The Wooly Bugger

 If you are a fly fisherman, you have fished the Wooly Bugger at one time or another. It is one of the most effective and versatile flies in fly fishing. It can be tied to imitate various prey, such as baitfish, leeches, and crawfish. One can tie Wooly Buggers in various sizes, colors, and materials to match local conditions or target specific fish. The possibilities are endless. I like sizes 4,6 and 8, and for bluegill, the sizes 10 and 12 are killers. The marabou tail and lots of hackle around the body create a natural motion in the water, which fish find irresistible. 

The black and brown colors have produced more hits than any color I have fished. i use the conehead bugger with no weight and no sink-tip line. The chartreuse with the red tungsten bead head in size 12 is excellent for attracting bluegill. Be prepared to lose a few of these size 12 bluegill buggers because after a few big gills inhale it the tail hackle begins to thin. If the fly produces, I don't mind the thinning of the hackle. 

I remember landing this 3 lb spotted bass in early spring on Smith Lake a couple of years ago fishing the black version of the bugger. That morning, the take and the fight put a bend in my 6wt. that I still remember to this day. My favorite way to fish the bugger is to retrieve it slowly to mimic a leech or struggling prey. I seldom add weight because of hang-ups, and why use a weight when a sink tip leader gets the bug down slower than a weight tied into your line?

This fly is super easy to fish and can put more fish in your net when other flies fail.

This will be my last post for this year, so here's wishing everyone who follows Fishing Through Life a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!