wooley buggers

[troutmagnet]

i tie size 10 buggers for trout and i need advice for hackle. Whats a good quallity hackle for smaller buggers like 10s? I have cabelas saddle hackle i believe and its way to big for a siz 10 bugger and way to stiff. It has no movement in the watrer, when i have bought buggers they have a smaller softer hackle? so could you help me with what i want?

 

[FishingCreekEmerger]

I make mine with hackle sized to the hook or up to 2 sizes bigger. I use regular neck hackle or whiting bugger packs.

 

[troutmagnet]

ok, i hate the hackle i have, so stiff and dosnt pullsate like it should in the water.

 

[SBecker]

Sure it is saddle and not a neck?

 

[ryguyfi]

I don't like most commercially tied buggers. The hackle isn't long enough IMO. It's supposed to represent movement, and be larger towards the head, and smaller towards the tail to represent a sculpin's body shape. Go to a shop and check out their materials. Open some packages and find what you're looking for. Not all hackle is created equal.

 

[MKern]

They do have something that would work for you. It looks like mini dry fly hackle but is flexible like soft hackle. I don't remember what it is called, but I got it in a bargin bin a long time ago.

 

[troutmagnet]

i will check with wat i have.......but could it be like that because it is a cheaper quality?

 

[hammertime]

I'm thinking your using rooster or dry hackle, as opposed to a webby hen hackle.

Hen hackle is what you want.

 

[FrequentTyer]

Check out the Whiting bugger packs. Choosing hackle for buggers is not simple. As pointed out, saddle hackle will be easier to work with and give you a better shape, but saddles tend to have stiffer barbs and less webbing. Some strung saddle hackle are perfect, and others not so great. You really have to examine them before buying. The Whiting packs are not too expensive and are typically good quality.

 

[Fredrick]

On a size ten bugger i usually pull hair off a rabbit strip for the tail and wrap the body with ostrich herl .

 

[sandfly]

you want very webby saddle hackle off of domestic or chinese neck or saddle..dry fly is not want you want...any barnyard rooster will have webby hackle..

 

[brookiesofpa]

sandfly wrote:
you want very webby saddle hackle off of domestic or chinese neck or saddle..dry fly is not want you want...any barnyard rooster will have webby hackle..

The pict looks very similar to a rooster I had that attacked my wife....I ate him and kept the cape...Works great for hackles I want that are not too stiff. There are some stiff ones on the cape but not as many as the softer ones. Just go to your local sale barn buy a couple of roosters and ya got dinner and enough feathers for a life time.

 

[troutmagnet]

i have a few pet chickens lol i could get a few frm him haha

 

[brookiesofpa]

No kidding. I had a couple of hens and when I needed a few hen hackles to tie flies I went out to the hens and plucked a few.

 

[sandfly]

I have 3 roosters and 23 hens right now, waiting on new ducklings to raise..I do sell loose hackle from them..

 

[mike_richardson]

I use my grizzly hackle. I am a fan of having a tapered shap as well. I think its because i am too cheap to buy better stuff and want to get the most bang for my buck though.

My buggers are a lot bigger than 10 though i normally toss a size 6 or 4

I normally only fish buggers if my nymphs aren't working or if the stream is up.

 

[bam]

Get a hen neck for about $5 in a variety of colors, but grizzley is the most useful. Use the larger feathers for smaller buggers and smaller feathers for wet flies and nymphs. The larger feathers are webby and add a lot of movement to your bugger

 

[Coughlin]

Lacking hens at home, Whiting bugger packs are the best bet!
Coughlin