Hairbugs

I don't think my reading or experiments have changed my opinions, but they've certainly clarified my thoughts on a few things. I'll start by saying that I generally prefer deer hair bugs. There are times when I think foam, balsa or cork will do just as well, but most of the time I've got more confidence in hair.  I think they sound better to the fish and, while I don't have quality evidence for this, I think the fish hold them in their mouths for longer because they feel better than a hard bug made of painted wood or cork. 

 

When it comes to black bass, there's nothing between the different types of bug in durability. A properly made bug will last plenty of fish and a badly made one won't. Hair might actually be a bit tougher when bounced off of objects on an errant cast or when trying to get just too close-a lot of my bass fishing is around wood and concrete structure and I've accidentally hit a lot of it with bass bugs, it's only balsa and cork that have broken. Foam bounces too. 

When it comes to toothy fish, all bets are off. 

 

There are a few foam flies I still carry and use regularly, because they work great or do something better than hair in a specific situation-a hard faced popper for days with a bit of a chop that means a louder bug is needed. Yes you can use glue to put a flat, impermeable face on a hair bug (POD), but what's the point? If the advantage of a hair-bug is the sound it generates, plasticising it defeats the purpose. A foam cylinder will do just fine.  And I don't always want to or have the time sit down and tie with hair. Gartside's gurgler & bass bug are versatile, quick foam ties that work. You can can make them burble, wake and bloop delightfully.. But they don't last long when they are catching. 

 

I'm not sure if I prefer spun or stacked bugs. Both of them are work to tie and need work on the water to keep them fishing optimally. Spinning is quicker on the vice, but you can't get as much hair on the fly as you can stacking. A tightly stacked bug that's been treated with waterproofer and floatant in advance will absorb less water and float for longer than a spun hair equivalent. So basically you have to choose where the hassle is; at home spending time stacking one bug in the time it would take to spin 3 or 4, or on the water switching them out, drying and re-applying floatant spun bugs  to keep them working optimally.  Either way I think it's worth the effort. Hairbugs land better, sound better and probably work better. Plus there's just something cool about them as objects. 

 

Next week I'll write more about shapes and when to throw them.