Is it Wednesday or Thursday?

I couldn't help but ask myself this question when I started writing this post. It has been a crazy week. I'm starting to do house calls for folks, with the majority being bed bug inspections. If anyone has never seen a bed bug, here it is:

The common bedbug, Cimex lectularius

They are about the size of an apple seed, and are blood-sucking vampire spawn from hades. Really. I honestly see no point for this insect, because they only feed on human blood, and they have no known natural predator besides spiders, which can't come anywhere near to being effective at controlling population because of their breed rate. Did 3 different inspections for them today, and they all came out positive.

But on to the fishing.

Went out Monday hecka early and threw my first personally tied flies, the Dirty Rat and the Gurgle Bug.

I got an amazing strike on the Dirty Rat, but from what I can tell, I put too much maribou on both of them. Seems like there was too much fly, not enough hook. If anyone has any other input as to why my hookset failed, let me know.

The Gurgle Bug took the First Fly Trophy, though. The action was great, with lots of twitching and, well, gurgling. I tied on my third version - seen here - and caught a bass four feet from shore as I was pulling up for a close backcast. Instant hookset.

Dark picture, but the fly is grasped between my birdy and ring finger closest to camera.

Needless to say, I settled with tossing the Gurgle until I left for home.

Green sunfish, non-photogenic.

Beautiful spawning bull.

Another big, gorgeous spawner.

One of the biggest greenies yet. 

 I was apprehensive at first with this fly because the original recipe calls for Eyelash Yarn - which until this writing I thought was fly fishing specific, but is really a yarn that people use in crafting - to give it body and simulate legs. I'm sure this gurgler would be gorgeous with the yarn, but the brown chenille did great.

I wonder if I could tie a "bed bug" fly. I think I would call it the "BiSViSH Fly". Remember? Blood Sucking Vampire Spawn from Hades?

Maybe not. But keep your eyes peeled on my blog. You never know.