Jithairbug

[Susquehanna]

Lately, I have been seeing a lot of people tying these on the bookface. While I am not bad at fly tying I see these as being a complete pain in the rear end. Apparently after they spin the hair and trim most of it down to form the body, they then use epoxy over the longer hair to form the "blade". Seeing the videos of them, they act just like a traditional jitterbug in action. I would love to be able to tie some of these and might give it a go, but Ill be honest and say I'd rather just purchase some. To date, I have not seen any for sale anywhere. Has anyone here tried these, tied them or purchased them?Any ideas?
I think they would be deadly on the Susquehanna.


First time doing that! What a pain too. Can I purchase someone to post photos too?! :lol:

 

[Dave_W]

Interesting!

I've experimented a lot with bass fly head design....but never tried to replicate a Jitterbug. I'm impressed with the tying skill, and am a big fan of the old Jitterbug (especially the big muskie sized ones). However, real jitterbugs can be touchy and slight bends in the lip can change the action. I would think it would be very difficult to get that fly to swim the same. Moreover, I wonder how this fly casts?
Hhmm....

 

[GenCon]

Thats very cool. Nice tying.

GenCon

 

[icyguides]

Umpqua has a version for sale call the scmidterbug. The body isn't spun deer hair though, it's foam.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

I saw those and was commenting on them. I'm very surprised that the action of the fly in the videos looks just like a jitterbug. I'm interested in them but not in tying them either.

Still very cool

 

[troutbert]

Bring on the Rapalabug!!

 

[JerryC]

Those are too much work. I do make a popper out of a heart shaped piece of foam that gives me Jitterbug type action. I've also made them out of preformed popper bodies which I sand to shape then using the lip from one of real Jitterbugs I have as template make a foam lip and put them together. Like the deer hair and the schmitterbug too much work. I'll post a couple of pictures tomorrow.

 

[Susquehanna]

Please do Jerry. Thanks,icy. Ill check those out.

I think the above posted flies are very beautiful and well tied, true craftsmanship but I agree they look way too tedious.
Apparently, first they spin and cut the body. Second, they use Flexament to shape the deer hair into the blade and then Flexcoat Epoxy afterwards to keep it formed.
Its a very cool and beautiful fly but I don't want to do all that work.

I think these guys could easily create a Rapala fly. I also think that would be cool using this technique, be equally as skilled and beautiful. Anyone can snark all they want about it, but snark as they may, I don't see how they couldn't be considered a true fly as another bass bug being that its only spun deer hair.

 

[JerryC]

I had to really reduce the size of the pictures to get them to fit the size restrictions. Hope they're good enough to see

Heart head popper. This is a variation of pattern Harry Steeves showed me several years ago. Didn't have much luck with the original. The original had the sides of the head glued to the foam underbody. I just let them hang free. And it's worked very well for me.

 

[Fredrick]

icyguides wrote:
Umpqua has a version for sale call the scmidterbug. The body isn't spun deer hair though, it's foam.

Cool looking flies I always wanted to try out one of those Schmittter bugs as a novelty fly . Todd's wiggle minnow has served me well over the years

 

[Susquehanna]

Fred,

I just picked up a few of the Schimdterbugs to see how they cast and work. Ill let you know.

 

[henrydavid]

Neat stuff, crazy, but neat

 

[Fredrick]

Susquehanna wrote:
Fred,

I just picked up a few of the Schimdterbugs to see how they cast and work. Ill let you know.

Thanks any chance on a video review ?

 

[Susquehanna]

ill give it a go, but if posting a video is any more work than the pictures you might be SOL. :lol:

 

[Anthony]

Nice looking flies