my first wooly bugger

[flyfishiniowa 0]

This was hard for first one I hand whip finish it watching video so let me know what to do differently plz

[sunsignarcher 0]

YouTube helped me tie my first woolly buggers this past weekend. After a few duds and some reading up on marabou and how to get the best possible tails I wound up with some perty darn good looking buggers.

 

What videos were you watching and did you have all the right materials? How old are you?

[flyfishiniowa 0]

45,I got a kit last week its a Greg Vinci kit and the feathers are way long need bigger hooks or next time trim more off first time doing this not much fly tiers or fishing done here in Iowa

[Stippled Popper 0]

It is generally recommended for a wooly bugger that the marabou tail not be much longer than the shank of

the hook. But it is not unusual that when beginning a much longer tail is added. I did the same thing myself.

 

Did you just tie in the marabou and then tie in the dark hackle fibers in over the marabou? I can't tell from

the photo.

 

The hackle fibers may be just a bit too long. To some extent that is a matter of taste.

 

When working with marabou, it can be helpful to moisten the marabou. It dries quickly and is much easier

to handle when wet. It doesn't fly around so much.

[sunsignarcher 0]

 

I found this video useful for prepping the tail. I took it a step further and removed the best looking marabou from the stems altogether like you were stripping fibers off a pheasant tail then broke the tips off and sized the tail to the hook. I read that removing the stem would give the tail more action but Im pretty new at this my self and haven't seen anyone not tie in a whole feather yet.

 

I used a different tying method (followed Cravens book) but his might be a good way to go for you.

 

 

[sunsignarcher 0]

Here's mine

[flyfishiniowa 0]

Thanks guys like I said never done it wanted some opinions

[JSzymczyk 0]

Best tip I ever got, 30 some years ago, about tying with marabou is this:

 

select a good feather, then break out the tip section of the stem. About a half inch or so of stem is usually sufficient. Stroke the fibers of the entire feather together in a natural manner and separate all the "short fibers from further down the feather shaft. You're left with a nice, fairly well evened clump of marabou with natural ends. This is what you want to use for your bugger tail. Measure it to the same length as your hook shank.

 

Natural ends of any natural material always look better and nearly always work better. If you must shorten marabou, always rip it with your fingers, never cut it (almost never cut any natural material's ends off...)

 

The process is a little hard to explain but simple to do. If I get around to it, I'll try to post some pics.

[Fishiowa 0]

45,I got a kit last week its a Greg Vinci kit and the feathers are way long need bigger hooks or next time trim more off first time doing this not much fly tiers or fishing done here in Iowa

There are more of us than you think. What part of Iowa are you from? I'm in the northeast.

[flyfishiniowa 0]

Grundy county and glad to hear this yrs ago was a guy always fly fishing over by waterloo Iowa

[lostnwilderness 0]

Others have you dialed in. Shorten the tail, extend the body. I could not tell if you did or not but learn to tie them using a wire rib to stiffen and further secure the body. Amazing how much it helps durability!

 

One thing to remember, is that first fly perfect? Nope. Will it catch fish? YES!!!!!! Take it fishing!!! For most of us, that is the whole purpose of tying is to catch fish! As you progress, remember to fish the "mess ups" I find it amazing how sometimes they out fish the "textbook" specimens

 

 

Great Start, Keep it up!

[garthdan 0]

Will it catch fish? YES!!!!!! Take it fishing!!!

 

This.

 

My first bugger looked more like a Siamese Fighting Fish than anything. The fish don't know that your fly doesn't look like Dave Hughes tied it. You'd be surprised. My son took a bunch of my "Round One Rejects" and he's been successful to the point where he won't let me strip them down and re-tie them.

 

That said, keep working at it. As you move on to other types of flies, you'll want to be more particular about the proportions. Meanwhile, tie that bad boy on and go catch something with it.

 

And welcome to the addiction !!

[flyfishiniowa 0]

Tomorrow is spring and here in Iowa its 20 degrees, man I wish it would warm up get some open water.