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Midwest Largemouth Love the Hare Jig
by Tim Jacobs
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As my boat slid into the water from the trailer, I looked to the far shoreline of the lake. Everything was in order — an abundance of lily pads and reeds. With no other boats in sight, I started the small Evinrude and glided across the lake.
About 50 yards from the shoreline, I cut the engine and quietly moved in using my trolling motor. Casting side arm, I pitched a small Harejig to the open pockets along the edge of the lily pads and was soon rewarded with a15-inch largemouth bass. Harejigs are very effective flies for largemouth bass and should be included in a fly selection for fishing the lakes of the Midwest. Even better, they’re not difficult to tie.
An 8-weight rod with an 8-weight floating bass taper line is needed to cast these flies effectively. I use nine-foot leaders with 0x to 2x tippets. Tippet choice depends on the water being fished — heaver tippets are used in heavier cover.
Use a side arm cast for these flies as they are heavy, especially when wet. Casting these flies is not like casting dry flies and getting hit with one is painful. An overhead cast creates too much momentum and the fly hits the water with too much force. Using a sidearm cast to control the presentation and deliver the fly more softly.
There are two basic retrieves when using this fly. The first is to hop the fly along the bottom simulating a crayfish. This is a slow retrieve and is great for keeping the fly in front of the fish. Swimming the Harejig, simulating a baitfish, is also effective. Choose colors according to the type of creature you are trying to imitate. Olives, browns and oranges are best for crayfish and olive/yellow, gray/white best for baitfish. Chartreuse is always a good choice as the fish can see it easily |
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THE HARE JIG
Hook: TMC 8089 #10 - #2
Thread: HD flat-waxed nylon for eyes and weed guard, 3/0 monocord for legs and head
Eyes: Lead eyes, 5/32 – 7/32 oz.
Weed guard: 25 lbs. – 40 lbs. Hard Mason monofilament
Legs: 12 -14 strands of rubber hackle or Sili Legs and a few strands of Krystal Flash Body: Rabbit hare strips for the top and bottom (with hook point up)
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1) About 2 eye lengths back from the hook eye put a drop of Zap-a-Gap on the hook shank and wrap a short thread base. Attach the eyes at this point with 5 figure-8 wraps. Take 3 turns of thread under the eyes but above the hook shank (similar to posting a dry fly wing) and tighten. Repeat until the eyes are securely fastened. Tie off and paint the eyes if desired. Attach the weed guard loop so that one end is on each side of the hook shank. Wrap the weed guard up to the bend of the hook, but not into the bend of the hook. When the weed guard loop is brought forward and placed over the hook shank in front of the eyes it should be 1/2 the hook gap below the point with one loop on each side of the point.
2) At the halfway point between the eyes and the tie-off point for weed guard, attach the legs on the opposite side of the hook shank from the eyes.
3) Use either pre-cut Zonker strips or, using a single edge razor blade, cut a hare strip up to 3/8 inch wide from a rabbit hide. The fur should lay lengthwise on the strip. Cut the length of the strip about 3 times the shank length. With your scissors, cut a small point at the front of the strip and trim a small amount of fur off the point. From the point of the hare strip, measure back a distance equal to the distance from the head of the fly to the tie-off point for the weed guard. At that distance, insert the hook point through the hide side of the strip and slide the strip around the bend of the hook and position it at the back of the weed guard. Apply a small amount of glue to the flat surface on top of the hook shank. Pull the hare strip forward and tie off. Press the strip into the glue and hold
momentarily until the glue adheres to the strip.
4) Cut a short hare strip the length of the hook shank. Using your scissors, cut a small point at the front of the strip and trim a small amount of fur off the point. Attach the point of strip at the head of the fly. Apply a small amount of glue to the flat surface created by the weed guard and hook shank and press the strip into the glue; hold momentarily until the glue adheres to the strip. Pull the weed guard forward and tie off. Coat the head with Dave’s Flexament or some other suitable cement.
Tim Jacobs is a public school teacher and acclaimed fly tier in Colorado. He spends his summer fly fishing in his home state of Michigan. This article was featured in the August 2003 edition of Midwest Fly Fishing™ magazine |
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copyright Midwest Fly Fishing™ Magazine 2003
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