Basic Woolley Bugger

[John Pierce]

FLY: Woolley Bugger - Basic

HISTORY
2020-04-02 This fly was demo'd in a virtual online GRR Fly Tie meeting by Dave Robinson.

COMMENTS
I caught some bass at Elk Lake in the fall on a similar pattern, on a slow troll with type 3 sink line. To force fly down on lake can let out whole sinking line including backing. Middle summer max oxygen and fish depth is ~20ft, in winter down to 50ft. Normally use short 6ft leader and 6-8" tippet and unweighted fly which will tend to rise off bottom.
USE: Wet fly for lakes and rivers for trout and bass.
COLOUR: Trout prefer green, brown, tan, or black (by June in lakes algae in water and while fish feel the fly, its hard to see, so change to black), Bass prefer yellow and orange.
OPTIONS: Can add some flash, of using larger hooks can use heavier 3/9 thread. Add 5-6 wraps lead/synthetic to force fly down faster in rivers. Can add bait to fly ie maggots, piece of worm.

MATERIALS

• Hook: Streamer hook - 3x long size #4 to #8
• Thread: Black 6/0
• Bead: Large Red or Orange, tungsten or plastic.
• Tail: Marabou - Yellow or Orange
• Body: Yellow or Orange Chenille
• Hackle: Orange or Grizzly saddle

METHOD

• Place bead on hook.
• Tie on thread behind bead with several wraps to keep bead in place.
• Wrap thread back to bend.
• Measure shank length of maribou, place at bend of shank and tie on.
• Either wrap thread forward and then wrap maribou around shank to bead, tie-off, and cut of excess. Or hold maribou forward and wrap thread around maribou to bead, tie off and cut off excess.
• Tie on two pieces of flash so that makes 4 strings, trim just short of tail.
• Strip off few barbs from tip of hackle and tie on at end of shank (so that longer barbs at front of fly and creates more water disturbance and tapered back design). Then wrap hackle forward flat to bead (both sides of barbs will fold up vertical). Add 2-3 wraps beyond bead, tie off, and cut off excess.
• Whip finish and optional head cement.