Lovebug Variant

[flyman]

Lovebug Variant

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size # 16 scud/Shrimp hook

Black 8/0 thread

Peacock Hurl

Black Dubbing

Tungsten Bead - Black

Hares Ear

I learned this original fly from the "Fly Tying an Anglers Art" on PBS. I have modified it a little. They commented on how it was a popular local fly on the Missouri River. I have used my modified version down at Taneycomo and it works very well.

1. Place the bead on the hook towards the eye.

2. Start wrapping the hook directly behind the bead to secure the bead. wrap towards the bend.

3. Remove the barbs from the peackock hurl so you leave just the feather shaft. There are different methods of doing this but using your finger nails is the method I use.

4. Tie in the Peackock hurl shaft. Start wrapping in evenly up towards the bead. Stop about the width of the bead length away from the bead.

5. Secure the Peackock Hurl Shaft with a few wraps.

6. Pull out a little thread from the bobbin. Apply a small amount of dubbing, just an inch or so to your thread.

7. Wrap the dubbing startng narrow and get thicker towards the bead.

8. Secure the dubbing directly behind the bead.

9. Cut off a small amount of hars ear to use as sort of a wing. This is where you can expiriment and try different materials. I used hairs ear here, I am not really sure why, I just thought it would look good to the fish I supose. The original called for I beleive saddle hackle cut from the stem. Feel free to try different things here.

10. Place the hares ear above the bead and dubbing. The middle of the hares ear should be between the dubbing and bead. Wrap a few times to secure.

11. Now push the front of the hears ear back towards the dubbing and wrap a few times to keep it pushed back.

12. Whip finish behind the bead.

13. Trim the hares ear so it kind of stands up above the dubbing and bead, like the picture.

This fly is good as a dropper fly or sometems I tie a scud below this. Yesterday 12/30/2005 I cought several nice fish on this pattern down at Taneycomo. I drifted in the current between outlets 1 and 2. Had a scud tied as the dropper.