Wiggle Bug
"There is no doubt that bass find wiggling, diving flies
irresistible, and the Wiggle Bug does just that. It's
underwater action is similar to a flatfish lure or any
number of crankbaits. You can form your own Wiggle
Bug body from beach sandal foam, but your best
bet is to use the EdgeWater Wiggle Bug kit that includes
the foam, hook and instructions, or buy EdgeWater
Wiggle Bug Sticks, which are the shaped foam bodies.
(EdgeWater 801-825-8982) You may want to
examine or purchase a completed fly, particularly for the
placement of the foam on the hook.
Tying Tips:
Be sure to center the hole where hook eye goes through foam, using a
needle with the same diameter as the hook wire, or the needle available
from EdgeWater. When tying in body waterial, be sure to leave plenty
of room to insert the hook eye into the foam. To secure the foam use
Zap-A-Gap cyanoacrylate super glue or EdgeWater's Aron Alpha
super glue.
The Wiggle Bug is tied without a weed guard: The guard would hinder
its swimming abilities; when fishing, if the Wiggle Bug hits a snag, the
lip causes the fly to flip up over the obstacle, allowing you to continue
the retrieve.
Materials List:
Hooks: Wide gap,ring eye streamer hook,
sizes 6-4/0 (Daiichi 2461 recommended).
Thread: [to match foam or hackle].
Tail: Marabou, varied colors; Crystal Flash, Flashabou
optional.
Body: Foam, varied colors; chenille or yarn underbody.
Eyes: Optional, doll eyes with stem.
Tying Instructions:
1. Debarb hook, attach thread, wrap complete
hook shank with thread, then apply cement. With
thread at front of hook (leave room at the head for
the foam), tie in body material (and optional hackle or
ribbing.) Trim excess, cement tie-down area.
2. Wrap thread to the rear of the body. Wrap
body to the rear, ending body just above the hook point
(then the optional hackle or ribbing). Tie off, trim
excess, cement tie-down area.
3. Hold the foam body so the flat side is up, then
using a thick needle, puncture a hole in the foam. The
needle must be : A) in the center of the foam; B) back
from the front of the foam (the beveled part) the distance
equal to the hook gap; C) angled to the rear at a 45 degree
angle. (Foam will be turned over to install on the fly; you
may need to shorten the foam to match the hook.)
4. Apply Zap-A-Gap or Aron Alpha super glue to
the top of the body. With the lip to the front and
pointing down and with the beveled side down, slide the
hole in the foam over the eye of the hook. Center the
foam over the body and securely tie down, squashing foam.
Thread is wrapped so foam is to the rear of the tie-down
spot; thread tie-down is centered over point of hook. While
super glue is still flexible, make sure foam is centered over
the hook.
5. Tie in marabou tail (about body length) on top
of rear of foam, in same tie-down area as the previous
step. (Tie in optional Flashabou or Crystal Flash.) Trim
excess. Whip finish with Extended Reach Whip Finish
tool. Cement tie-down area well. Remove fly from vise
and check foam alignment.
6. Optional: install doll eyes."[To install doll's
eye in foam, using a drill bit the same size as the eye
stem, hand-twist the bit to form a hole in the foam.
Put a drop of super glue in the hole and insert the
doll eye stem into the hole.]
Variations:
EdgeWater foam color variations include black, white,
chartreuse, yellow, purple and blue. The underbody allows
you some creative freedom because of the variety of materials
and colors you can incorporate into the fly to entice bass.
You can use yarn, chenille, sparkle chenille, dubbing, or
pearlescent tubing over yarn or chinelle. You can add body
hackle or rib the fly with sparkle chenille or tinsel.
Fishing the Fly:
Use an open style knot that leaves a small loop of
monofilament in front of the fly when you fish the Wiggle
Bug, or it won't swim properly. Optionally, use a regular
fly-to-tippet knot (such as an improved clinch knot) to
tie on a small snap for attaching the Wiggle Bug. [Note:
the eye is barely visable!]
If the Wiggle Bug doesn't swim straight, you can push the
end of the diving lip to the side, modifying the swim path
the bug will take when you retreive the fly. Fishing the
Wiggle Bug takes a bit more effort because the fly is
bulky and its lip sticks out, slowing your cast. However
the Wiggle Bug is't really all that much more work to cast
than a large popper.
Retrieving the Wiggle Bug is demanding, because you must work
the fly fairly fast to get it to dive and swim, particularly when
fishing from a float tube or pontoon boat. You may need to pull
your rod to the side while you strip line, and fin backwards if in
a tube. The extra effort is well worth it, though, because bass
attack the Wiggle Bug with gusto. Also, experiment with the
retrieve, re-casting to a "bassy" area several times. I've had bass
pounce on the Wiggle Bug as soon as it landed, but most bass
need to see the fly swim to assault the Wiggle Bug as a meal.
~ Deke Meyer
Larry Tullis also sells the finished Wiggle Bug, and the
kit for tying it. He may be reached at:Larry Tullis
585 E. Canyon View Dr. (1150 N), Ogden, Utah 84404
Ph. 801-399-0025, email: ltullis@peoplepc.com.
|