Wooly Bugger Variations: Fly Patterns For Fly Fishing

All fly fishermen would agree that the Wooly Bugger is one of the most effective fly patterns ever. For fly tiers it is usually the first pattern that you learned to tie and most likely it is the fly that is tied most often. Wooly Buggers come in all different sizes and colors and are still very effective. Besides changing the color and hook size here are some other variations to try.

The main body of a Wooly Bugger is normally chenille. The body is the easiest thing to change for fly tiers. My personal favorite change to the body is to substitute peacock hearl instead of chenille. Take 5 to 6 long pieces of peacock and wrap them around the body just like you would with the chenille. If the pieces aren't long enough tie them off half way up the body and start again with more peacock from the middle. Another variation that is a little bit different it to use Larva Lace or Krystal Flash. Both of these will add flash or sheen to your fly. Larva Lace is easier to use and keeps the body symmetrical, the Krystal Flash is great for lighter colored Buggers and is a great fish attractant, but I find it slightly harder to use.

The tail of a Wooly Bugger is almost always marabou. I personally don't suggest substituting something for marabou, but I do like to add to it. I think the marabou is the meat of a Bugger; the way it moves under water is amazing. So when you add to the tail make sure not to overwhelm the marabou. As always you can change the colors of the marabou you use or make the tail multi-colored. Making it multi-colored is exactly what I like to do. It is very common to use flashabou or Krystal Flash in the tail and I do this often. My suggestion is to try buck tail. Buck tails are commonly used in streamers and make an excellent tail material. Since they come in multiple colors it's easy to match the color of the buck tail with the marabou or to make the tail multi-colored by changing the color of the buck tail. This is the way I normally go, either with white or red buck tail. This gives the tail a great contrasting look and has proven to be very effective.

Finally there is the hackle of the Wooly Bugger. I normally don't eliminate the hackle, but again add to it. Rubber legs tied in at the base by the tail and again at the head give the fly more movement and a walking appearance under water. Another variation is to add some marabou to the head of the fly. When I tie black Wooly Buggers I often add a small piece of red marabou on the bottom of the fly at the head. No matter what color you choose to add a small piece of marabou near the head gives the fly more movement.

The Wooly Bugger is a staple in everyone's fly box. Fly Tiers normally have an abundance of materials that can be substituted to add a variation on this classic pattern. I have offered some of my personal favorites, but feel free to try your own variations. Half the fun of tying flies is adding your own personal twist to a classic pattern and that's what I've shared. I always tell beginners, "there's no wrong way to fish a Wooly Bugger," and personally I don't believe there is a wrong way to tie them either.