BONEYARD FLY GEAR - Bass Bugs & History

If you typed the words "Matt Zudweg" in the search box on T.F.M., a long list of links would pop up that date back near the very beginning of this website some sixteen years ago.  He's been the original purveyor of the "premium" decals found in the T.F.M. Store, he's talked Gerbubble Bugs, he created a Comrade Edition Balsa Popper, then did a another batch, and Finn and I spent an early summer afternoon with him a couple of years ago to name some highlights.

The other day, Matt sent an email with some thoughts on the history of bass bugs that we both thought would be interesting to T.F.M. readers.  Enjoy...

Sometime last summer one of my clients asked me if I would do a presentation for his casting club this coming winter.  Normally I say no to presentations.  I just don’t enjoy all the research and time it takes to put one together, especially if I can’t get more than one or two uses out of it.  Let me teach a tying class, I’ll do that anytime over a presentation.  This one however wasn’t easy to say no to.  This client has become a good friend and a big supporter of our guide service and me in general as a guide/tyer.  So, having told him I would do it my mind began reeling with a topic that would motivate me to put in the work.

Now, if you know me at all, you know I’ve been a lover of bass bugs for over 30 years.  In fact, creating and selling balsa bass bugs is generally how I squeak through the slow months of winter when guiding is at a lull.  What you may not know is that I’m also a lover of history.  Throw those two things together and we have something I can get motivated by.  It was decided, I would put together a presentation on the history of bass bugs.

My research began quickly and I became fascinated with some of my findings.  One bug in particular was named over and over with vague descriptions as I scoured the internet.  It was a bug named after James Henshall, who was one of the earliest pioneers of bass bugging and the author of “The Book of Black Bass”.  It was a fly called the Henshall Lure and it was one of the first spun deer hair bugs, probably created in the very early 1900’s.  Whether it was created by Mr. Henshall or by another tyer who gave it his name no one seems to know for sure, but try as I might, I could not find a photo, illustration or anything more than a very vague description on the web.

Frustrated at the lack of information, I remembered an old Weber Fly Fishing catalog I bought from an antique store more than 20 years ago.  It had to be in my book shelf somewhere, but I hadn’t seen it since I bought it all those years ago.  If I could find it, there’s a small chance the Henshall Lure could be mentioned in there.

As I poured through my fairly vast collection of fly fishing literature I hit the jackpot. Not only did it find the Weber catalog from 1940, I was amazed to find an entire page of it dedicated to the Henshall Lure, with illustrations of the fly from the top view, front view and even all the color options it was available with! I felt like I won the Powerball.

With my new found information at hand I thought how cool it would be to tie the Henshall Lure in all the available color options and put together a shadow box imitating the page from the catalog.

Although I do plenty of deer hair work on sculpins and divers, my main medium for bass bugs has always been painted balsa, or foam like my standard Zudbubbler popper.  I needed a Tyer who loves to tie deer hair bugs to help me bring this to life.  I know a ton of excellent hair bug tyers and each one could do the job, but there was one particular tyer that has given me bugs over the years that really had the feel of flies that were “vintage”.  So I sent a quick text to my friend Tim Thomas asking if he’d be interested.  He said he would do it, so I gave him a photo from the catalog and he got to work.  Within a few short weeks I had a pile of Henshall Lures that were tied just as I hoped.  They were tied very well but had that old school feel I was looking for.  A trip to Hobby Lobby for a shadowbox and I put together a display using the bugs, it turned out so cool!

As I’ve been working on the presentation, it’s given me some other ideas on similar displays I could make. Building something physical to go along with a presentation has so much to enjoyment to the process.  It has also added to my appreciation for the history of bass bugs, the tyers who came before me and the many tyers I have the privilege of knowing today.  Our sport is truly a great one that just keeps giving.

Check out the Boneyard Fly Gear website and don't sleep on that last Comrade Balsa Popper as there were only six made for that limited edition run.  Thought not updated for years, the fly tying blog is a great place for tutorials.  Lastly, follow along on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news.