.png)
The Most Whithair Bug
Bench Notes No. 3. An instructional study of Dave Whitlock’s deer-hair bass bug, connecting material choices and head shape to fishing purpose.
Bench Notes No. 3 · Pattern by Dave Whitlock · Tied and taught by Lee H. Blanton
Technical plate WHB-01, Revision A. The illustrated House dressing is a color variation. The historical tying sequence below uses Whitlock’s black and yellow body with a white face. Plate dimensions: overall 3 inches, head 7/8 inch, tail and wing 2 1/8 inches, face width 3/4 inch, head height 5/8 inch.
View illustration at full size
Origin and Why This Fly Matters
The Most Whithair Bug, often shortened to TMWB, was developed by Dave Whitlock, refined over roughly two decades of field testing across a wide range of water, from Canada to Mexico, before he published it. It stands among the foundational deer-hair bass bugs, built specifically to outperform the cork and hard-head poppers that were standard at the time.
In Whitlock's own words, the combination of soft, chewy deer hair, rubber wing-legs, and hackle feathers “cannot be equaled as a proved fish-attractor.”
Understanding the origin and fishing purpose of the Most Whithair Bug is part of tying it correctly. Its history provides context for the construction choices that follow.
How It Is Meant to Be Fished
Whitlock's own guidance is low and very slow: cast into cover and let it sit, then work it with gentle twitches rather than an erratic retrieve. Keep that intended movement in mind while tying.
Hook and Thread
House hook: Ahrex TP610. Choose the hook size for the intended fly proportions, and keep the finished body clear of the hook gap.
Thread: The original calls for Nymo size A. The House's established Semperfli Nano Silk 200 or 300 is a reasonable substitution and consistent with the working House standard; confirm it holds tension and durability through the packing stages, since Nymo is heavier and less slick than Nano Silk.
Materials
Snag guard
Material: Hard nylon monofilament, .018–.024" dia.
Notes: 4-inch piece, tip flattened
Rubber tails
Material: Rubber skirt legs (Hula Popper style)
Notes: One yellow pair and one black pair
Marabou tail
Material: Turkey marabou plume tip
Notes: Black, matched to rubber tail length
Hackle tails
Material: Soft, webby hackle
Notes: Yellow ¾ shank length; black 2x yellow
Tail skirt hackle
Material: Wide, soft cock hackle
Notes: Fibers 1½–2x hook gap
Body hair
Material: Prime northern whitetail deer body hair
Notes: Dyed black and yellow, by section
Leg-wings
Material: Large rubber hackle
Notes: Black, set at right angles to shank
Face/head
Material: White deer hair
Notes: Final forward section
Finish
Material: Thinned Pliobond or cellulose cement, rod varnish. Apply to the shaved belly and head.
Use dry deer hair throughout, as always, the marabou may be lightly dampened only if needed for handling, never the hair itself.
Tying Sequence
Work through each stage with its purpose in mind. Before moving on, identify what the operation contributes to the finished fly.
1. Set the hook and thread.
Secure the hook firmly in the vise and attach the thread at the rear quarter of the shank. This proportion governs everything that follows.
2. Install the snag guard.
Flatten the monofilament tip, tie atop the shank over the bend, secure with a drop of cement. Functional armor for a fly fished in cover.
3. Tie in the rubber tails.
Yellow pair first, black pair second, to the sides of the hook bend, firm wraps only.
4. Add the marabou tail.
Tied directly above the rubber tails, matched in length. Consider what each material contributes to the tail's action.
5. Build the hackle tail.
Yellow hackle first (¾ shank length), black hackle over it (2x yellow's length), for proper flaring and flutter. Cement the tie-down point.
6. Form the hackle skirt.
Two black hackles, bright sides facing the tyer, wet-fly style, wrapped around the shank before trimming. This skirt gives the fly its pulsing movement at rest.
7. First deer hair body segment (black).
Pencil-thick bundle, ¾–1 inch, positioned over the rear shank. The third wrap tightens hard and flares the hair; releasing on the fourth wrap lets it spin evenly. Pack rearward until no shank is visible.
Tying Sequence, Continued
8. First leg-wing.
A 3-inch black rubber hackle section, tied with a simple overhand knot, slid to the base of the hair, secured at right angles to the shank. The right angle is what gives the leg-wing its action.
9. Yellow body section.
Two dense bunches, packed with firm pushing and twisting pressure. Insert the second leg-wing set between bunches.
10. Second black body section.
Two bunches with leg-wings between them, same packing standard. Leave roughly one-fifth of the shank bare behind the eye, deliberate, not an oversight.
11. White face section.
A thick white deer hair bunch tied forward. Half-hitch the thread twice at the hook eye and remove the fly from the vise, thread still attached, before shaping.
12. Shape the body.
Shave the belly flat and close to the shank with a razor blade. Shape the head with curved-blade scissors, following the body's existing contour, establish and follow the intended geometry, never sculpt for its own sake.
13. Repair any leg-wing damage.
A trimmed leg-wing can be sewn back through the body with a needle and a single strand of rubber hackle.
14. Complete the snag guard.
Bend the monofilament beneath the hook, pass through the eye, return to the vise. Secure with thread wraps, loop extending about half the hook gap below the point. Wrap behind the eye and whip finish.
15. Finish and protect.
Brush thinned rod varnish onto the shaved belly and shaped face; let it air dry. Once set, Mucilin paste or a dry-fly solution on the head improves flotation and water-shedding.
Design Considerations Beyond the Steps
Hair choice affects the whole fly. Northern whitetail body hair is standard for buoyancy and workability; elk is tougher and suits larger or saltwater builds; caribou or antelope float highest but wear faster. This is a design decision tied to durability and purpose, not a simple ingredient swap.
Hook eye style changes the fly's action. A straight eye keeps the head above the surface for a proper pop. A turned-down eye produces a diving action instead.
Trimming variations change the retrieve. The original pattern describes different head trims intended to produce distinct actions in the water.
Check Your Understanding
Before setting the fly aside, explain why the deer hair is packed until the shank disappears, why the leg-wings sit at right angles rather than trailing, and why the belly is shaved flat rather than left rounded. Use the construction sequence and original pattern sources to check your reasoning.
Video resources
Ahrex Academy: Select, Tie In, Trim and Cut Deerhair. Andreas Andersson.
Ahrex Academy: Tools and How to Cut and Prepare Deerhair. Andreas Andersson.
Master the Deer: Deer Hair Techniques. Andreas Andersson.
Original pattern sources
Dave Whitlock: Fly Tier’s Bench, Tying the Most Whithair Bug.
Dave Whitlock: The Most Whithair Bass Bug. History and fishing purpose.