The Craw Bouncer

Ok, back to Bass. I went out and bought a few hooks with built-in weed guards and figured I'd try them out. This pattern is a combination of a bass fly I did well with fishing my friend's small bass pond for bucketmouths and another crawdad imitation I used while fishing Brownlee Reservoir in Oregon a few years ago.

The other little key to this pattern (yet to be fished officially -- but hopefully will see water this weekend) is the olive and orange verigated "Painted Lady" chenille a la Herb Patterson. Herb's "Painted Lady" bugger is a killer trout pattern and I think part of that success is due to it's colorful resemblance to basic crawfish colors. Just a guess, but who knows. I do know it catches a ton of fish.

My other line of thought on this pattern is to keep the rabbit strip that runs along the length of the fly (on what turns out to be the bottom when riding upside down) flapping in the breeze. I don't tie it in "zonker" style with the strip tied in at the bend and close to the eye of the hook. If it holds true to the bouncing action, I think that strip will get jiggy with it.

Anyway, it should knock the snot out of some stupid bass this year.