Tiny buggers. ARGH!

[mike_richardson]

Tied up a dozen size 10 black nose dace buggers last night. This is one of my own creations and I typically tie them in a size 8-6. These ones were 10. My fat fingers, and the tiny hackle needed to make them is a bugger, NO PUN INTENDED.

THe smallest buggers I have done are size 12's but hate every minute of it, but I think these guys will be deadly!!

 

[nomad_archer]

Those look great. Seems like it would be really easy to add to much material or thread to them when they are that small.

 

[mike_richardson]

It is. only issue was that was the only chenille I had like that. THeir bodies look a tad fat for a size 10 but the look pretty decent.

You just have to adust. Toughest part is getting the hackle in small enough size to get it to work. I lucked out and saw an add for a black saddle with like 2 feathers out of it on facebook that will work perfect for the dozen olive size 10 I still have to do yet.

 

[McSneek]

Size 10 buggers are hardly tiny. I fish that size all the time. The eyes you're using may be a little oversized or just try to tie a little sparser fly to begin with. Smaller diameter chenille. May have to buy a better quality hackle like Whiting bugger hackle to get the smaller sizes although I've found those tend to be a little stiffer than the cheap but larger chinese hackle.

Never tried a dace pattern. Don't recall a lot of luck with those types of "minnies" back in the bait fishing days of my youth. We did better with a standard shiner type minnie.

 

[JackM]

Tiny buggers,
on my line.
Tiny buggers,
make me feel fine.

 

[jeremymcon]

I like that color combination. I've been stuck on olive buggers for a while now... They just work for me! Might have to give this iteration a try though.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

I think with the big dumbbell eyes and colors the fish may take them as crayfish, especially if you fish them just off the bottom....Not that is matters as long as the fish like them.

JackM: The Weird Al of PaFlyfish.com! Where's my uke?

 

[JerryC]

They're a bit "chubby" but the color combination would make a great crayfish pattern. Most of the buggers I tie are size 14 to 18 on a 2XL to 4XL hook. Small chenille would be a better fit for a size 10. If you don't have the color you need pick up some white chenille and a couple of permanent marker to create the color you need. With the black nose dace you have the contrast between the white belly and the darker back. If you used a white chenille, after you've wrapped the chenille and before you wrap the hackle use a permanent marker to match the back with the top color of your marabou.

 

[tztrout]

Gemmie killers!

 

[mike_richardson]

See I cant find that chenille color anymore. I can find it in just a darker brown and balck barred, but not with the sparkles. In it.

I agree they are a bit chubby, but its all I could do to keep that exact color.

Having fat fingers doesn't help either. LOL

 

[PAgeologist]

You could always make a dubbing or yarn body for those small ones. That would thin out the body.

 

[mike_richardson]

I have smaller chenille and have done dubbed bodies before but this particular streamer needed to be that exact chemistry.

 

[Prospector]

When you use the eyes on the buggers, do they naturally ride hook up like a jig?

 

[mike_richardson]

You can tie them either way you want. I like mine to ride hook point down. Seems like a lot of times they come up from under it. I dunno its really just your preference. You can lose more this way with snags, if you dead drift them and don't pay attention.

I like to tie mine this way, but I tie my own so I don't care if I lose a few.

 

[REDNECK_FLYFISHER]

Look great, I also am not A big fan of tying small buggers but with all the fishing I do on small streams they are definitely deadly. And seeing this it reminds me I need to get in gear and tie my own small buggers for the upcoming season.