Tying buggers

[kelso2340]

I know the bugger topic has been beat to death and there are tons of topics on the site regarding buggers but I think my question is a little different than what has been asked before. I am aware there are multiple ways to tie buggers and for the body the two most common ways seem to be regular chenille with hackle and Krystal chenille with no hackle because it's not needed. Just wondering for those of you who tie these and fish them, have you seen a difference in one being better than the other? Obviously it would be easier and cheaper to tie with Krystal chenille because it's one less material needed, but I am looking for more of a performance perspective. Thanks.

 

[just_jon]

I tie my crystal buggers with hackle. In fact, I have not seen a pattern anywhere that doesn't call for hackle.

 

[BrookieChaser]

I agree with just_jon. I tie all my buggers, krystal or not, with hackle.

 

[kelso2340]

Maybe I am mistaken for what Krystal chenille is. I was under the impression Krystal chenille was the more straggly buggy looking chenille.

 

[Brownie101]

http://www.orvis.com/news/fly-fishing/video-tying-a-woolly-bugger-with-josh-williams/

This was somewhere on the forum last year. He's an army veteran who lost one of his arms during his time in Iraq. Pretty inspiring video. He ties his woolly buggers with Krystal chenille with no hackle. Hope this helps.

 

[nfrechet]

tie them with and without hackle and see which one the fish respond to

to me, using only krystal chenille as the body material = a minnow pattern and not a wolly bugger

 

[tctrout]

Here's a bugger that I tie with more of a crystal / krystal chenille and no hackle. I tend to fish this in situations with a lot of water, but not necessarily off-color. The "straggly" shine is a great attractant, and definitely outperforms hackle for me in those conditions.

Related to hackle, I tend to tie most of my buggers with schlappen now, as I prefer the buggier look that it allows for.

Tim

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bCGlXYyijY[/youtube]

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Tctrout ... I'm new to tying and haven't tied a bugger yet. I would consider the bugger in that video a beginner fly cause it looks nice and basic and doesn't seem tough. I like the look of the fly compared to all the other buggers I have/purchased. Thanks for posting.

 

[Tiogadog]

Here is one tied without hackle that does fairly well.

http://www.mossycreekstore.com/Golden-Retriever-Fly-mossygr.htm

 

[dubthethorax]

no matter the bugger color, I almost always go for Grizzly hackle.

 

[Tiogadog]

If using hackle, do you go soft and webby or stiff? Also, do you hackle heavily or sparsely?

I tend to hackle my buggers sparsely with stiffer grade two saddles.

Color to match body or when in doubt grizzly.

 

[JeffK]

There are arguments for soft and stiff hackle. Soft because it has a lot of motion, especially when fished slower. Stiff hackle holds its shape better when stripped fast and some claim it makes sound that the fish can hone in on. Try both because there are days when different ones work. Same with flash. Generally I say go sparse with the flash. In some clear water conditions, especially in the cold, no flash works better. Sometimes when the trout are on the feed bag a real flashy one draws them in.

Grizzly or color to match is certainly an option. But some color combos seem to work as well. White hackle over yellow chenille is a good brown trout combo. Light blue over white or pearl chenille is a good baitfish combo. Black over yellow or chartreuse has a banded pattern that is hot some days. Let your imagination run free with buggers.

BTW, something that can work is to use the colors that are hot for the lure guys. If clown colored Rapalas are hot a white and yellow bugger with a red head might be an option.

 

[just_jon]

Dub is spot on re using grizzly hackle for buggers. I rarely use anything else. I have dyed grizzle olive and brown and the both work equally well.

 

[BelAirSteve]

I tie buggers with crystal chenille for warm water - sunfish and smallies - without hackle. I have taken trout on buggers tied with a base of regular chenille palmered with the crystal chenille instead of a hackle...works fine. When I do that, I usually put a soft hackle collar on it. All of them catch fish, both trout and warm water.

As others have said, tie them different ways and see what works - that's the fun of tying your own flies. I don't think I ever tie two woolly buggers the same way.