Guest Report post Posted August 8, 2003 Never throw out a worn or frayed bungee cord. The stretch and durability of these straps comes from a core made up of hundreds of rubber cords varying in strength and diameter. They are an excellent source of rubber material for legs on panfish, bass, and nymph fly patterns. The small six inch size bungees are my personal favorite!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted August 8, 2003 Ever tried to tie some rubber legs onto a wooly bugger type pattern? Your tip just gave me the idea to give it a try. I'm sure there is something out ther like that. Hmmm gonna have to get on the old vise tonight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted August 8, 2003 SmallieHunter, actually there is such a pattern. I call my versions simply a "Rubber Legs Bugger", "Rubber Legs FlashaBugger", "Rubber Legs Krystal Bugger", or "Rubber Legs Sparkle Bugger" whichever the case. Great Smallie fly! If you look around in some of the catalogs you'll probably see other names for the same type patterns. You can use silicone legs, round or living rubber legs, or Lumiflex legs, all of which work rather well. Try it you'll like it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted August 8, 2003 yep, concur with Jim.... have tied a wooly pattern in orange with orange legs that the fella fishing it called a "down home ugly" ....was a simple pattern, tied in a #6, works pretty good....mostly resembles a crawfish, i suppose. we caught fish, and that's all i needed to know..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted August 8, 2003 Jim was just looking at your site and seen a nice Hellgramite fly where you used rubber legs. I'm gonna have to get some of them from you soon, that's one of the best Hellgramite flies I've seen. Most of the hellgramite imitations I've seen don't even resemble one. I used live hellgramites since I was about six years old and they are by far the most potent live smallmouth bait in this neck of the woods. I would much rather use one of your flies compared to the real thing because there is a lot less blood loss! Them bastards are mean! Any Smallmouth lovers out there might wanna check it out as well http://www.chesapeakefly.com/smallie.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted August 8, 2003 damn you do good work, Jim!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted August 8, 2003 Thanks for the fine comments! Actually my Helgrammite is a version of Harry Murrays, except I add rubber legs instead of a palmered hackle. I also prefer to use Sparkle chenille instead of regular chenille, not that Hellgies have much sparkle too them, but I'm convinced it looks like air bubbles attached to them, as it might be with the real thing. Neither pattern is really anything new, and both combine features of other flies like the Woolly Bugger & Rubber Legs. They are both perfect examples of how tyers can think alike, and both work just fine. I don't think that any fly has to really look like what it is intended to imitate, at least not to us, it just has to act like the real thing and convince the fish it's something they want to eat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted August 9, 2003 took a little trip into your site....deeper than i had previously gone....fine craftsmanship......glad you're a part of our forum, Jim. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites