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3. Louie's Hairy Honeybug

OK, if my other recent posts doesn't have some scratching their heads, or just picking themselves off the floor of their tying room, this one will do it for sure.

Someone recently suggested elsewhere that for really big generic nymphs that imitate various worms* one can not only use latex prophylactics, but also wool yarn. Unable to easily find wool yarn of the right color for my mega Walt's Worms (John W can attest to their effectiveness in high spring run-off conditions; take note WI contingent, for when all that white stuff melts.) I came up with the following concept.

Take some undyed honeybug yarn (Despite previous jabs at the venerable honeybug and its cousin the sinking inchworm, I must observe that I recently saw one of the jabbers with a green weenie on the end of his line.) and dye it Walt's Worm tan, or as close as you can get. Rit taupe dye isn't too far off, and tan will work in a pinch. Select a hook. The recently alluded to forum noted that scud hooks invert when weighted, and thus become less prone to hanging on underwater obstructions, so I've been using a big Daiichi 1130 until my barbless scud hooks arrive. Add a bead or not. (Sorry Gonzo.) As per the "shot or not" thread, I've been using tungsten beads. Wrap lead or lead-free wire around the shank to taste, push the wraps up to the bead, then tie in some fluorescent red thread in behind the weighting wire wraps, over wrap them with the thread to bind the wire in, coat the wire with nail polish if it's lead, then wrap the thread back to where the body will begin. Here tie in a black thread still attached to a bobbin and let it hang. With the red thread secure a length of tan honeybug yarn at this point as well, advance the red thread to the tie off point at the head, just behind the eye or the bead (if added), wrap the honeybug yarn to the tie off point and tie it off, throwing in a whip finish or half hitches at the least. You now have a honeybug with black thread extending from its derriere. Here's the slick part. Dub the black thread with tan hare's ear (Walt's Worm Fur, that is). Spiral the dubbed thread tightly through the Honeybug yarn, ribbing the fly with it, up to the tie off point. Use the red thread to tie off the black dubbed thread, and whip finish. This is to create a hot spot, an attractor element in this otherwise highly specific imitative pattern. Finally use your velcro dubbing brush to tease out the hare's ear, making the fly fuzzy.

Yes, go ahead and laugh, but the trout weren't laughing yesterday, I can tell you. And I know some of you out there will find this a very interesting development on the honeybug tutorials offered in the past.

*Jason really needs a footnote function. I would add the following note on the scientific names of worms taken from another website. Somehow the observations seemed to fit with the recent discussion of the condom fly: 'The name "Apporectodea Turgida" means "pasture worm," but "Turgida" means to swell out.' Please observe that this was not taken from an X-rated site:

http://www.wausau.k12.wi.us/ribmtn/grade5/page9.html

i love it!

Is Gonzo speechless, and has he just written me off as hopeless?

Neither, Louis. Having so rarely been accused of being speechless, however, I was enjoying the moment. ;)

PS--Your new fly sounds like it will be very effective. My reservations about beads have little to do with their effectiveness for weighting a fly--especially when the fly is tied "in-the-round."

I think (i know) your fly will, catch fish. Thread legs(6) and melted mono eyes and you would have to hide behind a tree, to tie it on.

JaD

I'm new here and just recently learned about the Honey bug. I would love to tie some if I could find the right material. I consider myself a novice but have been reasonably successful. Can anyone give me a hand.

I carry honey bug, the original...

Sandfly did you give me a n e-mail address or a website to contact you?

As Taxon has already pointed out,

"The link to the Honey Bug materials is http://www.bigmeadowsflyshop.com/Store.html and they appear at the bottom of the screen."

I wanted to mention that I met Bob (Sandfly) at the Somerset show last weekend and had a nice conversation with he and his wife. He was kind enough to give me a honeybug tied with original materials. It's a good-looking fly, but given the rarity of the correct materials, I may forbear fishing it.

Thanks, Bob. And it was nice meeting you and your wife.

-Shawn

Here you go, Shawn.

You didn't.

-Shawn