This isn�t specific to flies, but my guess is if anybody on this forum can answer my question, it�s those of you that tie floating clousers and poppers.

I�m looking for a bug body type material that will be just buoyant enough to float a 1/16 - 1/8 Oz jighead and soft plastic like a tiny fluke, curly tail, etc. or fly materials. By just, I mean that it will float on the surface or return to the surface (not instantly)under no load/slack line, but will be overcome and can dive 8-10� or so under a load or rod snap. I have the design/shape in mind to achieve the diving part.

I have no experience with foam bug bodies, so I don�t know their level of buoyancy. I know there are hard and soft versions, but not which is more buoyant. Between one or both of those and cork, which do you think would be able to do this?

The action you described sounds about identical to the action of a Dahlberg Diver. It�s a great bass pattern for when bass are up shallow. There�s also saltwater version. Dahlberg divers are made from spinning deer belly or body hair. I don�t think it would keep a 1/16 ounce head afloat, but maybe enough of it could. Spun and tightly packed deer hair can be trimmed into any shape with a razor blade.

Hobby lobby sells sheet foam in various thicknesses. They have up to 5 or 6 millimeter foam and sheets can be glued together. It�s like the foam in a flip flop beach sandal. EVA I think it is. I don�t know if the foam beats cork or not. I think foam might cut and shape a bit easier.

I guess you are making something that you can cast with a spinning or baitcasting set up?

Nice. I hadn�t heard of the Dahlberg Diver. Thanks for that. If my project goes nowhere, a Dahlberg is what I�ll go to now for sure. Probably try it either way. I�m starting to get into fly fishing a little more, but yeah this is something I�m trying to do for a spinning/casting rod.

I was thinking of making a lure from cork and then trying to figure out the weighting to get the action I want. But this route would be easier and easier to duplicate if it works. I�ll take a trip to the Lobby and look into the EVA foam. Cut it up and do some floating tests with a jig head. I assume the softer foam is less buoyant and I know how flip flops float, so that stuff may work out. Thanks man!

The current issue of �Fly Tyer� has an article on this topic. The author uses the standard pre-formed white foam, diver-style, popper bodies. But he uses weight on the hook or inside the foam to adjust to the proper buoyancy level that he wants. Where you place the weight, near the eye, in the middle, or near the bend, affects the action of the fly and how deep it will dive. The author just tapes everything together and tests it in some water to experiment before gluing everything together. It is a good article.

Awesome post

I�m crazy about deer hair divers. Here are a couple of bass I caught on them last year just off the dock next to my house. Deer hair divers work great on the lake I live on once it warms up just a little. I like olive and ones with white, yellow, black or chartreuse mixed in the best. I tie them loosely or tightly packed and both work well. There�s a number of variations and add ons. Mine are just marabou tails and deer hair bodies and heads.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GvQEolFlV2c

Steve potter doing a version.

If you can come up with a good spinning or baitcasting diver that is at least partly tied in materials it ought to be great. Heath Hippel at Buggs lures does a line up of baitcasting or spinning reel castable lures that are tied like flies. I think he has a website. Maybe there�s an idea or two there.

Alright, thanks guys. All of this good info should have me going in a positive direction. I really appreciate it.


Nice bass there Karstopo!