Buggers

[frogge]

Hey,
I started fly tieing and then fly fishing last winter. I got a "Wooley Wisdom" and tied all manner of wooley worms and buggers. I even gave some relatives flies for Xmass. Problem is, I've never caught a trout on any of these. I've had great success with nymphs, drys, and Zonker type streamers, but not with the buggers. Am I alone? I guess it is possible that I've lost all confidence in these flys and seldom fish them, thus a self fullfilling situation. Anyone have a similar experience? Thanks,Frogge.

 

[BIGBOW]

My biggest trout was actually caught on a black bugger last year, but it was one of the rainbow stockies from the Pequest. For that reason I have faith in them, but quite often fish will refuse them. Not sure if it's traditional, but I like to swing them like a wet and sometimes weight them. I know they're used a lot in still water, but I really haven't had that much luck that way. Interested in how you guys fish them.

 

[Corndog]

I only use cone or bead head woolies. My favorite colors are black and olive.

My best luck has come by swinging them. Cast across then swing them down and back to my side of the river. Then strip them back in using 4-12" strips, hesitating between each strip. If I know there are fish in front of me and this method isn't working, then as it's swinging I will hold my fly line in my hand and twitch it to give the woolie a little more action.

Cdog

 

[leadhead]

I've had some success w/ buggers. Mostly stocked fish. I hear they are also good for smallmouth.

leadhead

 

[eddavidson9]

had some pretty good success in stillwaters for LM, SM, panfish and the occasional rainbow. no luck in the streams yet though.

 

[Pete]

Small wooly buggers are one of my top producers.

Try this:
Tie some small, on a standard wet fly hook (weighted), overall length about an inch.
http://www.njflyfishing.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php?product=12&sort=2&cat=8&page=1

Cast quartering upstream, allow to sink during a "dead drift", after the "swing", retrieve with short "strips". I get most hits as the "swing" ends or shortly after I start the retrieve.

 

[Green Highlander]

Although I prefer to fish for trout with dry flies, wooly buggers are absolute fish catching machines. The only thing that works better is live bait (and that is no exaggeration), and I'm absolutely floored that you have never caught anything on them. Maybe you're not fishing them properly.

Green Highlander

 

[frogge]

Hey,
I never claimed competence in anything. Paradoxically, I've caught many more trout on dry flies than anything except nymphs. I'm going to try some of the techniques mentioned, since I have a ton of these things just sitting around. Toodles,Frogge.

 

[sstasiak]

The more you use them, the more confident you'll get. Try fishing them dead drifted like an nymph. You'll be surprised how many fish will readily take a hearty looking meal like a woolly bugger. Swinging and stripping also produces...especially big aggressive fish.

 

[mang]

put a bead or cone head bugger in almost any water any time of the year (other than when it's frozen solid) and you'll see fair to excellent results. For a bit more confidence, I tie in a few whisps of krystal flash. Sometimes it's the shimmer that catches their eye. good luck:thumb:

 

[Fishin Technician]

Wooley Buggers, are great for smallmouth, I tie one up all white with pearl crystal hair over the marabou tail and also put a large wet fly collar pulled back over the palmered body hackle.........great fly for imitating herring fry in the Hudson, smallies and stripers hammer it, use a SS long shank for stripers or a #79580 for bass
F/T

 

[ahlandco]

It's funny, sometimes I feel guilty for using buggers. They work with such consistency I feel like I'm not giving the fish a fighting chance.

 

[Corndog]

It's funny, sometimes I feel guilty for using buggers. They work with such consistency I feel like I'm not giving the fish a fighting chance.

Well...you won't use them in a tournament out west. They've been banned.

I know how you feel. I feel the same way about glowbugs (Oregon Cheese Eggs and the like) as well.

But they do work well in high water.

Cdog

 

[frogge]

Hey,
OK, I'm now a believer. In Utah I used a black bugger in a stocked pond and caught the largest Rainbow I've ever landed. Lost two buggers in the same pond to obviously monstous fish. Back home have lost a couple of buggers to fish and caught a decent brown in the Ausable on a brown bugger. I guess it was a question of confidence. I still can't bring myself to tie the simple version and have been experimenting with dumbell eyes, added rubber legs, ice dubbed bodies and fine rubber leg tails. I'll let you know how the frankenbugger works. Thanks again, Frogge.

 

[Corndog]

Hey,
OK, I'm now a believer. In Utah I used a black bugger in a stocked pond and caught the largest Rainbow I've ever landed. Lost two buggers in the same pond to obviously monstous fish. Back home have lost a couple of buggers to fish and caught a decent brown in the Ausable on a brown bugger. I guess it was a question of confidence. I still can't bring myself to tie the simple version and have been experimenting with dumbell eyes, added rubber legs, ice dubbed bodies and fine rubber leg tails. I'll let you know how the frankenbugger works. Thanks again, Frogge.

Call it the Frankenfroggebugger.

But, the simple version will probably work just as well.

Cdog

 

[BIGBOW]

You guys should try Kleenex for all your bugger problems. They work out West and here in the East, but they're extra deadly up North in the cold!

 

[Corndog]

You guys should try Kleenex for all your bugger problems. They work out West and here in the East, but they're extra deadly up North in the cold!

Yea but.... wouldn't that be considered bait fishin'.

Cdog

 

[BIGBOW]

Yea but.... wouldn't that be considered bait fishin'.

Cdog

Not until you put your nose meat in it.

 

[Corndog]

Not until you put your nose meat in it.

Slug fishin'.

Cdog