Hellgramites

[tjm 0]

Russ Blessing invented a fly to imitate a hellgramite. He called it a "Woolly Bugger", I wonder what ever happened to it?

That's interesting, I've tied, bought and fished woolly buggers for a lot of years and always considered them as sculpin or crawdad imitations depending where and how I fished them. I don't recall ever hearing them referred to as helgramites. I had thought the original all black was meant to be a leech.

I learned a new thing today.

 

I used to tie a fairly detailed helgramite but never caught any thing on them and the few times I fished live helgramites I caught nothing.

 

mikechell, I like that dragon fly.

[redietz 0]

... any tyro can make them by the dozens.

 

 

Another reason to not look any further. They're simple

 

I understand the desire to experiment (I certainly do plenty of it myself), but in this case. I also understand the desire to make things more complicated than they need to be (I'll add a few twists of peacock herl to the head of green weenie.). I also understand that people like Harry Murray (and I'm not slamming him here) are going to sell more flies if they come up with something nobody else.

 

However, if you're simply looking for an effective imitation of hellgramite, there's no point in overlooking the obvious. You're not going to improve on it (although you might make something almost as good). There's a reason that everyone and his brother are tossing them.

 

And I'm not even a fan of buggers -- except as a hellgramite imitation.

[MYGUNTALKSLOUD 0]

I Definately appreciate everybody's input and suggestions. I'm looking forward to more content within the forum thanks again.

[mikechell 0]

Thanks, tjm. I did one with the biot legs ... liked it so much I tied up 6 more.

I've caught a few 'gills on them so far.

[Philly 0]

A couple of years ago I brought some preformed bodies that were suppose to imitate either a blood worm or a sand worm. They were 5 or 6 inches long so they sat. I pulled them out last year and tied up some creatures/Hellgramites. I must of fished them as one of them had the remains of clinch knot in the hook eye.

 

 

 

 

As far as Woolly Buggers go. I prefer top water, so I don't fish them that often. I keep four colors in my boxes. Black and olive= leeches/hellgramites/dragon fly nymph. Brown/Olive/Orange combination= crayfish. White tied with crystal chenille or estaz= bait fish.

 

[tjm 0]

MYGUN, type- helgramite site:flytyingforum.com - in your search bar and you should get about a 1000 hits of past discussions on this forum. Always fun to read the old stuff and see patterns by guys and gals that used to post here and maybe don't any longer.

[fshng2 0]

Found some I tied in the late 60's.

I guess they might be considered vintage by now.

Tied over wrapped then flattened lead and sink like a rock.

 

[MYGUNTALKSLOUD 0]

These are incredible fellas these and the others are definitely what I'm looking for in this post. I've got new thoughts for patterns from the help of this forum thanks.

[Powershooter 0]

My attempt at it .

 

[fshng2 0]

Very nice Powershooter. Colors are spot on, that should do it.

 

27 closeup photos:

http://www.troutnut.com/common-name/241/Hellgrammites