Rons Simple Crayfish

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Ron’s Sili-Bugger

It’s “Bass-time”--those big-uns that lurked on the bottom all winter are now active and aggressive, it being spawning time. Accordingly, it is fitting to feature an easy, effective pattern that will take large bass (also crappie and ‘gills).

Ron English is the creator of this bug; Nick English ties a slightly different version, and I can attest that both are very effective. Ron believes that the bass like the feel of the silicone legs in their maw. Whatever it is, they sure slammed it at Kelsey Lake. I only had two of these bugs--one tied by Ron, and one tied by Nick. I finally lost both of them--well chewed, but still intact, by the time they broke off.

Materials

Hook                 Mustad 9672, Tiemco 9395, #2--6

Thread             Olive or brown 6/0

Head                 Dumbbell eyes, painted black with white dot

Tail                   Brown Marabou

Body                 Heavily dubbed synthetic semi-coarse olive dubbing

Hackle             Olive/black speckled silicone rubber leg material

Weight             Lead or substitute

Instructions

1. Cover front 1/4" of hook with thread. Fasten eyes securely to hook about 1/8" behind eye; add a drop of superglue. When dry, wind 6-10 wraps of lead behind eyes, and secure lead with thread wraps.

2.   At a point just above the barb (which you now have smashed), tie in a long-ish marabou “tail”.

3. At the same point, the dubbing process begins. Because the dubbing is semi-coarse, it is best to use a dubbing loop technique for building up the body. Form a loop about 3" in length, and move the bobbin to the front of the hook. Fill the loop with dubbing, and twist the loop. Don’t twist too tightly--just enough to create a nice thick “chenille”. Grab the bottom of the twisted loop with hackle pliers, and wind the dubbing onto the rear 1/3 of the hook.

4. Cut a bunch of 2 -1/2" pieces of silicone rubber legs. Take one of these pieces, and double it around the tying thread, and tie it on just ahead of the end of the dubbing, on the close side of the hook. Tie in another doubled over piece of rubber leg material on the other side of the hook, and a third piece on the bottom of the hook.

5. Dub the middle 1/3 of the hook. See step 3 above.

6. Tie in another three doubled-over rubber legs. See 4 above.

7. Dub the forward 1/3 of the hook. See step 3 above. Here tie in one doubled over piece of rubber leg material, on top of the hook just behind the eye.

8. Apply a bit of dubbing around the eyes (use figure 8 method), make a nice neat head, and whip finish.

See ya on the creek!!!!

Copyright 1998 by Granite Bay Flycasters unless otherwise noted.


	Ron’s Sili-Bugger It’s “Bass-time”--those big-uns that lurked on the bottom all winter are now active and aggressive, it being spawning time. Accordingly, it is fitting to feature an easy, effective pattern that will take large bass (also crappie and ‘gills). Ron English is the creator of this bug; Nick English ties a slightly different version, and I can attest that both are very effective. Ron believes that the bass like the feel of the silicone legs in their maw. Whatever it is, they sure slammed it at Kelsey Lake. I only had two of these bugs--one tied by Ron, and one tied by Nick. I finally lost both of them--well chewed, but still intact, by the time they broke off.
Materials Hook Mustad 9672, Tiemco 9395, #2--6 Thread Olive or brown 6/0 Head Dumbbell eyes, painted black with white dot Tail Brown Marabou Body Heavily dubbed synthetic semi-coarse olive dubbing Hackle Olive/black speckled silicone rubber leg material Weight Lead or substitute
Instructions 1. Cover front 1/4" of hook with thread. Fasten eyes securely to hook about 1/8" behind eye; add a drop of superglue. When dry, wind 6-10 wraps of lead behind eyes, and secure lead with thread wraps. 2. At a point just above the barb (which you now have smashed), tie in a long-ish marabou “tail”. 3. At the same point, the dubbing process begins. Because the dubbing is semi-coarse, it is best to use a dubbing loop technique for building up the body. Form a loop about 3" in length, and move the bobbin to the front of the hook. Fill the loop with dubbing, and twist the loop. Don’t twist too tightly--just enough to create a nice thick “chenille”. Grab the bottom of the twisted loop with hackle pliers, and wind the dubbing onto the rear 1/3 of the hook. 4. Cut a bunch of 2 -1/2" pieces of silicone rubber legs. Take one of these pieces, and double it around the tying thread, and tie it on just ahead of the end of the dubbing, on the close side of the hook. Tie in another doubled over piece of rubber leg material on the other side of the hook, and a third piece on the bottom of the hook. 5. Dub the middle 1/3 of the hook. See step 3 above. 6. Tie in another three doubled-over rubber legs. See 4 above. 7. Dub the forward 1/3 of the hook. See step 3 above. Here tie in one doubled over piece of rubber leg material, on top of the hook just behind the eye. 8. Apply a bit of dubbing around the eyes (use figure 8 method), make a nice neat head, and whip finish. See ya on the creek!!!!