Jump to content
Fly Tying
Sign in to follow this  
DarrellP

What is your go to bugger tail?

Recommended Posts

I have always used marabou. I have read that some are using artic fox, I think. What other tail materials can you use?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I use rabbit fibers from cut strips ( just the fibers not the skin) on my little size 14 buggers. Usually purple tails in the rabbit fur. These to me are too small for marabou, at least the marabou I usually have on hand.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Badger makes for good tails, as does silver fox, Arctic fox, and even Finn Raccoon, though this would be for some monster buggers. All are more durable than marabou which comes in handy in the salt when toothy critters are around

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Mainly marabou. I might have used arctic fox on my smaller, size 16 and 18, White River Demons at some point, but I used white marabou on the last batch I did. I do have one salt water fly, where the body is basically a woolly bugger, but the tail is buck tail, saddle hackle and flash.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Generally marabou, but finding good feathers locally is getting difficult due to lfs closing and big box stores carrying nothing but junk. I tried arctic fox on some and a few sw shrimp gurgler patterns i tied up for florida.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Feather boa from Dollar Tree. The "afterfeather" part is long enough for small and medium buggers, which is all I've ever tied.

I use it for tail material on a lot of different patterns that I've tried.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Another feather that can be used to tie buggers is Emu. There are several types of Emu feathers and so you need to be able to see them before buying. The feathers are used in the place of the palmered hackle. Fortunately I was able to buy a pound of feathers for $20 before the feather extension craze.

Below are closeup photos of an emu feather vs marabou. Notice the difference. The barbs of The upper emu feather are stiffer and more separated than the barbs of turkey marabou in the lower photo.

Emu tends to hold its shape when pulled through the water and collapses less than marabou does. At the same time, Emu moves more than the stiffer hackle that is the normal wrapping of a wooly bugger. It makes the fly look more alive.


47634480412_af26baca27_c.jpg

33809872328_1d94775907_c.jpg


This is the type of feather that you want. The barbules are softer and give more movement to the fly.


Natural-Emu-Feathers.jpg

Here are my Emu buggers. Mix and match the color of the tail and the chenille to get different colored buggers.

35555713782_7b3494d001.jpg

Several Emu Bugger patterns are at the link below:

http://www.bobsflybox.com/Fly%20Pattersn/EmuBugger%20Family.pdf

 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I started another bugger swap if anyone cares to join, Silver creek I know you don't normally participate in swaps but I'd love to see those emu buggers in person if you feel like jumping in.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I use marabou most of the time. For small buggers I have used rabbit fur. Not on a strip but cut from the hide. I have used Arctic Fox, but to me, it's too expensive and there's too limited of a supply to use on buggers. Any soft fur with sufficient length will work.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Generally marabou, but finding good feathers locally is getting difficult due to lfs closing and big box stores carrying nothing but junk. I tried arctic fox on some and a few sw shrimp gurgler patterns i tied up for florida.

You don't like what the shop in Taunton has?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...