BUGGER SWAP PATERN"S
These patterns are from the 1996 bugger swap from the Flyfish list
Beadhead sonuvabugger
Beadhead egg-sucking sonuvabugger
Spring murk bugger
P&G bugger
Beadhead flash bugger
Knob gobbler bugger
Oliver krystal flash bugger
Coffee bugger
Black and grizzly bugger
Oliver peacock beadhead bugger
Wooly bugger
The tassie bugger
Beadhead biot-tailed bugger
Uga - bugger
Black and blue bugger
Mini yellow cat's whisker
Tiger bugger
Purple egg sucking leach
Yellow and olive bugger
Crystal bugger
Black bomber
Big eyed mini - cat's whisker
Basic black bugger
Blue zulu bugger
B 9 wolly bugger
Big bad wild wacky wooly bow river bugger
Oliver snowshoe rabbit bugger
Peacock crystal bugger
Bow river bugger
The o Maple Dustero bugger
The oYucky-Bloodyo bugger
The oWhite Tailed Skunko bugger
Maligne lake special
Nite-glow bugger
The oPseudo Golden Stoneo bugger
Coneheaded black flashbugger
Rattle bugger
Megg A bugger
The Whorehouse Bugger
The puprle wooly bugger
BEADHEAD SONUVABUGGER
Hook: Mustad 9672 Size 6
Bead head: GOLD - large
Body: Olive or gray chenille
Tail: Gray marabou
Hackle: Hen Grizzly palmered length of body with 3 turns just behind
bead.
Allan Fish 1 afish@iquest.net
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BEADHEAD EGG-SUCKING SONUVABUGGER
Hook: Mustad 9672 Size 6
Bead head: GOLD - large and add a little eggyarn behind it for color
Body: Olive or gray chenille
Tail: Gray marabou
Hackle: Hen Grizzly palmered length of body with 3 turns just behind
bead.
Allan Fish 2 afish@iquest.net
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Spring Murk Bugger
# 8 Gold BH
Olive Body
Olive tail w/ flash a bou
Red /brown collared hackle
PS, last week caught my 2nd biggest brown yet, an 18" monster on the Mad
River in Ohio with this creation, I call "Spring Murk"
Mark Blauvelt mark.blauvelt@lexis-nexis.com
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P&G Bugger(may be original, but I doubt it)
Hook--4XL Size 2-14 (mine are 10)
Thread--3/0 or 6/0 Black
Tail--Black marabou
Hackle--Grizzly
Body--Peacock her l(three or four strands)
The only special instructions for this Bugger involves the herl body. It
*can* be braided(see SWMBO for instructions if you are male), or can be
wrapped as usual.
I would appreciate any feedback that would help my tying abilities.
Rick Graves golfnut@interserf.net
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Bead Head Flash Bugger
This easy to tie pattern is an adaptation of the Standard Wooly Bugger, with
a different material to replace the chenille and hackle body. The material,
called Estaz, is a nylon based strung chenille-like material covered with
thin nylon barbs approximately a quarter-inch long. The barbs will flop
around easily in the water, giving the appearance of motion, always helpful
in attracting that hungry fish. I found this material at a
needlework/cross-stitching specialty shop where my wife was shopping, a
great location for finding fly tying materials.
Try fishing this fly in any situation a normal Wooly Bugger would be used.
I have had good luck using this fly in lakes for trout from a float tube,
both trolled and with a hand-stripped retrieve. I expect bass would go
after the fly also. I have used black, green and white. I have not yet
found brown, but I'm expect it is available.
Instructions:
Hook: #6 to #12 Streamer 3XL or 4XL
Head: Gold colored metal bead
Tail: Marabou, color to match body
Tail Accent: Red Flashabou
Body: Estaz, black or other desired color
1. Slip the bead over the point of the hook and threadit up to the eye.
2. Tie in a shank length tail of marabou at the hook bend.
3. Take four strands of red Flashabou, or a similar material, and tie them
in halfway along their length just in front of the tail. Four strands
should be laying on both sides of the body. Wrap the thread back over the
strands so that they lay over both sides of the marabou tail.
4. Tie in a length of Estaz at the base of the tail. Wrap the thread
forward so that it covers the shank all the way to behind the bead.
5. Wrap a body with the Estaz up to just behind the bead. Work the barbs
backward with your fingers on each successive turn to make sure they are not
covered over with the next wrap. Tie off and trim the excess.
6. Whip finish right behind the bead.
John Shannon jshannon@azlink.com
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"Knob Gobbler Bugger"
Hook: #2 Long shank Mustad #36620
Tail: Dark olive green marabou
Rib: Green coloured copper wire, as fine as you can find
Weight: Lead shank or use a soldering gun to melt solder through
the holes of the bead chain eyes
Body: Dark olive green chenille large dia.
Hackle: Dyed dark olive green saddle
Eyes: Bead chain, 4mm. beads
I have been fishing this one since 1987 on Maligne lake in
Jasper National Park. A very good trolling fly for Rainbows and
Brookies. If you increase the size of the eyes seems the size of
the fish caught goes up too. Good in black for Browns, looks and
moves like a leach. Fish it with lots of action, six inch pulls
in very quick succession. While trolling keep twitching the rod
tip continuously, so that the fly bobs along. Cast if you dare
but I wouldn't use a long leader. I have also caught Pike on
this fly in the spring, try it as a tandem lure but without
eyes on the trailing hook.
Wally Lutz whlutz@sas.ab.ca.
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Olive Krystal Flash Bugger
Hook: Size 4/4XL weighted heavy
Thread: Olive
Tail: Olive Marabou with 3 to 5 strands of gold Krystal Flash on each
side. Trim the Krystal Flash to same length as tail. The
tail should be
the same length as the body.
Rib: Fine gold wire
Body: Large Olive Chennile
Hackle: Dyed Olive Grizzly saddle hackle palmered from front to back and
held in place by wrapping the gold rib forward over the
hackle.
There is no wrong way to fish this fly. It is an excelent plunk and chance
it fly for still water and slow spring creeks when there is no hatch. I have
caught fish stripping the Gold KF Bugger like a streamer and I have caught
fish just letting it sit. I have even caught fish the instant this fly hits
the water.
This fly has produced rainbows, browns, bass (large and smallmouth), perch,
bluegill, steelhead, and the largest squaw fish I've ever seen.
The long Maribou tail gives this bugger excelent movement while sitting
still. The Maribou actually moves the Krystal Flash which enhances the fly
ability to attract fish.
The olive color passes for a dragon fly nymph in this part of the country. I
have caught most of my fish on this fly by using the strip, strip, strip,
strip sit retrive common to fishing any dragon. I usually fish this fly on
an intermediate sinking line in 10' of water or less.
Chris Waggoner CWAGGON@AOL.COM
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Coffee Bugger
The Coffee Bugger is an excellent all-round float tube searching pattern
that has enticed fish in every location it has been used. The fly has
caught rainbows, brooks, and Atlantic salmon. The mottled body and specific
colors seem highly attractive. The twisted body concept can be used to
combine any two of your favorite colors, and I have even braided three
colors prior to wrapping the hook shank. The pattern is a straightforward
tie once you use the technique. Don't worry about losing this one...fish
it. You'll be surprised.
Hook: 2XL nymph hook, size 8
Thread: rust red
Tail: dark brown marabou tips
Body: beige and black vernille, or beige and black speckled chenille.
with palmered dark brown or brown hackle
Head: rust red, tied full to roundish.
This is an unweighted pattern. I recommend using it with an intermediate
line fished right off the bottom.
Directions:
1. Debarb and sharpen hook
2. Start thread near eye and wrap shank tightly back to the hook bend.
2. Tie in 2 or 3 dark brown marabou tips for a full tail. Length equal to
shank.
3. Tie in pairing of black and beige vernille, use pieces about 5" long for
easy handling.
4. Tie in brown hackle just in front of the vernille.
5. Lightly touch with tying cement to secure.
Now the only confusing part:
6. If you are right handed, twist the vernille pair tightly to the left.
7. Begin wrapping the vernille pair forward and with each wrap, twist the
vernille pair tightly. As you wrap you should be tightening the twist not
loosening it.
8. You control the body pattern by how tightly the vernille is twisted and
how snugly you are wrapping the shank. If you find you are creating
alternating stripes, most likely you started out by twisting the vernille
pair in the wrong direction. The correct look is a more random mottled
effect. Tie off vernille near the eye leaving room for the head.
9. Build up head slightly.
10. Palmer the hackle forward and tie off at head.
11. Finish wrap and cement head.
Wes Wada wada@empnet.com
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Black and Grizzly Bugger
Hook: Wet fly 4x long, sizes 6 to 12
Thread: Black 6/0
Weight: .20 lead, 10-13 wraps
Tail: Black Marabou
Hackle: Grizzly
Body: Black Chenille
1. Start thread behind hook eye, wrap back to bend.
2. Add lead, starting on the shank above the hook's point. Wrap forward.
Wind thread up lead once and back to bend in hook to keep lead from moving.
3. Tie in marabou at bend. Tail length should equal 2/3rds to full-length
of hook. Lift the marabou, wrap thread toward the front of the hook (not
over the feather), stopping after the lead ends. Tie down other end of the
feather and trim butt. Spiral thread back to the hook's bend.
4. Tie in a single hackle with feather pointing toward rear of hook. Lift
hackle stem, wrap thread forward, again stopping at point where lead ends.
Tie down hackle stem and trim. Advance thread a few wraps toward hook's
eye. This is where you tie in the chenille.
5. Tie in 5" length of chenille with 1/2" pointing toward the hook's eye
and the rest pointing toward the hook's bend. Trim stub at front of hook.
Hold long end of chenille above hook's shank and spiral the thread down the
chenille to the hook's bend. Add a few securing wraps and advance the
thread toward the hook's eye stopping just in front of where the other end
of the chenille is tied in.
6. Wrap the chenille up the body in close, tight turns. Tie off end and trim.
7. Spiral the hackle up the fly's body in even wraps, using about 6-8
turns. Tie off hackle, trim stub and whip finish.
John Snow john@nytimes.com
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Olive Peacock Beadhead bugger
Hook Tiemco 300 6 thru 12 or equiv. Weighted
Bead: Brass Sized to Hook
Thread: 6/0 Olive
Tail : Olive Marabou w/ Pearl Crystal Flash
Body: 3 Peacock Herls
Hackle: Olive Saddle Hackle
1. Debarb hook slide bead to eye of hook, lock in vise.
2. Start thread, wind behind bead to secure it and weight hook w/ lead wire
3. Run thread to rear of hook tie in Marabou tail and Crystal Flash
( about 6 strands of Crystal Flash)
4. Tie in 1 or 2 saddle Hackles by the tip of the feather (that way
when you are finished winding the hackle you have the widest
portion of the feather towards the front of the fly)
5. Tie in 3 Peacock Herls and advance the thread to just behind the
bead. Carefully wrap the herls around the hook until you can tie
off behind the bead.
6. Palmer wrap the hackle to the front of the fly and tie off behind
the bead.
7. Whip finish, cement and fish.
Wes Hull Whull@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us
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Here is the pattern for my wooly bugger. Its not real complicated - but they
don't always have to be.
HOOK: Mustad 9672 3X - weighted
THREAD: Dk Brown Unithread 8/0
TAIL: Olive Marabou
BODY: Olive Chenille - Fine
HACKLE: Light Ginger Palmered over the body
HEAD: Thread
Lowell McDonald lowell@access.mountain.net
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The Tassie Bugger`
Hook: Mustad 94840 or equivalent 8 - 10
Tail: Black marabou with fire orange glo-bug yarn or marabou side
flashes
Body: Variegated olive/black chenille
Hackle: Soft balck palmered.
Developed by John Bessell in Tasmania to imitate a local frog with
hot orange inside thighs .
David Churches davec@pcug.org.au
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Bead-Head Biot-Tailed Bugger
Hook: Mustad 9671 or equivalent
Thread: Color to match body
Body: Fine chenille
Tail: Goose biots
Weight: 3/32" bead head and fine lead wire
Hackle: Webby grizzly saddle hackle
1. Debarb the hook (optional, of course)
2. Slide the beadhead onto the hook
3. Tie in thread about half way between the bend and the eye of the
hook and wrap towards the bend.
4. Tie in the goose biots as you would for a Prince Nymph.
Note, the biots on this pattern extend considerably farther back than
those on a Prince (3/4 to 1 inch depending on size of the fly). The
tails can be split as on a Prince or tied in to form a single tail.
5. Tie in Fine chenille at the bend of the hook over the biot tail.
6. Tie in the saddle hackle immediately in front of the chenille.
7. Wrap on the lead wire from the hackle tie in point toward the eye
of the hook (optional). Wrap the lead all the way to the the bead so
that it presses the bead against the hook eye.
8. Wrap thread over lead wraps to secure. End immediately behind bead.
9. Wrap the chenille to the front of the hook, again, to a point
immediately
behind the bead. Tie off and trim.
10. Palmer the hackle through the body to the point at which the chenille
was tied off. Tie off hackle and trim.
11. Whip finish immediately BEHIND the bead (no wraps in front of the
bead).
This pattern has saved many a bream fishing trip. Trout will take it but it
works especially well for panfish. Black and olive combinations work well
for bream. Try white, chartreuse, orange, lime green, and other bright
colors for crappie. Color combinations are limited only by what the fish
you're afret like and by your imagination. Tie up a bunch, hit your favorite
pond, and have fun.
Steve Davenport sdavenpo@avana.net
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Uga-Bug-ger
hook=700-B Dai-Riki size 12
thread= olive 6/0
tail=olive marabou, with 4 strands green krystal flash
body=x-tra fine olive chenille
palmered hackle=badger hackle
wing=4 strands green krystal flash
When picking the badger hackle out get the ones that have alot
of black in them. Tie in the tips frist so that when you have plamered
it you have mostly black at the head, make about four wraps at the
head. You should end up with a black looking ribbing. If you have any
other questions feel free to contact me.
Roger A Massey Roger_Massey@fuhsd.k12.ca.us
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"Black and Blue Bugger"
Hook..................700 Dai-Riki Size 6
Thread................Black 6/0
Tail..........Black Marabou, with 4 strands blue Krystal Flash
Body....... Black Chenille, with 4 strands blue Krystal Flash stripe
Hackle.................Palmered Black Hackle
Rib......................Fine Gold Wire
Wind on thread base, weight lightly, tie in marabou tail, tie in gold rib,
tie in 4 strands of Krystal Flash at midpoint of strands, tie in chenille and
wind forward, bring 4 strands of Krystal Flash forward along lateral line and
tie off at head, tie in hackle and palmer back to tail, wind gold wire
forward over palmered hackle to head and tie off, whip finish.
Joe Talbot wlybugger@aol.com
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Mini Yellow Cat's Whisker
Hook: Mustad 9672, #10
Thread: Black 3/0
Tail: Yellow Marabou
Body: Yellow chenille
Wing: Yellow Marabou
1. Crimp down barb. Lay down a base of thread from behind eye to
tail tie-in position.
2. Wrap desired amount of lead to weight hook. Build up thread
behind and in front of lead to even out body; securing lead in place
by wrapping thread front ot back and vise versa several times. Apply
a coat of cement to wrapped lead (optional). Advance thread to front.
3. Tie in Marabou tail starting at the front and wrapping back to
the tail tie-in position. Tail should be 1.5x to 2.0x shank length.
Tie in a 2" piece of small yellow chenille at tail tie-in position.
Advance thread to front and half hitch (helps when using a rotary
vise).
4. Wrap chenille forward and tie off. Tie in wing (yellow maribou)
so that it extends back to one shank length beyond tail tie-in
position. I like to use a permanent marking pen to color the marabou
butts, black in this case, so that the head 'looks' neater and the
white and yellow doesn't show through after attaching the bead eyes
and the head is wrapped.
5. Attach medium size silver bead chain eyes using figure eight
wraps and making several turns under the eyes and over the shank to
tighten up the threads.
6. Whip finish behind the bead chain eyes and cement.
This flie is good in cloudy water, especially early in the season.
Pattern taken from Bob Church's Guide to New Fly Patterns. ISBN 0-
88317-173-2
Tim Cavileer tcavileer@uidaho.edu
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Here the instructions for the Tiger Bugger, which is really just
a standard wooly bugger tied with orange and black variegated chenille!
Hook: Mustad 9672 2-10
Thread: Orange 6/0
Tail: Orange maribou
Underbody: Lead free wire .025
Body: Orange/black variegated chenille
Hackle: Brown or furnce saddle hackle palmered through body
Wrap the hook shank with wire, leaving enough space at the tail
and head for tying in the maribou and finishing the head. Wrap the thread
starting at the eye, with a small build-up where the wire weight ends
to prevent the wire from slipping during the tie. Wrap in open loops towards
the bend, building up wraps at the end of the weight, again to prevent
slippage. Wrap a layer of thread to the beginning of the bend. Tie the
maribou for the tail a length of approximately 3/4 the length of the
shaft. With a thumbnail remove the "fluff" from the last 1/8 of an inch
from the chenille, exposing the thread underneath. Tie the chenille down
onto the hook using this exposed thread. Select hackle slightly longer
than the hook gap, strip the fluff from the stem, and tie in the hackle
at the ben. Wrap the thread forward towards the head, leaving enough space
for a whip finish. Wrap the chenille towards the head in closed loops, tie
down, and trim. Wrap the hackle towards the head, with the stem wrapped
in between the wraps of chenille if the hackle is long enough. Tie off
at the head, whip finish the head, and coat with head cement.
I've had the most luck with this pattern in size 8's, which is
what I'm sending. Buggers out east tend to be slimmer than their western
counterparts, hence a single wrapped body is what we tie. I have tied them
as small as size 12 with some luck, but the 8 is really the one. There's
something about the color orange in the Arkansas Ozarks tailwaters, where
I've
had the most luck with this pattern. I caught cutthroats and rainbows
with it, and am looking forward to the opportunity to try it out west
on a "big" river this summer!
Robert Shearer shearer@usf.teradyne.com
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Purple Egg Sucking Leach
thread: red or blaze orange
hook #8 to #2 6X long
body large or medium purple chenille and blaze orange chenille
tail Purple marabou feathers
hackle purple wet fly neck
The tail should be about 1/3 the length of the hook
shank. Don't tie it too far back or you will get a
lot of missed strikes. Make sure that you get the
whole tail of the feather with some body to it otherwise
it will be too narrow when wet.
Tie in the tail on the shank just behind and above the
point of the hook. Tie on the purple chenille and the
hackle at the tail. Wrap the chenille to the front leaving
room for the orange "egg". Palmer the hackle to the front
and tie off. Tie on the orange chenille and wrap to the head.
Tie off and finish the head
Frank Cada frank@hplvdj.lvld.hp.com OR dlgq72a@prodigy.com
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Yellow & Olive Bugger
Hook: Whatever you have alot of. I chose #8 Mustad 9671
Tail: "Grizzly Marabou"; Olive
Hackle: Oversupply of greenish grizzly hackle? Use it.
Chenille: Yellow, in one of those "in-between" sizes.
Weight: Lead wire, wrapped full length.
Clamp hook securely in your vise. Lay a thread base to the bend. Tie in the
tail. Tie in the hackle, tip first. Tie in the chenille and wrap on the lead
full length of the shank. Wrap the thread to the eye. Wrap the chenille to
the eye. Wrap the hackle to the eye. Viola! Wolly Bugger.
Mark Devino devino@mo.net
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Crystal Bugger
Hook: Mustad 38941
Body:Flash Chenille
Tail:Red Marabou
Hackle:Strung Grizzly Dyed Olive, palmered
Thread:Olive 6/0
Paul M. Leong Paul_M_Leong@osbu_north.xerox.com
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Black Bomber
thread: black 3/0
hook: Daiichi 1730 size 6 (bent-shank nymph hook, 3X long, round bend, down
eye, 1X strong)
eyes: lead dumbell painted red with black pupils
tail: black maribou with red crystal flash
body: black ice chenille
Tie on thread at eye and cover the front (bent) portion of hook. Position
eyes on top of hook midway on bent portion, tie down, and cement in place.
Move thread to bend and tie on maribou tail equal to shaft length. Add three
pieces of red crystal flash to tail (one on each side and on top). Tie in
ice chenille and move thread to in front of eyes. Wind chenille forward and
tie off in front of eyes. Form small head, whip finish and cement.
Tom Conner tom.conner@ssc.msu.edu
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Big eyed mini-cat's whisker
Thread: color to match or contrast to fly
Hook: Mustad 80050BR size 8, or equivalent. Can also be tied with a down
eyed hook.
Tail: marabou tied in so it is three times the length of the hook with
several stands of crystal flash (optional)
Rib: fine copper wire (optional)
Body: chenille or yarn
Wing: marabou tied to bend of hook
Eyes: rondell bead in color of your choice (red, chartreuse, purple, yellow,
pink and crystal all work well)
Tying instructions:
Make eyes by placing mono or weed cutter line (it comes in colors) into
beads and melting the ends with your burning tool.
Place hook in vise, wrap underthread to hook bend. Tie in marabou so the
tail is about three times the length of the hook.
Tie in several strands of crystal flash but make it shorter so if you get
short strikes, you can pinch off the marabou to the correct length.
Tie in yarn or chenille. It works best to flip hook over and tie in the yarn
on the underside clear up to the eye. This covers the bare hook and makes a
better looking fly. Wind thread back to bend, tie in copper rib,(optional
but it makes a much sturdier fly).
Tie in eye. The underbody of marabou and yarn makes a nice seat for the eye
to rest on. Be sure to leave enough room to make a few half hitches behind
the eye when you tie off.
Wind yarn body to behind eye and tie off.
Counterwrap copper wire rib and tie off.
Add marabou wing and tie down trimming the marabou so it falls between the
two bead eyes.
Add crystal flash if you desire. Whip finish and add a bit of head cement.
Enjoy. These look much like small fry and take trout, pike, perch and bass.
The marabou can be the same or a contrasting color to the eye.
Joyce Westphal westphal@burgoyne.com
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Basic Black Bugger
Here's my pattern - a basic wooly bugger. I'll tie it on theMustad size 8
AC9672.
It will be tied weighted and I hope to tie it with a little modification.
Michael Bliss mbbliss@vii.com
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BLUE ZULU BUGGER
Hook:Mustad 79580 - or equivalent 4x streamer hook
Thread:Grey - Pre-waxed Monocord
Weight: 20 wraps of lead free wire - wrapped from midpoint of
hook forward.
Tail:Red Marabou
Body:Black Chenille
Body Hackle:Black Saddle Hackle - palmered forward
Collar Hackle:Blue Guinea Hen Hackle
Comments:
After wrapping the weight, cover with thread wrapped back and forth from
end to end several times and then coated with head cement. The "20
wraps" are for the size 6 hook I used for the swap. Adjust accordingly, as
you go up or down in size. Have fun.
Bob Hautala rhautala@moose.uvm.edu
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B9 Wooly Bugger.
#8 Streamer hook
Bronze Bead
Black thread
Black Marabou tail - enough, and then some more.
Black Chenille
Grizzly saddle hackle - tied in tip first at back
Lead - 6 wraps of heavy gauge lead wire.
They don't get more basic than this. It's very easy to tie, and very
effective. My East Coast record (24" rainbow at Big Hunting Creek, January
6, 1995) was on one of these the bottom of a run/top of pool. These are
heavy buggers, and get down to where the hawgs are!. Enjoy.
William M. Malamud wmalamud@sysplan.com
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Pattern: "BIG BAD WILD WACKY WOOLY BOW RIVER BUGGER"
Origin: a Todd Blackwell modified pattern original discussed on the banks of
the Bow River with since deceased Mike "The Griz" Grisham.....bless his soul.
Hook: Mustad 3665A - Size #2
Thread: Black 3/0 Unithread
Weighted: lead wire .025 dia. wrap from head to tail.
Tail: Marabou, assorted colors, combine colors, 'big and bushy', tail length
1.5 x hook shank., combined with 8-10 strands of krystal flash, flashabou,
tinsel, again..the more the contrast the better.
Rib: assorted materials, mylar tinsel, copper wire, flashabou, gold cord,
silver.
Body: Chenille, assorted colors, wrap big and bushy
Hackle: rooster neck/saddle....assorted colors, usually contrasting colors.
Collar: palmered marabou, assorted contrasting colors to the
chenile body.
Head: bead glass eyes, brass, gold, silver, copper
bead...
Fishing Tatics:
These Big 'Buggers' are best fished in high off colored waters usually
associated with spring run- off.
Fish `em...deep and slow along swolen riverbanks..back eddys....and
tail-outs ....usually dead drifted....then watch for takes on the 'swing'
and a slow retrieve., will produce strikes. Have fun!
I met Mike 2 years ago....on a secluded stretch of the Bow river 2 miles
downstream of Calgary. He was then 83, and said he had been fishing the
river for 60 years. Wow...I thought at the time, I had hit the Motherlode of
Bow river secrets...yet I soon discovered Mike was 'loner'. And much to my
chagrin most of his secrets died with him. It was mid-june and I was having
horrible luck drifting a size 12 'prince nymph' with a size 14 bead-head
GRHE as a dropper through dark muddied high waters typical of the 'Rocky
Mountain' runoff.
Mike was upstream....a couple of hundred yards ...and every few
minutes...he'd have a fish on....I lost count, but by the end of the
morning it was Todd...0...and Mike at least 10...many of his trout exceeded
20 inches!.
With a little bit of courage....and intrepidation I slowly approached Mike
and introduced myself. He just nodded and continued to fish. That was
Mike's way. I gently asked ....so whatcha using?.... I could see his backstiffen.....and I was sure I had insulted him...so I quickly apologized and
headed as far downstream as possible. But before I could take
three steps...Mike turned around...with a beautiful 18 inch rainbow
on the line and said " oh....just using my favorite "BIG BAD BUGGERS".
I sat on the bank and watched how gracefully Mike landed the fish.. how he
released it by gently dislodgeing the hook with his hands and guiding the
fish out into deeper water once it was fully revived. It was almost as if
the fish knew Mike...and Mike certaintly knew the fish.
After about an hour of watching Mike land another 6 or so fish...he wound up
his line...and walked over to where I was sitting...and said...aren't you
gonna fish?..I said.." If it was OK I'd just watch him"...heck I thought I
can fish anytime...but to observe a master was truly a privilege.
He then opened a very large fly box....and to my huge surprise displayed an
assortment of no less than 50 buggers...all tied differently...all tied
beautifully...and all tied 'BIG'...and 'Colorful"! They were all tied on #2,
sproat hooks...and had every combination and color contrast you could think
of. Some had eyes....some had bead-heads....some had hackle....others
didn't...but what they all had in common is that no two looked alike...and
that they were big, and flashy, and unique.
Mike then continued to explain, in a very slow and methodical way...like a
teacher to his student....how he
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Olive Snowshoe Rabbit Bugger
Hook: Mustad 9671 or 3906B
Thread: Olive 3/0
Tail: Olive dyed Marabou
Body: Blended olive dyed Ram's wool and snowshoe rabbit foot hair.
Hackle: Grizzly saddle hackle palmered style.
1. Form an underbody by wrapping the lead wire from the eye to the bend
(Leave about 1/16 in. space at each end.
2. Wrap a base of 3/0 olive monocord from eye to base. Tie in the tail.
3. Apply a blended dubbing of olive dyed Ram'sWool and white Snowshoe
Rabbit Foot Hair to the thread and wind forward forming a tapered body.
4. Tie in the hackle and wind the thread back to the tail at the bend
of the hook using wide wraps as a rib. Wind the hackle palmer style back to
the tail and tie off with several wraps or a half hitch.
5. Wrap the thread forward moving it back anf forth to ensure the
thread slips between the hackle fibers, thus binding down the hackle.
6. Tie a neat head with the thread and whip finish. Coat with head
cement.
Notes:
This is a variation of a olive chenille wooly bugger. I believe it
looks more realistic than using chenille. Let me know how it works for you.
Wraping the hackle back rather than forward accomplishes two thing. It form
a rib for the hackle to follow and it also allows you to bind down the
hackle, thus forming a more durable fly. I use head cemnet on the hook and
the lead wire before wrapping a base. This will produce a much more durable
fly. I have found that this fly will last much longer than other buggers
tied without the head cement base.
For the black I just substituted Iron Grey thread, black Ram's Wool
and used a light brown saddle hackle. All the other ingredients and
instructions are the same.
Dale F. Bonney dbonney@postoffice.ptd.net
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Peacock Crystal Bugger
Hook: Mustad 79580 sz 6 (or other streamer hook)
Thread: 3/0 Black
Eyes: Bead Chain section-a drop of super glue over thread keeps it in place
Tail: Black Marabou
Body: Peacock Ice Chenille
Hackle: Palmered starting with the hackle tip at the tail
Tied by: John Kanengieter, Lander WY-where fish mistake streamers for
appetizers jdk@nols.edu
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Here is the BOW River Bugger pattern:
Tail: black marabou with electric blue crystal flash
bands on both sides (5-6 pieces is good).
Body: olive chenille with back hackle palmering.
Head and collar: deer hair tied muddler head style.
Weight: 15-20 lead wraps or copper (I have lots of it).
Hook: 3X Mustad (the xxxxxx41 or the salmonfly hook).
This fly is is always heavliy weighted so it will get down in the fast
currents
of Western Canada.
Al Grombacher grombachera@phibred.com
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The “Maple Duster” Bugger
Hook Mustad 36620 Size 10, 5XL
Thread Danville Flat Waxed Black
Weight 8-10 wraps .015 lead-free wire
Tail Sand Grizzly Mini-Marabou
Rib .0055 Copper Wire
Body Maple Mohair Yarn
Flash 2 strands Copper/Blue Krystal Flash, as lateral
Hackle Ginger China Saddle Hackle (from feather duster)
1. Apply lead to front 1/3 of hook. Anchor-wrap with tying thread
and apply a coat of head cement.
2. Wrap thread to back of lead and tie in 2 feathers for tail, equal
in length to the hook shank. Anchor tail firmly and take two wraps
between tail material and shank to “lift” the tail.
3. Tie in ribbing, followed by body material, on top of hook.
4. Tie in saddle hackle by its base at rear of hook on side nearest you.
5. Wrap body material forward, back to rear and forward again to form
a full, even body. Tie off and apply a drop of head cement.
6. Tie in 2 strands of Krystal Flash at the front of the body so that it
extends back along both sides to the end of the tail. Take one wrap
of ribbing up on body to hold the flash in place along the sides.
7. Palmer wrap hackle forward, spaced evenly and tie off.
8. Wrap ribbing forward between wraps of hackle and tie off.
9 .Whip finish head and apply two coats of head cement.
NOTES:
I roll this Bugger slowly along the bottom in ANY water conditions.
Seems to be accepted as a Crawfish or LARGE Golden Stone Nymph.
Larry Medina LJMARM@ibm.net
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The “Yucky-Bloody” Bugger
Hook Mustad 36620 Size 8, 5XL
Thread Danville Flat Waxed Chartreuse
Weight 10-12 wraps .015 lead-free wire
Tail Chartreuse Grizzly Mini-Marabou
Rib .0055 Red Copper Wire
Body Maroon Mohair Yarn
Flash Holographic Fly Flash, as lateral
Hackle Chartreuse Grizzly Saddle Hackle
Eyes 5/32” Black “Pearls by the Yard”
1. Apply lead to front 1/3 of hook. Anchor-wrap with tying thread
and apply a coat of head cement.
2. Wrap thread to back of lead and tie in 2 feathers for tail, equal
in length to the hook shank. Anchor tail firmly and take two wraps
between tail material and shank to “lift” the tail.
3. Tie in ribbing, followed by body material, on top of hook.
4. Tie in saddle hackle by its base at rear of hook on side nearest you.
5. Wrap body material forward, back to rear and forward again to form
a full, even body. Tie off and apply a drop of head cement.
6. Tie in a strand of Holo Fly Flash at the front of the body so that it
extends back along both sides to the end of the tail. Take one wrap
of ribbing up on body to hold the flash in place along the sides.
7. Palmer wrap hackle forward, spaced evenly and tie off.
8. Wrap ribbing forward between wraps of hackle and tie off.
9. Fasten a pair of 5/32” black eyes to top of hook with figure 8 wraps.
10.Whip finish head and apply two coats of head cement.
NOTES:
I fish this Bugger across and down in high water conditions. Strike
typically occurs as fly “rises” at the end of the cross-current swing.
Larry Medina LJMARM@ibm.net
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The “White Tailed Skunk” Bugger
Hook Mustad 36620 Size 10, 5XL
Thread Danville Flat Waxed Black
Weight 6-8 wraps .015 lead-free wire
Tail White Blood Quill Marabou
Stripe Black Rug Yarn, tied lengthwise on top of body
Body White Angora Yarn
Hackle Black Saddle Hackle
1. Apply lead to front 1/3 of hook. Anchor-wrap with tying thread
and apply a coat of head cement.
2. Wrap thread to back of lead and tie in 1 feather for tail, equal
in length to the hook shank. Anchor tail firmly and take two
wraps between tail material and shank to “lift” the tail.
3. Tie in body material, followed by stripe material on top of hook.
4. Tie in saddle hackle by its base at rear on side nearest you.
5. Wrap body material forward, back to rear and forward again to
form a full, even body. Tie off and apply drop of head cement.
6. Pull stripe over top and tie off at front of the body.
7. Palmer wrap hackle forward, spaced evenly and tie off.
8 .Whip finish head and apply two coats of head cement.
NOTES:
I use this Bugger in late evening or other low-light conditions.
Toss across the current and strip in quick short jerks across the
tops of deep pools, or in front of rocks or logs.
Larry Medina LJMARM@ibm.net
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MALIGNE LAKE SPECIAL
HOOK- 9671 size 8 to 4
TAIL- Black Marabou and Rainbow flashabou-accent
BODY- Green Ultra Chenille
HACKLE- Long Black Neck Hackle
THREAD- Green
The Maligne Lake Special is just one of thousands of adaptations of
the Wooly Bugger. I particularly like this pattern, because the flash-a-bou
in the tail, makes a excellent attractor when fishing big deep lakes. The
only difficult part of tying this fly is getting a good balance of marabou
and flashabou in the tail, other wise the rest is your basic Wooly Bugger.
When tying this fly, I like to use a large hook, basically because its an
attractor pattern and the bigger the better for Maligne Lake.
Tying:
1) Take a medium bunch of marabou and tie it in at the bend of the hook.
2) Then take a equal amount of flashabou and tie it in on top of the
marabou. 3) Repeat step one and tye in another clump of marabou.
4) Wrap your thread foward to within an eye width of the eye and tie in the
tip of your ultra chenille. Lash the ultra chenille to the shank back to the
tail. This helps to create a thicker body.
6) Now tie in a long black neck hackle.
7) Ok now wrap the chenille forward over the built up body and tie off.
8) Next palmer the hackle forward over the body about 6 wraps, and then tie
off.
9) Build up a nice tapered head and whip finish, a dab of head cement and
good luck fishing.
Mountain Lakes
Mark Wood no email address at this time
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Nite-glow Bugger (Gobbled up by the Postmaster!!!!)
Hook:#8 2x long wet flyhook
Thread:black 3/0 monocord
Tail:Olive Marabou
Hackle:Brown Grizzly Saddle
Body:Glow-in-the-dark yarn pompom
(taken apart and used in dubbing loop)
Jim Peterson dlmiller@wolf.co.net
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The “Pseudo Golden Stone” Bugger
Hook Mustad 9671 Size 8, 2XL
Thread Danville Flat Waxed Black
Weight 6-8 wraps .015 lead-free wire
Tail Bronze Marabou
Ribbing Dk Gold Buttonhole Twist Thread
Stripe Dk. Brown Rug Yarn, tied lengthwise on top of body
Body Aztec Gold Dazzleaire Yarn
Hackle Furnace Hackle
1. Apply lead to front 1/3 of hook. Anchor-wrap with tying thread
and apply a coat of head cement.
2. Wrap thread to back of lead and tie in 1 feather for tail, equal
in length to the hook shank. Anchor tail firmly and take two
wraps between tail material and shank to “lift” the tail.
3. Tie in ribbing material on near side of hook.
4. Tie in body material, followed by stripe material on top of hook.
5. Tie in hackle by its base at rear on side nearest you.
6. Wrap body material forward, back to rear and forward again to
form a full, even body. Tie off and apply drop of head cement.
7. Palmer wrap hackle forward, spaced evenly and tie off.
8. Use one hand to “gather hackle” and pull fibers downward, to
underside of hook. With the other hand, pull stripe over top and
tie off at front of the body.
9. Wind ribbing forward over stripe and through hackle fibers. Tie
off and trim off all hackle fibers sticking up from back of fly.
10 .Whip finish head and apply two coats of head cement.
NOTES:
I use this Bugger throughout the season fro trout to simulate a
LARGE Golden Stone Nymph. It’s also been effective on Bass
and Sunfish in brackish water....no idea what they’re taking it for
maybe a small perch?? Toss up and across the current and let roll
on the bottom near bank, in deep pools, or in front of rocks or logs.
Larry Medina (submitted for Jim Peterson) LJMARM@ibm.net
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Coneheaded Black FlashBugger
Hook Mustad size 2
Head Orvis med. brass cone
Thread black
Weight lead wire 6 wraps
Tail black marabou w/ 4 strands flashabou
body black chennille w/ silver thread
Hackle black
D. Risney DRisney@aol.com
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Rattle Bugger
The Rattle Bugger isn't really a pattern as much as it is a wooly bugger
modification. It's based on the saltwater fly, Cave's Rattler. It may not
be much to look at, but it is something to listen to.
Wrap a good thread base on a long-shanked hook. Tie in marabou
tail, and flash if desired, Tie in a saddle hackle by the tip. Strip the
fluff from the stem, but leave about 1 turn of webby fluff at the base.
Tie in chennile or other body material. Attach the glass or plastic
rattle (the kind used by bass fisherman to insert into plastic worms)
to the top of the hook. Buy the smallest rattles you can find. Even
these limit you to about size 6 hooks at the smallest. Lead may
be added, but needs to be added as strips along the side or
bottom of the shank. The rattle needs to be thoroughly attached,
with tight thread wraps and head cement. Wrap the chennile forward
to the eye of the hook. Palmer the hackle forward and tie off.
I use the rattle bugger in off color water, and it outfishes a more silent
fly for both trout and bass. On its maiden voyage last year, the rattle
bugger caught a 20" rainbow that was the only fish of the day.
J. Woodling JWoodling1@aol.com
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Megg A Bugger
Hook: Mustad long shank, sizes 1/0 - 4/0
Thread: Black 3/0
Tail: Maribou fibers & Krystal Flash
Body: Cactus Chenille with Palmered Marabou
Head: Craft Fur with painted eyes
Color Any
1. Tie in the tail & attach the Chenille at the bend of the hook.
2. Tie in a long soft stemmed Marabou feather at bend of hook.
3. Wind Cactus Chenille forward leaving 3/8 in space for head.
4. Palmer the Marabou forward and tie off.
5. Cut off a pinch of Craft fur (under fur and the long hairs).
Tie the fur in the same manner as you would Deer hair, repeat
to form a thick tightly packed ball. Then trim the head to shape,
leaving some long hairs running down the top of the fly.
For eyes use Fabric paint (found at most craft stores) or Dumbell
Eyes can be used if weight is desired,
NOTE: The Marabou I use comes from the Craft stores, They have bags of
long stemmed feathers that work better than the kind sold for fly
tying.
Nic Blackwell up421@lfkw9.bgm.link.com
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The Whorehouse Bugger
Hook: Mustad 79580 #4-16
Bead Head: Silver Bead
Thread: Red
Tail: Cerise Marabou
Rib: Cerise Saddle Hackle
Body: Red Estaz
This bugger was created one night sitting on the banks of the
Shennandoah just across the stream for Harry Murray's Fly Shop, Drug
Store and Lunch Counter. David Allerton and I were watching mayflies hit
the Coleman Lanterns and tying up buggers for the next day's fishing when
he reached into his stash and tossed some cerise marabou in my direction
saying: "think that you can tie one with that that will catch fish?"
Never one to turn down a challenge, I proceeded to pull out some cerise
saddle hackle a silver bead and red estaz and produced The Whorehouse
Bugger. The next day much to both of our delights it did actually catch
some Smallmouth on the Shennandoah. Experimentation proved it to be
most effective in low visibility conditions: morning, evenings and murky
water.
L.J. DeCuir decuir@UTKVX.UTK.EDU
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The Purple Wooly Bugger
Hook: size 4 Salmon Fly Hook, Mustad 36890
Thread: Black
Weight: lead free wire (.035)
Ribbing: Copper wire or Gold Tinsel (fine)
Hackle: Purple Hackle
Tail: Purple Marabou
Body: Purple Chenille
Body Stripe: Rainbow Krystal Flash
1) Tie in the thread, wrap 15 - 20 wraps of wire for weight, and wrap
thread over the weight so it won't move.
TIP: The placement of the wire on the hook shank is important, since it
will determine the position of the center of gravity of the fly. The
center of gravity acts as a pivot point when the fly is fished and being
stripped through the water. (Think of the hook shank as a lever.) If the
pivot point is way back at the bend of the hook, the tail will have no
movement or action. If the pivot point is all the way foward at the eye,
the fly will have too much action and flutter and will not "swim"
realisticly. The correct pivot point is a little less than half of the way
down the shank from the eye. This means starting the wire wraps just a
little more than half way and wrapping foward leaving a good quarter inch
between the last wrap and the eye.
2) One key to tying this pattern is getting the order of materials tied in
correctly at this point. At the start of the bend, in the following order
tie in
the gold tinsel ribbing,
the purple hackle,
the chenille, and
the purple marabou.
The purple hackle fibers should be 1-1/2 to 2 times as wide as the hook
gap. The length of the purple marabou should be as long as the body. Tie
it in last and run the excess material up the length of the shank, over the
wire weight, and tie it off at the foward end of the weight. Leave plenty
of room to tie off the remaining materials.
TIP: A simple material clip: I bought a small spring about an inch long at
my local hardware store. I stretch the spring aroung the sleeve that holds
the jaws on my vise (a Thompsom Pro). (Think of a ring on a finger.) The
spring is great on a pattern like this one and I can hold all four of those
materials in place with out them dangling and twisting around one another.
3) With the marabou tied in and the thread foward of the weight, wrap the
chenille and form the body. Tie it off forward of the weight.
4) This is the easiest step to forget! Take about 4-5 strands of krystal
flash a foot long and tie them in at the center of the strand. Tie them in
right were the chenille body ends. Pull back on the strands so that one
half runs down the far side of the fly and the other half on the near side.
5) Pulling back on the krystal flash and positioning the strands so they
run evenly down the length of the chenille body, start wrapping the hackle,
palmered style, around the chenille body and over the krystal flash. Tie
off when you reach the thread.
6) Rib the gold tinsel around the chenille body wrapping in the opposite
direction that you wrapped the hackle. Tie off when you reach your
thread, wrap a small head, and tie off the fly.
7) All that remains to do is to clip the krystal flash to length. Grab
the strands, measure to the length of the tail, pull the marabou out of
the way, snip, and your done. Oh yeah, apply liberal amounts of head
cement or lacquar for a shiny black head.
M. Valentiner MValentiner@winternet.com
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