|
Mustad has more than 100 years of fly hook experience.
Many patterns still retained date back half a century. In spite of this
long experience, Mustad's processes and technology have been
continuously renewed and refined. The study of insects is fundamental
in modern fly fishing, and is therefore an all important criteria in
fly hook design. Mustad has combined entomology and hook
making into a totally new approach to fly hooks. Hooks are
designed to meet specific properties of the insect´s anatomy without
compromising presentation and action in fishing.
Each month Mustad will present a fly here, featuring one of our hooks, complete
with tying instructions and fishing suggestions. When you buy
hooks we hope you will consider Mustad and Partridge first.
Read Al Campbell's review of Mustad Hooks in the Product Reviews
The Glo Bug
By Jeff Pierce
OK, I know. . . it's just a Glo Bug and yes, it's a simple
fly. It is a simple AND very effective little fly. I get
numerous requests at the fly-fishing shows as well as by
phone and via email about the almighty Glo Bug. "How do
you get that thing so tight and perfectly round," they ask.
Well, it's VERY simple indeed. I will give you my method and
keep in mind that there are several different ways to tie
these flies. Once you get the hang of it, your local fish
are in grave danger.
This was a BIG Steelhead I caught this past April fishing a Glo Bug
(Steelhead Orange) on a size 14 C67S. Geir Sivertzen of Mustad
Norway, and the brains behind the Signature Series is the
gentleman on the left.
Tying Recipe
- Hooks: - Mustad Signature C67S (Egg hook) in
size 10. I tie a lot of Glo Bugs in sizes 10, 12 and 14.
- Thread: Wapsi 140 in fluorescent pink.
- Body: Glo Bug Branded yarn. I tie them
in a variety of colors. My favorite colors are listed below.
Tying Instructions:
Sorry about the rough hands in the photo's but I did this
during prime Salmon and Steelhead season so my hands were
pretty beat up after having my way with the local fish.
Sometimes you just have to take one for the team.
Step 1. Secure C67S in vise and wrap a short base of thread
centered on the tying length of the hook.
Step 2. Cut three pieces of Glo Bug yarn into 1.5" lengths.
You can use all one color or use two of one color and place
a different accent color on top. Set the three pieces on
the top of the hook and make three VERY TIGHT WRAPS (center
of yarn/center of hook). Be sure to keep tension on the
thread at all times.
Step 3. Pull straight up on the Glo Bug yarn and make two
VERY TIGHT WRAPS at the base of the yarn on top of the hook
shank. Be sure to keep tension on the thread at all times.
Step 4. Make a few tight wraps just behind the eye, whip
finish and cut the thread.
Step 5. Pull up tightly on the Glo Bug yarn and cut the yarn
at a distance roughly equal to the hooks gap. Then use your
fingers to fluff the yarn and work it around the shank. If you
had good thread tension and cut the yarn close enough you should
have a nice and round, compact Glo Bug.
Fishing Instructions
The Glo Bug is just about as simple as a fly can
possibly get. I just love quick and easy flies.
Obviously, the best time to fish Glo Bugs is when
there are loose eggs flowing downriver. Steelhead
and Brown Trout often key in on the eggs of spawning
Salmon. These fish will enter the rivers weeks and
even months before they are ready to spawn just to take
advantage of all the eggs in the river. Glo Bugs are
equally effective in streams and rivers with resident
trout populations.
The absolute best time to fish a Glo Bug is when you have
spawning Salmon (or Trout) in a given area. If eggs are
being deposited onto a redd, you can be sure that stray
eggs are drifting down current. When you have eggs drifting
downstream you can sure bet that there are fish feeding on
them. In clear water conditions here on the Great Lakes
it's common to see one or more Steelhead and/or Brown Trout
positioned just downstream from Salmon that are laying eggs.
Some fly anglers shun the use of Glo Bugs and other egg patterns.
I don't quite understand their reasoning since the anglers are
simply "matching the hatch" if you will.
Glo Bug colors vary a great deal. There are two ways to go.
Match the fly color as closely as possible to the natural or
tie bright colors that will stand out from the naturals. My
boxes are loaded with a wide variety of colors but there are
a few staple colors that seem to produce more than others.
A chartreuse Glo Bug with a flame orange dot is an old stand
by that often produces. Steelhead orange with a flame dot,
solid Steelhead orange and solid Oregon cheese are also some
of my favorites. Cerise with a purple dot can also be a great
color.
Here's one thing to keep in mind, especially in areas that get
a lot of pressure or have very clear water. When eggs are first
dropped by the fish they are a brighter orange. The color varies
from species to species and somewhat from fish to fish. As the
season goes on and the spawning is ending or is over there are
still eggs drifting in the current. These "older" eggs begin
to milk out and get lighter and lighter until they are almost
white. So, as the season goes on I find it a good idea to fish
lighter and lighter orange Glo Bugs. If the water comes up and
gets a little off color I will often go to brighter colors that
stand out and in larger sizes. In lower water conditions or in
high angling pressure areas I often fish size 14 Glo Bugs with
excellent success.
So, tie up some Glo Bugs, fish them on a dead drift and hold on. . .
~ Jeff Pierce
|
