The Cooper Bug - THE FLY WITH THE MIXED UP NAME

The Cooper Bug In this installment, we look at a classic fly, The Cooper Bug. This fly is an excellent surface pattern, but it has a very mixed up name. It will require a run down the rabbit-hole of fly history to get it straight, so hang in there to the finish.
At the end of our trip, I'll include a link to a proper Cooper Bug tutorial, offered by one of the best tyers today, Barry Ord Clarke.
But first, lets notch up the confusion and sort through the various Cooper Bugs that have appeared over the years.

The Cooper Bug 

courtesy of Joe Cornwall and Fly Fish Ohio

There have been at least four flies referred to as, "Cooper Bug."
It may be the single, most-used name for different flies, ever!
However, it is the one shown above that we are going to call the "proper" Cooper Bug. Even so, this fly may go by several names - "the Goofus Bug," "The Devil Bug," and "Cooper Bug,"... but it seems that the latter one is most correct. Here's why I say that.
Will The REAL Cooper Bug Please Stand Up?
The fly being considered here, originally sprang from the vise of a professional tyer named Jack Cooper. Mr. Cooper said he wanted to make a fly that was akin to a bass bug, but which was smaller, simpler and designed to fit better into the world of a trout. He called it the "Cooper Bug," and he could tie them one per minute when in production mode.

But, somehow, his namesake pattern got jumbled up with several other, rather different patterns.

The Goofus Bug, aka, The Humpy First to get the mix-up is a fly called, "The Goofus Bug." It is sized much like the Cooper Bug, and it is also intended for trout. It's rear half is pretty much the same, in fact - but its front end is a different fly, after that. And, the origin of The Goofus Bug is just as segmented...

"The best genesis in print of this fly (the Goofus Bug) is in the American Angler (Spring, 1990). In his article "Goofus Bug Evolution," Pat Barnes credits this pattern to Keith Kenyon, a Montana guide and tier. He secretly created it in 1944 for the Firehole River. 

It's effectiveness leaked out, and requests for that 'goofy deer hair fly' bombarded Pat and Sig in their West Yellowstone shop. Thus the name "Goofus Bug" was adopted." 

- Fly Anglers Online "Old Flies" archive: Goofus Bug

Also from Pat Barnes...."The original fly came from California with Jack Horner. Jack was a talker. He claimed it caught fish everywhere. The fly he showed me was tied with one bunch of deer hair and one gray hackle. 

In 1972, an Orvis representative asked if I knew of any new or unique dry fly patterns. I showed him the Goofus Bug. In 1973, the Orvis catalog premiered this new fly, now called the “Humpy.”

The name "Humpy," came from Wyoming's Jack Dennis, author, fly tier and tackler dealer. He really popularized the name Humpy, starting in the early 1970's." 

- from Frankenfly: Goofus Bug- Humpy

So that's TWO different accounts from the same source?

The Humpy/Goofus - sorry, not even close

Courtesy of Frankenfly.com

VERDICT: The Goofus Bug isn't even sure where it came from, and is NOT a Cooper Bug

==========================

The Devil Bug Next, The Cooper Bug is sometimes misnamed, "Devil Bug."
Now, there was actually a fly called the Devil Bug, but it was something altogether different, with just a superficial kinship to Jack Cooper's creation.

From an article in the May 1968 issue of Pennsylvania Angler, one, A.I. Alexander offers this...

"The Cooper Bug does bear some resemblance to an old time bass bug, the O. C. Tuttle, 'Devil Bug,' which was tied by Orley Tuttle in New York State in the early 1900's. 

The latter, however, had bat-like wings, was tied in large sizes and used around the Adirondacks for bass. 

Other professional tiers today in imitating Jack Cooper's Cooper Bug often mislabel it the Devil Bug..."

The true Tuttle 'Devil Bug' actually predates the Cooper Bug by a long shot, and may have set the stage for it and these other deer hair bugs to appear.

There were Tuttle Devil Bugs without wings...

And there were those that did, indeed, have wings... 

But in all cases these were large flies, 2 inches long. They were gaudy, in bright colors and intended to be noisome so as to attract bass. They did have an outer "skin" of deer hair, but it was pulled over a bulbous core of wrapped cotton cord.  One might be inclined to call them lures, more than flies.

VERDICT: The Devil Bug is NOT a Cooper Bug

========================

Ken Cooper Bug

The third Cooper Bug is nowhere near our "proper" version, either. But it bears the name, as it was created by a man named Ken Cooper. According to Ken, himself...

"This fly just happened. 
Bass fishing and bass flies do not intrigue me very greatly, but when I cannot fish for trout I do not scorn the bass or bluegill.

In 1936, while preparing for a bass fishing trip, I put a hook in my fly-tying vise and tried to figure out what to tie on it.

A red tail seemed to be a good start so I put on a red deer hair tail, then a red wool body with a gold rib, next a bunch of deer hair. 
I divided it to make wings at right angles to the hook.

This gave me a fly that would look reasonably large, but be light in weight and also lift and handle nicely with a bass rod.

The butt of the deer hair blossomed out into quite a topknot... but instead of cutting it off, it was tied to stand upright and was cut flat across the top leaving a V-shaped topknot about five-eighths of an inch high.

The finished fly was tossed into the air a few times to see how it would land and much to my surprise it always landed right side up, the V top acting as a parachute.
The bass seemed to like this bug and so did I, as the topknot gave it good visibility.

In 1938, Ray Bergman came out with a book you may have heard of, called, 'Trout.' On color plate number 15 in Bergman's book, there is a picture of this fly, and it is called a Cooper Bug."

Credits: Quotes and drawing from Fly Pattern and Their Origins (1950), by Harold Hinsdill Smedley, published by Westshore Publications, Muskegon, Michigan. 

- Fly Anglers Online "Old Flies" archive: Ken Cooper Bug

VERDICT: Ken Cooper's bug is cool, and is technically a 'Cooper Bug,' but is not THE Cooper Bug

========================

Finally, there was a fourth Cooper Bug, too, tied by one Charlie Cooper, but I've only found reference to it. No other information has surfaced, other than it was a large bass bug of completely different design. I'm disappointed I can't add it to the confusion. The Two Coopers
So the many people named "Cooper," and a couple generations of unaware fly tyers have all unwittingly conspired to confound the holy crap out of us.
Clear as mud, now.

However, if we are to take the misnaming out of the picture, there are really only two Cooper Bugs - one is the flat-top monstrosity from Ken Cooper, and the other is Jack Cooper's well known version. It is to the latter I turn, and hereafter christen the actual Cooper Bug. With that executive decision out of the way, you can know watch a master fly tyer show you how to whip up a mess of Cooper Bugs for the upcoming season... "The Cooper Bug," from Barry Ord Clarke, aka, the featherbender
Thanks, and Tight Lines David Don't forget to subscribe, comment and come visit us at Palmetto Fly n Fish on Facebook: Palmetto Fly N Fish

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Tackle OVERHAUL - It's About Time

TACKLE OVERHAUL - IT'S ABOUT TIME

I live in the South and I can fish all year round.

Well, in theory I can.
And a lot of people here think they must.
But I don't.

For at least a few months during the colder portion of the Winter, I spend time doing home projects, certain yard work chores, car, boat, and truck fix-ups... generally a lot of the things I don't want to make time for during the warm fishing months.

Something else I do at this time is go through my fishing tackle.

There are several good reasons for spending an evening with your tackle box, boat locker, or whatever you use that passes for a tackle box.

Get Organized
The first reason to make this effort is to get everything in shape.

If I were to fish all the time, without any break, my gear would stay a mess. 

I would misplace things. 

I would run out of stuff at the worst possible moment.
My gear would get cluttered and tangled....

However, taking a little break from the action gives me opportunity to examine lures and flies, to check for hooks that need sharpening, straightening or replaced.
If their paint needs touching up, or the feathers and fur need retying, I can do that.

Scales, steel tapes, pliers, scissors, the various tools and knives, all can be inspected, sharpened and oiled. 
Spoons, spinners and other metallic lures will need polishing and a touch of lacquer, of course. 

And, I can clean the box itself, washing out whatever funk and dirt inevitably gets in the thing.

A little soap, fresh water, and baking soda will do wonders for a grungy tackle box.

Get Ready
The second reason to take this time is to do an inventory — to see what you'll need for the fishing to come. 

Make a list of lures that have been lost, leaders and lines that have been consumed or become ragged, and equipment that has broken or worn out.

And don't forget to add to the list those items you needed or wished you'd had, but didn't.

Santa Claus Needs You
Such a list will not only help you remember to replace or buy what you can, but did you ever think what a great Christmas list it will make?

If you do this before the Yuletide rolls around, anyone who wonders what to put under the Christmas tree for you... well, you can make it easy for them.

The Joy of Gathering 

And seriously, there is a sublime, even warming joy in getting organized and making a good ready. 

Today you hear people talking about, “getting their ducks in a row," meaning to have themselves and their lives in order.
Well, most of the time, my ducks are nowhere near a row.

In fact, they're more like squirrels,... and they're mostly drunk. 

But, I can take a wholesome satisfaction in that little bit of control provided by a well planned gear stash.

The List
With that in mind, here's a check list of items you might consider for your tackle box. 

“Everyone likes lists”

Look it over and see if there isn't some ideas here you can use.

Tackle Box Checklist

• Lures of every kind, for all purposes and occasions
• Wire leaders (preferably nylon coated)
• A variety of nylon/fluorocarbon leader material on small spools
• A variety of swivels
• Sinkers of all kinds
• A variety of bait hooks, fly hooks, and treble hooks for lures.
• Beads
• A variety of Various floats
• Float stops
• Small fly tying kit and hand vise

• Hook hone
• A variety of knives – I have three
• Tapered pliers with side cutters that can cut a hook
• Multitool
• Scissors
• Line clipper (to save teeth when cutting mono.)
• Unhooker, forceps or disgorger
• Vinyl electrical tape or duct tape (useful for repairing rod windings, etc.)
• Super glue
• Fish stringer
• Tape ruler and fish scale

• Waterproof bags for fish, licenses, wallet, personal electronics, etc.
• Trash bags
• Sunglasses, preferably polarized
• Plastic rain poncho
• Insect repellent
• Suntan lotion
• Reel oil
• Reel repair tools (small wrench/screwdrivers/needle nose pliers)

• Small flashlight
• Matches
• Toilet Paper
• Bottle opener

• And lastly, a bigger tackle box or bag to hold all this stuff.
  
  Of course, you probably won't want all of these things... or you might.
  And you will surely come up with things on your own to add.
  But take the time to do an overhaul. You'll be glad you did.

(Updated from November 1965 PA Angler)

Thanks and Tight Lines,

David

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