Bugger Tails

[tidewaterfly 0]

Buggers are one of those styles that no matter how long or heavy you make the tails, they'll still catch fish. I don't have a specific way I tie mine. I agree that it's primarily personal preference & I vary them, but sometimes will tie them for specific purposes. For example, as a leech pattern I like the tails a little longer & with more "junk in the trunk" as flytire noted. If I know I'll be using them some place with a lot of Hellgrammites present, I'll tie the tails more like flytire has shown (like the one Hans tied). Same can be said for the hooks used, as I'll tie them on hooks of various shank lengths.

 

I've tied them quite large too, sometimes on size 2/0 worm hooks for bass, and will make the tails longer than the body & full. However, on such large sizes I may substitute ostrich herl fibers for the marabou, as I feel it doesn't foul as easily & has as much motion to it. For such a purpose I want them full & long to get a big, meaty profile and bass don't often strike them short. I've caught Striped Bass on them too a few times & they don't strike short either.

 

If you're tying them to target specific fish species, that could be a reason to tie the tails a specific length & fullness.

 

Generally I would say about the shank length is how long I'll often make the tails and with about the same amount of materials as Scott has shown in his Sparrow/Bugger variation.

[flytire 0]

when all is said and done its basically the tyers preference

 

put 10 tyers in a room and youll get 10 different flies

[mikechell 0]

when all is said and done its basically the tyers preference

 

put 10 tyers in a room and youll get 10 different flies

And either one very good discussion ... or one hell of a brawl and police intervention and maybe a S.W.A.T. team or two.

[Dave G. 0]

 

 

I usually do a hook shank length for the tail, just one marabou feather. I agree that more than one is too much for my tastes. The fish here seem to like a hook shank length better than the shorter lengths.

Nice one, looks a lot like some of mine that I use as searching buggers !!

Thank you Dave. They definitely don't ever fail, something magical about them I guess haha. This one I used a method off of flyfish foods "tie a better wooly bugger" by starting the hackle at the eye and working back securing it with wire. I'm not sure on durability yet, but it definitely made tying them a lot easier.

 

I have yet to tie one that way ( securing with wire) but it makes much sense. I have had the hackle cut by sharp teeth in the past which renders the fly unusable. I saw a video on what you describe just recenly in fact.

[RogueFlies 0]

 

 

 

 

I usually do a hook shank length for the tail, just one marabou feather. I agree that more than one is too much for my tastes. The fish here seem to like a hook shank length better than the shorter lengths.

Nice one, looks a lot like some of mine that I use as searching buggers !!

Thank you Dave. They definitely don't ever fail, something magical about them I guess haha. This one I used a method off of flyfish foods "tie a better wooly bugger" by starting the hackle at the eye and working back securing it with wire. I'm not sure on durability yet, but it definitely made tying them a lot easier.

I have yet to tie one that way ( securing with wire) but it makes much sense. I have had the hackle cut by sharp teeth in the past which renders the fly unusable. I saw a video on what you describe just recenly in fact.

I saw another video from tight lines on youtube that also used the wire technique, it's starting to assure me of its durability now that I've Seen that technique used