easy to make popping bug

[gerald]

If you will go to the craft section of W-M
you will find packets of close-cell foam
in various colors.Lets say you want to make a
a yellow popping bug---cut a strip about 1
and 1/2 inch long and 1/4 inch wide.Now starting midway of the strip taper the strip to 1/8 inch at the ends.Poke a tiny hole
in the middle of the strip at the widest point.Now select a # 10 or 8 long shank
hook.Tie silicon legs on about 1/4 inch
behind eye.Take the foam strip and push
eye of hook through tiny hole,now fold
the foam back over the legs,one half of foam
going over top the other half going over bottom of hook and legs.Wrap thread around the tapered ends and walla you have the bugs head.Now you can tie in tail and a hackle to
wrap to the end of the foam body.I have made
spiders,beetles,ants ect out of this stuff.
Of course,the size can be varied simple by cutting a wider on thinner strip.If you cant find the foam----go to Lowes and buy the close cell foam they sell for insulating outside wall electic outlets.It will be white
but you can dip it in worm dye to get chartruese,hot pink etc.

[gerald]

In making the foam head for your bug,tie
the foam off about half way on the hook leaving plenty of room for hackle and tailing.I use Dannville single strand floss.
Be patient with me --I figure out how to
tpye in this box one of these days.By the
way I make fly rod spoons using artificial
finger nails and also a variation on the
Dalhberg diver.On the foam bugs you can add
those little doll eyes that rattle--neat and
these things will catch the heck out of fish

[Gray ghost]

Thanks for the tips Gerald they are great.I tie most of my creations from supplies bought in craft stores and Wall Mart.The "Corgi flashabou streamer" is one of my favorites but my latest creation is a real beauty.Picture this if you can an Orange ,white and black floating Wolly bugger hornberg with a little flash.The scarry thing is that Trout love this creation .Its possible that the trout think its a Dragon fly or that it is so weird they have to hit it just to check it out.Corgi's they are great dogs.Good Hunting

[Frequent Flyer]

gerald

I assume the foam you are talking about is the thin stuff (1/8" or less)? I bought a few sheets of craft foam and made a popping bug yesterday. I clipped a section of the stem of a marabou feather and tied it to the hook shank for legs and added a marabou tail. I added foam pieces glued together to hold the legs in place and fill in the body. The body was wide and I painted on the eyes.

I took the bug fishing yesterday. First cast was taken by a huge bass who easily broke my 4x tippet and swam away. I'm thinking "How rude is that?" I'm also thinking I'll be back with more foam bugs and 1X or 2X tippet.

Loren

[This message has been edited by Frequent Flyer (edited 05-20-2000).]

[gerald]

Hey that is great!Yes,I was talking about the sheets(about 1/8 inch thick).I actually tie in a scrap of foam about 1/16 inch behind eye
of hook,so that when I stick eye of hook through the pin hole I make in the foam stip
the strip will not slip back when I fold strip back over legs to where I tie strip down--I seldom use any glue.Once you play with this stuff,you will see how you can make extended body flies,spiders,beetles etc and in all sizes.Yes,eyes can be simply painted
on as well as stripes,poka dots can be be put
on with Magic Marker.Anyway get that bass next time!GRW

[gerald]

Gray ghost--I love the idea of the Hornberg
variation on the woolly bugger.I have tied
up several in size 6 to try on spots and
hybrids.I used Mallard flank feathers.Your
description gave me the idea of tying up
some Matukas using duck flank feathers instead of hen's wing feathers.I have
had great success on white & black flecked
winged Matukas on the hooch above State Line
Rd.

[Gray ghost]

Hey Gerald im glad you could use some portion of my strange creations.As long as you keep in mind that im only batting about 50% positive response from trout and other freshwater fish. I have only been tying for about 5 years and since day one I have been trying to create by choice or accident the perfect fly. I think its out there somewhere between the minnow pattern and the bugger.Or a combination of both with a little stone fly thrown in .Your ideas and tips have been great and renewed my quest for the perfect pattern.Thanks and Good Hunting.