The Gurgler

It's springtime! The water temperatures are rising. The bass are beginning to move; it's time for their spawn. Active, hungry, aggressive smallmouth bass:  Can we say fun, fun, fun!

Jack Gartside's Gurgler is a great top water pattern, especially for locating active bass. I tie this pattern in white, chartreuse and black, and I typically tie on an overwing of natural grizzly hackle. The black works well at night and early in the morning, and depending on where you are fishing it may even entice a walleye for some top water action.

I dress my Gurgler a bit differently than the original as I opt for cactus chenille for the body; Jack palmered a hackle feather for the body. I have also tied huge bulky versions on wide gap stinger hooks to imitate frogs with great results!

Heavy thread wraps may cut through the closed-cell foam so be mindful of this when working with this material! Measure a piece of foam that is twice the length of the hook shank and tie it on the length of the shank. Once you complete the body, fold the foam over and secure it directly behind the eye of the hook. I add a few drops of head cement to the foam crease for added durability.  The portion of foam that extends above the hook shank is the part that will cause the commotion in the water. If you want a slider action in the water then simply whip finish after tying down the foam at the head. If you would like the fly to have more popping action, then make wraps in front of the foam. These thread wraps will cause the foam to be angled.  Whip finish once you are satisfied with the angle of the foam.

When fishing this pattern I retrieve it in three different ways:

1. Jerk the rod tip while doing a figure of eight or slow stripping retrieve of the line.  This causes the fly to skip and spit water.
2. Jerk the rod tip and strip one to two feet of fly line simultaneously. This action will make the most noise and disturbance.
3. Cast out and simply lift the rod tip slowly, causing the fly to skim across the surface of the water, making a wake.

I vary the retrieves until the fish let me know how they want it!

It is worth mentioning that this pattern is a multi-species fly; it will catch many different fish that are willing to hit a top water fly. Tie it in the appropriate size for the species that you are targeting and have fun!

Seriously…. what is more exciting than watching a fish explode on a top water fly?

Hooking and landing it I suppose!   ;-)

The Gurgler

Hook: Standard fresh or saltwater hook

Thread: White

Tail: White Bucktail, twice the length of the hook shank. Pearl angel hair on each side with one cock grizzly hackle feather on each side of the tail.

Popper: Closed-cell foam

Body: Pearl cactus chenille