Bug Eyed Bugger

Comment

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on February 1, 2014 at 4:52pm

Lucky,
Thanks for the great comment. I remember the first "nymph" I ever tried tying. It was the most ragged thing you could lay eyes on. About all that could be said for it was it had the important elements -
Structure
Appearance
Movement (marabou tail)
... And danged if the gills didn't jump it like a rabbit in heat.

I've always thought your gills took that dragon nymph of yours because it was the right thing for that cloistered BoW, as you point out. Small ponds are cut off, essentially, small micro-worlds all their own. Your presentation may need to be tailored to THAT pond, the time of year, etc...or the fish reject it. I see this in the pond I fish in, anyway.

In the larger world of a lake or big impoundment, this still applies. But I also find that the suggestion of food is often enough. Things at which the pond fish turn up their noses catch their fellows over at the lake.

Movement by itself is not the only factor, in that you're right. It is only one of several elements that matter... albeit in my thinking, one of the most important.

Comment by dick tabbert on February 1, 2014 at 4:15pm

I use to think the same way David but movement isn't everything. I'm a firm believer of matching the hatch and I'll give you an example that changed my thinking and I've told this story before. I fish all year in my pond no catching a single gill. Caught lots of perch and bass but the gills were tight lipped on me. I was pulling in some weeds and discovered a small dragonfly nymph, hundreds of them. I took a picture brought it to the tying room and proceeded tying what I thought was a close look alike. 1st cast nice gill 2nd cast another then another and perch. Even caught a big hybrid striper on one. They have very little movement but look familiar to the fish probably there main diet staple. I thought like what your saying and used different bait each with more and more movement no gills. That is no gills till I matched the hatch. Just a little food for thought.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on February 1, 2014 at 3:50pm

If you look at many dragonfly nymph patterns, they include marabou tails. This is to add one of the crucial elements all baits must have: movement.

We've learned that flies don't have to look exactly like the naturals to catch fish. This is because fish are programmed to look for certain qualities in their food. As long as a pattern offers these things, the fish are going to react as if it is food.

Basically we fool them into taking the chance of grabbing an easy meal. Adding movement is a major step towards simulating life in an otherwise lifeless trick.

Comment by Allen Morgan on February 1, 2014 at 3:37pm

Kinda like the bead-chain wooly buggers I was tying a couple years ago?  I was catching lots of Hybrid sunnies and LMBs.  I was thinking it was imitating the Dragonfly nymphs.  Of course, the tail was too long, but the fish were still hitting them.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on January 31, 2014 at 9:10pm

Thanks Lucky.

Im thinking now that by adding some modifications, this could also serve as a dragon or damsel nymph fly,

Change to olive dubbed bodies with wire wrapped rib, drop palmered hackle and add a shellback with hackle legs, maybe a bit of orange in the thorax as a trigger spot - etc.

In any case, keep the big buggy eyes. Im thinking green ones... and I just happen to have some green beads!

Comment by dick tabbert on January 31, 2014 at 12:59pm

Gotta love them buggy eyed things.

Comment by jim cosgrove on January 31, 2014 at 10:56am

also you can use straight pins ,slip on a bead bend 90 and tie on.the broom or mono eye does give a better look especially with smaller eyes .i think eyes are a cue when they are feeding on certain nymphs

Comment by jim cosgrove on January 31, 2014 at 10:51am

you can also thread the glass beads on a piece of wire and twist together so the round side of the bead is facing out

Comment by Donald Schmotzer on January 31, 2014 at 10:45am

  I never thought of bending them 90 degrees, that would make tying them a lot easier. I used those stick pins for eyes on a frog pattern for Bass and that worked great. But the way you are doing it looks like it would work better on the smaller size flies (10,12 and 14's).  We just need it to get warm so we can test some of the flies.....Don

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on January 31, 2014 at 9:58am

Exactly the plan, Don. The fly that was the model for these used stick pins, like you mention. That tier bent the pin at 90 degrees to facilitate the tying, right at the bead. I just happen to have a mess of glass beads and broom bristles - adapt and improvise!
So, you think these will catch fish, then?

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