Smallmouth Bug

[Dark Cloud]

Been real quiet lately, lazy days of summer? It is for me.

But Im going on our annual family canadian vacation in a week. So that means I have to tie up alot of bucktails for the eyes and various creations for some flyrod smallmouths. Figured I'd share my secret "smallmouth bug" that is killer up there. I fish it highstick nymph style or below a good sized strike indicator. She would fish real well under a float on spinning tackle also...

First step is to get some painted or paint em yourself 1/32 and 1/64 oz jigs. Black, brown or some other darker variation. The one im useing here is powder painted with watermellon red flake.

Lock some black thread into place...

Select a few inch piece of black bunny strip and secure it onto the shank, wrapping back onto the hook shank. You could use maribou but IMO the bunny strip has alot more action...

Now attach to the underside two pieces of rubber leg material - something dark in color. Sorry the pict ain't the best, the camera batt was dying and I wanted to get this done tonight. I couldnt be playing with settings, lol...

Next attach a piece of black chenelle, either small or micro and wrap it back on the hook shank...

Then wrap the chenelle forward in between the legs and finish off the thread...

Trim the legs a bit and the tail. On these I usually make them 2-3 inches long...

The area im fishing these is faster pocket water that contains a good number of hellgramites, crayfish, and iv'e seen some leeches while snorkeling and turning over rocks.

Heres a few picts of where im fishing these. They would probably work like a champ fished in the lakes or rivers on say a 1/8th of 1/16 oz jig. I plan on tying some on 1/4 ouncers to try on the walleyes...

My girlfriend in on the flyrod action. You can see the fish just after a jump in the lower left hand corner...

[upnorth]

Nice Job Dark Cloud. I think even I could follow that one

I have been thinking of getting a fly tying vise and trying some fly tying and probably making some jigs too. I may have take the jump and give a whirl. Problem is finding time for all the things I want to try

[macgruber]

awful purdy water.... what river is that? looks a little like the black in wisconsin

[Dark Cloud]

UpNorth - I hear ya on the time thing. I'd have no problem being retired. My dads been retired 3 years now and often tells people that with all he's got going on he dosen't know how he had time for work...

MacGruber - Thats on the "mississippi" river/lake chain over in eastern Ontatio north of Kingston. Small, medium, and large lakes all conected by these rivers. I believe its the Rideu chain they feed into. We have been going there yearly as a family for 28 or so years. Rustic cabin on the lake - no tv. phone, electric. ect. I go again in late september with my dad and 4 other guys on more of a serious fishing trip. My father is 63 and was 15 or 16 his first ime there...Decent smallie fishing(lots of smaller fish), good to great walleye action, and the accidental nice northern

[Otis1]

Great job DC! I've been meaning to try this type of set up on a 1/4 to 1/2 oz walleye or ball head for Oneida smallmouth.

[Dark Cloud]

Otis - When I get back, your care package is first on my "to do" list. It will have some diff sizes in it...

[Otis1]

Man you made my day! Let me know how your jig head supply is, and if you need anything.

Have an awesome trip and take lots of pics.

[macgruber]

cloud.... that's insane..... my family has a cabin on the rideau route as well..... same thing-- rustic, no electricity, etc...... we are on newborough lake...... more later.... gotta take off....

[Fullmoon]

DC,

that's nice! When you come up here, I'll introduce you to Dell Mazza. One of the best known around. Still ties for Orivis and some high dollar private. You'd get along great. Better plan to stay though, once you two get going, all bets are off when the thread comes out! When you get back, we've got to hook up. I've still got that other gear here too.