Woolly Bugger Chenille?

[Aleforme]

Can anyone recommend a good Woolly Bugger Chenille for Size 6, 8, 10 Buggers? Just want to do some basics Black, White and Olive cone head/bead head buggers in the more classic design. Marabou tail, chenille body with a hackle wrap over the body. I'm thinking more of a plain color chenille with maybe a little flash in it? Or, just plain.

There are just so many options and I'm not sure what size chenille would work best with the larger buggers.

Thanks in advance nd everyone have a great upcoming weekend!

Jim

 

[Mike Cline]

Forget the chenille and dub your bugger bodies. Much more durable and the color opportunities are limitless.

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[Long_Rod_Silvers]

For those sizes in basic chenille you're probably going to want the medium. If you step up to a size 2 or 4, you might want large.

They are cheap, I'd suggest getting a few that look cool and seeing which ones you like.

 

[Zak]

Forget the chenille and dub your bugger bodies. Much more durable and the color opportunities are limitless.

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Agreed. I mostly dub the bugger bodies, or use peacock herl. Also, I tie in 5" or so of wire just in front of the tail, then make the body, then tie in the hackle at the head. Wind/palmer the hackle back to the tail, then wind the wire forward, securing the hackle, then make thread head and whip finish. Bombproof!

 

[tkww]

Just about any basic chenille would work--whatever Sportsman's or your local shop sells. For those sizes I'd probably go with medium. You don't need ultra chenille. If you wanted flash (in the chenille) you could look at Estaz, Polar, Chrystal/Krystal, etc. (every company seems to have a different name).

Make sure you reinforce your hackle by ribbing back up through it. (Like you would on an elk hair caddis.)

Also make sure your first wrap or two of hackle at the eye is wrapped 90° from the shank, and then start palmering down the shank to the tail. If you start wrapping immediately at an angle you can sometimes end up with the front hackle being a little skewed--on one side of the fly the hackled points slightly forward, the other side slightly backwards. This can lead to the fly spinning when water hits the front of it. (The thickness and stiffness of the hackle plays a role here too.)

I agree with others that dubbing is a great option. But if you're newer to tying you might not love dubbing long large bodies.

 

[Camo Clad Warrior]

I would say +1 on the dub or own answer.

Like said... Much more durable, and endless color combos.

I also like the ability to use a long fiber dubbing and brush it out. Gives the fly a real cool buggy-ness that you cant capture with chenille.

 

[Aleforme]

Forget the chenille and dub your bugger bodies. Much more durable and the color opportunities are limitless.

Thoughts on the Fly | J. Stockard Fly Fishing's Blog

Welcome to J. Stockard's blog Thoughts on the Fly—your source for fly patterns, tying tips, reviews, and entertaining fishing stories.

blog.jsflyfishing.com

Thanks, that's a great article. I think I might go the dubbing route first. For the intended use, durability will be an issue.

 

[Aleforme]

Agreed. I mostly dub the bugger bodies, or use peacock herl. Also, I tie in 5" or so of wire just in front of the tail, then make the body, then tie in the hackle at the head. Wind/palmer the hackle back to the tail, then wind the wire forward, securing the hackle, then make thread head and whip finish. Bombproof!

Thank you for the detailed explanation. That makes prefect sense. Curious, any size wire that would be best?

 

[Aleforme]

I really appreciated everyone's feedback. I think I'm going to try making them with dubbing. I've got a ton of dubbing for leeches that will work. Just need to get some better hackle and some wire and I'm set. I've got everything else.

For my intended use on these, better durability would be welcomed. I've already has a few cheap mass production buggers come apart on me.

 

[Camo Clad Warrior]

I really appreciated everyone's feedback. I think I'm going to try making them with dubbing. I've got a ton of dubbing for leeches that will work. Just need to get some better hackle and some wire and I'm set. I've got everything else.

For my intended use on these, better durability would be welcomed. I've already has a few cheap mass production buggers come apart on me.

"I only need this and this and I am set..." is something i have been saying for the last 20 years that I have been tying flies. lol

 

[Aleforme]

"I only need this and this and I am set..." is something i have been saying for the last 20 years that I have been tying flies. lol

Yeah, wishful thinking. LOL

 

[Shad]

I really appreciated everyone's feedback. I think I'm going to try making them with dubbing. I've got a ton of dubbing for leeches that will work. Just need to get some better hackle and some wire and I'm set. I've got everything else.

For my intended use on these, better durability would be welcomed. I've already has a few cheap mass production buggers come apart on me.

If you're worried about durability, use a dubbing loop for the body. That will last through a nuclear holocaust.

 

[Zak]

Thank you for the detailed explanation. That makes prefect sense. Curious, any size wire that would be best?

I use "brassie" size wire for size 6-8 buggers, and fine wire for smaller buggers. I find "brassie" to be the most useful size for most purposes.

Note that in my explanation, everything gets wrapped in the same direction around the hook (up and over away from you); the coutnerwrapped wire happens because the feather is wrapped toward the back and the wire is wrapped forward.

This is one fly where a rotary vise realy shines!

 

[Aleforme]

If you're worried about durability, use a dubbing loop for the body. That will last through a nuclear holocaust.

That's what I was thinking I've gotten pretty good at them. Twisting dubbing onto the thread is a little more difficult for me. But, I'm getting there.

 

[Aleforme]

I use "brassie" size wire for size 6-8 buggers, and fine wire for smaller buggers. I find "brassie" to be the most useful size for most purposes.

Note that in my explanation, everything gets wrapped in the same direction around the hook (up and over away from you); the coutnerwrapped wire happens because the feather is wrapped toward the back and the wire is wrapped forward.

This is one fly where a rotary vise realy shines!

Ah, thanks. I'll pick up some wire this weekend. Understood on the wrap directions for the hackle vs. wire.

Luckily, I've got a rotatory vise now. Does make a difference when wrapping for sure.

 

[Dr. Magill]

You could also rib with monofilament if you don’t want additional color or bling on the fly

 

[kmudgn]

Wooly bugggers are pretty much a "junk" fly. No finesse is needed to tie them, nor is any special recipe the key to good results. I have no idea why they work, or exactly what they imitate, but they are a really good fly. Personally, I use the cheapest junk chenille that I can get on the web. It simply makes no sense to go to buy expensive material when (if fished correctly) you will lose a lot of them as they hang up on the bottom. In essence, if you are not catching the bottom with the fly and losing them as they hang up, you are not fishing them correctly. Personally, I tie "frankenbuggers" and throw on about anything on the hook that I think might work. Sometime I use wire, sometimes hackle, sometimes black chenille, sometimes white, sometimes rootbeer, etc.
I don't use tungsten beads as I think they front weight the fly too much. I have been using glass beads instead.

 

[Aleforme]

Wooly bugggers are pretty much a "junk" fly. No finesse is needed to tie them, nor is any special recipe the key to good results. I have no idea why they work, or exactly what they imitate, but they are a really good fly. Personally, I use the cheapest junk chenille that I can get on the web. It simply makes no sense to go to buy expensive material when (if fished correctly) you will lose a lot of them as they hang up on the bottom. In essence, if you are not catching the bottom with the fly and losing them as they hang up, you are not fishing them correctly. Personally, I tie "frankenbuggers" and throw on about anything on the hook that I think might work. Sometime I use wire, sometimes hackle, sometimes black chenille, sometimes white, sometimes rootbeer, etc.
I don't use tungsten beads as I think they front weight the fly too much. I have been using glass beads instead.

I'm definitely finding Buggers seem to be the Goulash of flies. Seems to be a million different recipes and most seem to be good.

 

[Dr. Magill]

I like the dubbed bodies but as chenille goes I prefer ultra-chenille

 

[RCF]

Agreed. I mostly dub the bugger bodies, or use peacock herl. Also, I tie in 5" or so of wire just in front of the tail, then make the body, then tie in the hackle at the head. Wind/palmer the hackle back to the tail, then wind the wire forward, securing the hackle, then make thread head and whip finish. Bombproof!

I love peacock herl! It is so buggy and changes color depending on the way light hits it. Finding good peacock herl can be an issue. When one finds it, buy more than you will ever need. It will disappear faster than you think...