me 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.

{50}

[Illustration: Page sized diagram showing bass bugs tied by the author.]

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