Monday, July 14, 2008

Going back to basics - the woolly bugger


For a while now I have been experimenting with various new patterns for carp, bass, etc. but I came to a realization that I should return to a pattern, a simple as it is, that worked. Therefore, on my recent trip to a new fly shop I picked up materials for tying up the woolly bugger.

In the past I have caught the following species on this fly:

  • Catfish
  • Largemouth Bass
  • Guadalupe Bass
  • Red breast sunfish
  • Bluegill
  • Rio Grande Cichlid
  • Common Carp
  • Spotted gar
  • Speckled Trout (yes, the saltwater kind)
There are probably a couple of other species that I have caught on the bugger (I don't remember if I caught a rainbow trout on one).

Olive green is my most successful color followed by black so I tied a dozen of these. On recommendation from the fly shop owner, I bought some variegated/grizzly olive (with black bars) Wapsi hackle and maribou. He also recommended black coneheads instead of the gold beads I usually use (even though the package says black, the conheads look like a lead gray to me). I did tie a few with gold coneheads though. I expect these flies will catch fish just fine.

4 comments:

Rick said...

Why coneheads?? Is it because in rivers you have to deal with current??

texasflyfisher said...

Hi Rick,

Here is a quote I got from an article I found that probably explains the advantages of a conehead bead:


Coneheads are especially good for getting flies down to the bottom fast, seeing as the weight is more than traditional drilled beads. The specific cone head shape has an additional advantage, with its narrow front and wider rear the fly tends to become more weed-less bouncing off rocks and snags.


You also get a different profile for the fly with the conehead versus the regular beadhead.

Here is a link to the full article entitled The Lowdown on Beadheads

Rick said...

Yo le aprecio mi amigo.

Rick said...

I am glad we have a Cabela's less than 30 minutes from my house. I haven't mastered tying the WB yet. But today my fly fishing mentor and I found several packages of a dozen yellow WB's #10 in their bargain basement barrel in the fly shop, marked down to $4.99. Bought two packages, and my mentor bought one. 24 WB's for $9.98!!! Maybe a green marks-a-lot will make them "olive" color. Wish Bass Pro would mark down flies like Cabela's will, but alas they don't.

Now, which lure company is it that makes garlic scented felt tip markers???