The late H.G. Tapply, one of my angling heroes, got me into fishing deer hair bass bugs. When the rivers get low and the bass are wary, I can cast a deer hair bass bug much further than I can a hard popping bug. This enables me to catch more large bass.
There are many ways to make your deer hair bugs creative. Make it look like a frog, mouse, grasshopper, dragonfly or almost any creature you desire.
The soft texture of the deer hair bass bug, I believe, prompts the bass to hold onto it longer than they do a hard popper. For example, I was making a video for the game commission on the Shenandoah River. Upon casting my deer hair bass bug, I looked up at the camera man for a second. Looking back to find my bug, I realized a bass had sucked it under and hooked himself.
Tying Tapply Deer Hair Bugs
Hook: Mustad 9671, size 6
Thread: 3/0 Prewaxed Monocord
Body: Natural deer body hair, or color desired
Tail: White bucktail, or color desired
Tie in bucktail for tail by the buts over bend of the hook so it is equal in length to the hook shank. Do not wrap thread on the forward section of the hook shank. Trim a pinch of deer hair ½ inch in diameter from close to the skin. I hold this by the tips in my left hand and vigorously brush out all of the short hair and fuzz from the pinch of deer hair using a comb or tooth brush. This may take 6 or 8 brushes because it is essential the pinch of deer hair is clean. Lay this pinch of deer hair on top of the hook shank in front of the tail and make two loose wraps of thread over it. While holding tightly to the pinch of hair with my thumb and forefinger of my left hand I pull straight down with my bobbin while slowly releasing the grip on the hair with my left hand. This causes the deer hair to spin around the hook shank. This deer hair bug can be tied in many different colors, so feel free to experiment.
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