won't slip, and the pull is in line with the hook shank.

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MY FAVORITE FLIES

Quite frequently I am asked which fly I like the best, or which particular patterns I would choose should I carry only a few flies with me on a trip. That is rather a difficult question to answer. The season, the type of fishing and location must be taken into consideration.

There must be some reason for so many hundreds of patterns. I hardly believe that any half dozen patterns can be used with constant success throughout the season, even in one particular locality. There are times, when fish are feeding, that they will take anything; again one may change fly after fly without success, when finally a fly will be tried that will take fish on every cast. Suppose that particular fly wasn't included in the chosen few, the answer is obvious.

However, I will endeavor to choose six patterns each of the various styles, and to give my reasons for their choice, but here I assure you there will always be many more patterns in my fly box for further trial, after I have exhausted my favorite six.

Beginning with dry flies, my first choice would be {63} a Quill Gordon, on a size 16 hook. This fly closely represents the numerous duns that are on or about the water, to some extent, during the entire season. I have little faith in color in the dry fly, except light or dark shades. I do believe that the size and shape have a great deal more to do with the success of a dry fly than color. I have proven to my own satisfaction that a Quill Gordon sparsely dressed as it should be, but tied with a black hackle and yellow mallard wings, is just as successful as the customary dressing.

My second choice would be the Red Ant. Although this fly belongs to the order Hymenoptera, it can be used when many of the Diptera order are on the water, such as Cowdung, Blue bottle, Bee, etc. This family all have flat wings and make an entirely different appearance than the aforementioned Quill Gordon. I tie the Red Ant on a size 14 hook. I build the body first of red silk floss, shape it like the body of an ant, give it a couple of coats of clear lacquer and let it dry hard and shiny. This body will reflect light, much as the natural insect. I then tie on two hackle tips for wings. Have them about as long as the hook, spread them so they are at about a 30 degree angle from the body and very flat. I then use a brown saddle hackle with fibers about 3/4" long for legs. I put on only two or three turns of the hackle, and then clip off all of the top and bottom hackles, leaving only about six fibers sticking {64} straight out on each side. This fly will float very close to the water, and because of its sparse dressing, slightly heavy body because of the lacquer, it is not a good floater. It also has the disadvantage of being hard to see. However, it is still my second choice, and properly dressed, and fished with a very fine leader, will take many nice fish.

My third choice is the Fan Wing Royal Coachman. This fly was never supposed to represent any particular family but I believe it is taken by fish for the Lepidoptera, large-winged moths and butterflies. It seems to be very successful when these are about in the evening.

My fourth choice is the Furnace Spider. This fly I tie on a size 16 short shank hook, by winding only about three turns of a furnace saddle hackle, with fibers about three fourths of an inch long. Tied in this manner, without any body or tail, the fly will alight on the water with the hook down, and looked at from beneath, against the light, only the little black spot will be noticeable. This I believe represents some of the order Coleoptera (beetles) and also the small black gnat (Empidae). I know if no other ways to tie the Black Gnat small enough to represent the natural insect, and even on the very smallest hook, the artificial is usually many times larger than the natural. The small black centre of the furnace saddle hackle tied in this manner seems to represent the size of the natural very {65} closely. This fly is a very good floater and an excellent fly when trout are feeding on those small insects.

My fifth choice is the Grannon. This fly is of the order of Trihoptera, and has different shaped wings than any of those previously mentioned, the wings being quite full and roof shaped. It is on the water a good part of the season, and can be used when other flies with this shape wing are about, such as the alder fly, cinnamon fly, etc.

My next and sixth choice of dry fly would be the Brown Palmer, made on a size 12 long shank hook with a full body of peacock herl, and palmer hackle, wound not too full. This I believe is taken by the trout for many of the caterpillars.

My personal choice of these six patterns should now appear quite obvious, should it be necessary for me to limit myself to such a small selection. I have selected one each of the six most prominent orders, and should any one of the hundreds of families of these orders be in prominence on the water, I would at least have the correct size or color.

My choice of the standard pattern wet flies, Feather Streamers, Bucktail Streamers, and nymphs would be a little more difficult. I am a firm believer that color plays a very important part in the dressing of wet flies, as well as size and style. I offer my personal choice of these styles because of the consistency with which they {66} have taken fish for me during many years of fishing all parts of the country.

I do not hesitate to say that I have taken more trout, of all kinds, on a brown hackle with peacock herl body, than any of the other common wet fly patterns. This is probably because I have used it more. I do believe that in the north, and especially for brook trout, a fly with a little red in it is more productive. Therefore, for northern fishing I would select Royal Coachman, Parmachene Belle, and Montreal. Other favorite flies that are good most anywhere in North America are Grizzly King, Queen O'Waters; Cahill, and Grey Hackle.

Feather Streamers and Hair Streamers are being more extensively used each year. Many authorities are of firm conviction that these flies unquestionably represent small minnows, upon which the fish are in the habit of feeding. This may be true, but I have seen many rubber, metal and composition minnows, that were exact replicas of the naturals, both as to color and size, and they would not take fish as would the Feather or Hair Streamers, fished in the same waters at the same time.

Most of my experience with Feather Streamers and also Hair Streamers has been for Landlocked Salmon and Rainbow Trout, in big waters. So I will list these according to the way they have produced for me. The {67} Black Ghost on a #4 long shank hook has been my most successful Feather Streamer. Probably because its white streamers are easily seen by the fish. It will most always raise fish, even if not the proper fly to make them strike. The Grey Ghost is another, and one of the most popular streamers in the North for Landlocked Salmon. This fly, as well as the Supervisor, Spencer Bay Special and numerous other flies of this style, were originally designed by their creators to represent the smelt, a favorite food of the salmon. These flies vary so in their color combinations that I wonder what the fish do take them for. However, I do know that a Grey Ghost will work when a Supervisor will not, and vice versa. One is grey and the other is blue. When fishing in lakes with a Feather Streamer for trout I have consistently had most luck with a creation of my own, Gregg's Demon. This fly was never tied to represent anything, but I have taken many nice fish on it, and have seen little fellows hardly as long as the fly itself chase it, and try their best to bite it in two. There is just something about it that has "fish appeal."

A Brown Bucktail with a silver body on a #6 3x long shank hook rates number one in Bucktail streamers. Another excellent fly that has been a favorite for years, is a Yellow and Red Bucktail, with a silver body, the red only a narrow streak through the centre. This fly has recently been named "Mickey Finn." A red and {68} white, with silver or gold body is a real good pattern where there are brook trout, and tied on a large hook is very good for bass.

I use one with all white bucktail and silver body, the same as I do a Black Ghost, for locating fish. I find they will most always show their presence, one way or another when a white fly is cast near them.

An all yellow with black streak in the centre same as the "Mickey Finn" is another very good combination. This is an excellent pickerel and bass fly. In fact, most any of these Feather Streamers and Bucktail Streamers tied on larger hooks, and used with or without a spinner, are excellent lures for both bass and pickerel.

Nymphs: I have explained elsewhere my liking these lures, and can say little more except that I always carry the following color combinations in various sizes. All tied according to styles illustrated in the diagrams. Cream Belly with Dark Back; Yellow Belly with Black Ribs and Dark Back; Green Belly with Dark Back; Grey Belly and Gold Ribs with Dark Back; Brown Belly and Gold Ribs with Black Back; Orange Belly and Black Ribs with Dark Back.

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[Transcriber's Note: Some of the names are not in strict alphabetical order.]

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