Calcasieu Pigboat - largemouth bass fly

This is the Calcasieu Pig Boat - a real bass fisherman's fly. It's big enough to temp the best fish and can be a relatively easy cast. This pattern was originated by Tom Nixon. The above information was taken from Fly Tying and Fly Fishing Bass and Panfish, Third Edition, Revised by Tom Nixon. In 1986, he was awarded the FFF Henshall Award for Extraordinary Achievement in Promoting the Enjoyment or Convervation of Warm Water Fishiers.The CALCASIEU PIG BOAT TYING INSTRUCTIONS

For pictures - visit http://www.warmwaterflyfisher.com/flymonth/FOTM052002.htm.

Hook: Size 2/0 Mustad 3366 (Or Tiemco 8089 #2)Thread: Black Size A (I used 3/0 Monocord)Skirt: Black rubber hackle or rubber thread that has not been separatedHackle: Two or Three wide and long black saddle hackles

Body: Large black chenille for one pass or medium chenille with two passes

Eyes: Painted

Weight: Optional, this depends on how fast and how deep you want the fly to goNote: you can use a variety of color rubber hackle, chenille and saddle hackle

Step 1: Start by separating a strip of rubber hackle and dividing it so that it contanins 14 individual strands 12 inchs long. Do not separate any of the individual strands at this time. Now cut the 12 inch piece of rubber hackle into 4, 3 inch strips.

Step 2: Make a pointed cut on both sides of the hackle strip starting at one end of the 3 inch strip approximately 1/4 of an inch from the tip to the beginning of the cut. After you have completed this do it to the other three strips of rubber hackle. Once this is tied on the hook, it will help to produce a tappered head on the fly.

Step 3: Starting from the behind the eye of the hook lay a thread foundation stopping the thread on the shank of the hook even with the tip of the barb. Tie in your two saddle hackles and work your thread forward to approximately 3/8 of an inch from the eye of the hook.

Step 4: Tie in a piece of medium chenille and wrap to the beginning of the where the sadle hackle is tied.

Step 5: Then rap the medium chenille foward to where you firsted tied in the chenille. Take about 2-3 wraps to secure the chenille and the cut off the excess.

Step 6: Wind the two saddle hackles forward and secure the right in front of the chenille.

Step 7: Take a strip of rubber hackle and tie it to the side of the hook closest to you. Tie in the hackle with the tip toward the eye of the hook with the tip of the rubber hackle about 1/16 from the eye of the hook. When tying in the rubber hackle, you should be sure that you wrap the thread about 1/16 of an inch behind where you started to make the cut for the tip. Tie the rubber hackle right in front of the chenille.

Step 8: Tie the rubber hackle secure on the hook and work your thread back to where you started the thread. Apply a small amount of glue on to the thread and take a couple of wraps of the thread.

Step 9 : Tie in the second piece of rubber hackle on the top of the hook as in Step 7 and repeat Step 8.

Step 10: Tie in the third piece of rubber hackle on far side of the hook as in Step 7 and repeat Step 8.

Step 11: Tie in the forth piece of rubber hackle onthe bottom side of the hook as in Step 7 and repeat Step 8.

Step 12: Take the thread make a tappered head of the fly. Whip finish and apply head cement (Sally's Hard as Nails) Wait until the head cement has dried and then make your painted eyes.

Step 13: Now separate the individual strands of rubber hacle from each other. Your should end up with 56 individual strands of rubber hacle.

Step 14: GO CATCH A BASS

You can troll this pattern. It can also be fished like a jig or on top of the water. For top water action, hold your rod tip high and work the fly towards you in an erratic fashion. Make it splash and swim. Don't let the fly stop moving or it will sink. You can even put spinners on it such as a No.3 Indiana Spinner. A weed guard would be a good choice too.