Monster Bugger

[McFlyLures 0]

Wooly Buggers are probably the most commonly used streamer ever created. They are also very versatile and can be used for almost all species of fish. From freshwater fish like trout, bass and crappie to even saltwater fish like surf perch, striper, and even sea trout, this fly will work for them all. I have personally fished wooly buggers in rivers, lakes, ocean surf, and in bays. Ive also fished the wooly bugger in California, New mexico, Colorado, and Texas with great success. But these will work throughout the world.

This variation replaces the hackle with rubber legs. This gives the fly a bit more movement, and makes it look a little more interesting. I probably have the best luck with bass on this imitation, but I have caught my fair share of trout, redfish, and striper on this exact pattern.

Hook: Daichi 1750 - size 8

Cone Head: Gold, 4.5mm

Weight: 0.015 size lead wire

Thread: UTC 140 denier - dark brown (use black if you have it)

Tail: Black marabou

Body: Black estaz

Legs: Black silly legs

[tidewaterfly 0]

That's a good looking fly, but not a monster in my book, nor something I might tie on for targeting monsters.

 

Size 3/0 perhaps?

[Dave G. 0]

Hmmm.

[Philly 0]

Nice looking fly. Not sure I'd call it a bugger. I'm with tidewaterfly. I've got a half dozen tied on a size 1 3xl hook. They measure about 6 inches. I've caught a couple of small pike on them. Lost the biggest smallmouth I ever hooked on one when it broke me off on the 2nd jump because I forgot to change the tippet I was using for trout on the upper part of the White River in Vermont. when I moved down to the smallmouth section.

[McFlyLures 0]

Just caught a 20+ inch brown on it. Sorry if I don't know exactly the right spects for a monster bugger. I've been tying this pattern for a while, and it always works well... I didn't have a name for it, so I looked up some online that resemble it. Found a few people tying some with estaz, and legs calling them "monster buggers" thought that was the name of the fly. Didn't know a hook size difference took it out of the running to be called a monster bugger... my bad...

 

No your right, I don't neccisarily target "monster" fish with this... however some big boys do hit it...

[McFlyLures 0]

Just caught a 20+ inch brown on it. Sorry if I don't know exactly the right spects for a monster bugger. I've been tying this pattern for a while, and it always works well... I didn't have a name for it, so I looked up some online that resemble it. Found a few people tying some with estaz, and legs calling them "monster buggers" thought that was the name of the fly. Didn't know a hook size difference took it out of the running to be called a monster bugger... my bad...

 

No your right, I don't neccisarily target "monster" fish with this... however some big boys do hit it...

[tidewaterfly 0]

Based on various similar flies in the pattern book "Woolly Wisdom" by Gary Soucie, I can see it being called a "bugger", just not a monster.

 

Frankly, I've tied similar, and even with an Estaz body, on big sizes like to add the palmered hackle too. This provides a much bigger profile and more movement as the hackle breathes when stripped.

 

I too like buggers in size 1 for bass, but my remark above was both a question & suggestion. Tied on straight shank plastic worm hooks, buggers can be tied quite large, if you're targeting bass.

 

Many years ago, a fly tyer by the name of Tom Piccolo was tying something he called a Pic- A- Bugger (I could be wrong on the spelling) for saltwater use, and in rather large size's, primarily targeting Striped Bass if I recall correctly. I believe it had an Estaz body too, but also had a palmered hackle along the body.

[Guest rich mc]

the fly you posted is similar to the tequeely fly or autumn splendor. i tie a bugger beast where everything is upsized size 2and up hook, extra thick bohemian chenille ,long tail and instead of hackle i use 1.5 inch eyelash yarn palmered to the eye .your fly in black n purple would be great on my local pond

[McFlyLures 0]

Thanks for the feedback...

[Dave G. 0]

Once I saw the pattern I just assumed it was called monster for it's looks, not size. Kind of like having a kid and when it's born it has crab legs growing out of it's cheeks but it's no bigger than any other kid.

[McFlyLures 0]

Once I saw the pattern I just assumed it was called monster for it's looks, not size. Kind of like having a kid and when it's born it has crab legs growing out of it's cheeks but it's no bigger than any other kid.

That is what I was thinking when naming it... lol. But that's ok.. what's in a name? Nothing really, all I know is I caught 2 big browns on it a day ago...

[Dave G. 0]

 

Once I saw the pattern I just assumed it was called monster for it's looks, not size. Kind of like having a kid and when it's born it has crab legs growing out of it's cheeks but it's no bigger than any other kid.

That is what I was thinking when naming it... lol. But that's ok.. what's in a name? Nothing really, all I know is I caught 2 big browns on it a day ago...

 

LIKE!

[Peterjay 0]

Call it whatever you like, but it looks deadly. It's an excellent hellgrammite imitation, which is, as far as I can remember, what the original woolly bugger was intended to be. BTW - when I lived in Idaho,the old-timers who were always hanging around the fly shop all swore that a #2 black woolly bugger was the most effective fly ever for big fish, even during hatches, when everybody else was fishing dries. IMHO, the pictured fly would also fill that role very nicely.