rpiece.

{54}

Although I use well waxed 00 tying silk, you will find that regular
sewing silk size A will work best on your first attempt. First wax your
thread thoroughly and take a few turns around the shank of the hook and
tie in a small bunch of hairs for the tail, as in Diagram 9, Fig. 1,
page (55). We will assume that we are using regular deer hair cut from
the hide. Next clip a small bunch of hairs, about the size of a match,
close to the hide. You will notice there is some fuzz mixed with the
hair at the base close to the skin, pick out the fuzz and place the
butts of the hairs under the hook as in Fig. 2, Take a couple of loose
turns with the tying silk, hold the tips of the hair with the thumb and
finger of the left hand, and pull the tying silk down tight. You will
notice that the hairs spin around the hook and the butt ends will stand
out pretty much at right angles to the hook, as in Fig. 3. Cut off the
tip end of the hairs on the dotted line, press the hairs back tightly,
apply a drop of water-proof lacquer to the base of the hairs and the
hook, and repeat the same process of tying on a small bunch of hair,
each time pressing it back tightly. Remember this is important, because
the hair must be as close together as possible to make a firm, smooth,
buoyant body.

{55}

[Illustration: Diagram 9. Page sized diagram showing drawings of bass
bug construction.]

When you have built the body up until it looks something like
Fig. 4, remove it from the vise and with a sharp pair of scissors
trim and shape it until it looks {56} like Figs. 5 and 6. At this stage
you should have 3/16" of the shank of the hook left just behind the eye,
where you will tie on the wings. Cover this bare hook with the well waxed
tying silk, and lay a bunch of hair on top of the hook for wings as Fig.
7. Crisscross the tying silk around the wings and the hook until they
are securely tied together. Place several coats of lacquer over he
junction of the wings and hook, to more securely bind them in place.
Lacquer the entire wings if you wish and when they have partially dried,
press them flat, spread them, trim them as Fig. 8, and your Bug is
completed.

Any combination of color may be used, different colored wings and tail,
different colored rings in the body. White body with red tail and wings
is a good pattern. Yellow body, black wings and tail another. Various
feather combinations can be used for wings and tall. Create your