Ugly Bug 2011

[Pup]

Received an assist from a bungee cord to tie this jig. The elastic made for pretty nice legs I think. No googly eyes or silver elastic legs on this version.



Materials:

• Unpainted 1/4-oz. Northland Gum-Ball Jig with 1/0 hook
• Caron Glimmer #5 chenille - apple
• Bungee cord elastic
• Machine embroidery thread (trilobal polyester) 40-wt - electric green
• Sally Hansen Hard As Nails - cardinal
• Black and white acrylic paints for eyes
• PermaPoxy 5-Minute GP Epoxy for topcoat

This jig style is one of my favorites to make/tie.

 

[oldfox]

I like it....I bet the fish will like it even better!

 

[AtticaFish]

I just saw your original post from these a few days ago when i was looking through old pics. Those legs look like they should hold up better. Gonna have to try and make some of them... like the look and could be mistaken by the fish as a few different foods.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Well done.It looks like a well balanced jig since you got that ball-head jig with the hook up. The paint job on the head is perfect.

 

[Pup]

Thanks for your comments OF, AF, & JJ1.

AF,

I prefer this particular elastic. However, I find that the elastic can vary in thickness, color, quantity, and quality within same-sized bungee cords that are made by the same manufacturer. :-/

Think I might try to tie one with a forest green head and use my basil-colored "Thick And Quick" cheniille for the body. This could be an interesting tie...

 

[CrappieHappy]

Nicely done!

 

[Pup]

Thanks CH.

Think I might try to tie one with a forest green head and use my basil-colored "Thick And Quick" cheniille for the body. This could be an interesting tie...

Here are a couple that I tied from bungee cord rubber and the green chenille. One has very thick black legs that are somewhat stiff and smell like new tires. I'll see how it fishes...:-/





I do like the bottom jig's flexible legs. However, the bass will judge it...

 

[AtticaFish]

I really like the looks of the green/black ugbug, should be excellent for murky water. Not sure about the smell though... hopefully it will go away after a little while in the water.

 

[Pup]

AF,

Thank you. I like the green and black combination too. I just wish that the legs weren't so stiff. Though, I plan to fish this jig anyway to see if I can get a bite.

I really scratch my head over the use of scents for sight-feeding fish. Anglers purchase garlic, anise, and prey-flavored scents and seem to swear by them. Some view it as an attractant, while others use it to mask their own human scent.

Assuming that scent is an attractant, I don't know why bass would prefer garlic as opposed to tire scent. I could understand prey scents somewhat, but garlic? So, why not tire scent? I like the smell of new tires.

I purchased some more bungee cords this evening and plan to dissect them this weekend. More ugly bugs to tie...

 

[AtticaFish]

...Assuming that scent is an attractant, I don't know why bass would prefer garlic as opposed to tire scent. I could understand prey scents somewhat, but garlic? So, why not tire scent? I like the smell of new tires. ...

That is a good point and i have wondered "Why?" garlic (of all things) in the past myself. Only thing i can come up with is that it is outside of the normal things they see go by them in a day... kind of like a big chatter bait clacking away ...and actually peeks their curiosity - forces them to hit just to figure it out! I picture myself, sticking my tounge on a 9V battery as a child. So with that thought, perhaps you should be good! If those legs are flexible at all and move when they hit bottom..... i am betting that will get nailed!



Scent/Taste Storytime: (My fishing buddy swears this happened though i was not with him on this fishing trip ) He was perch fishing on Erie with some friends and one of them dropped a hunk of his sandwich over-board. A few minutes later they pulled in a yellow perch that had something sticking out of its throat. Now this happens often where a perch may spit up several 'stolen' shiners either on the deck of the boat or in the ice chest. But, this one had a bannana pepper sticking out of its mouth!

 

[Pup]

These are 1/8-oz. versions made with Lion Brand Suede chenille and some thinner elastic obtained from bungee cords. I really like this elastic's action in water.

I should mention that the legs are tied onto the shank using figure eight wraps, much like you might do when tying weighted flies.



That's it for my Ugly Bugs for a good while...