#1 Fly Tying 101 Tying The Wooly Bugger

The wooly bugger is a versatile fly that can be used in The wooly bugger is a suggestive pattern, rather than many different fishing situations. It is also a good fly for an imitative one. This means that it suggests or looks beginners to learn to tie. The skills that are required in like many food items but does not necessarily imitate order to tie the wooly bugger are fundamental for the anything specific. Therefore, material colors can vary. tying of many more difficult flies.

Tools Materials

Vise Hooks (Size #8 or #10 wet nymph hook)

Bobbin

Scissors Hackle Chenille

Marabou

MinnAqua is the statewide and aquatic Head cement or education program of the Minnesota DNR, clear nail polish Division of Fish and Wildlife. This is a step-by-step approach to tying the wooly bugger. Hook too high Hook too low The skills that will be focused on will be wrapping, tying in materials, and finishing the fly.

1. Securing the Hook into Vice

Inserting the hook into the vice is the first step in tying the wooly bugger. When inserting the hook, it is important to Hook too deep in vice Hook in correct placement keep these things in mind: • The shank of the hook is level • The hook is inserted the right depth into the vice • The vice is attached at the right location (lower bend) on the hook

2. Setting up the Bobbin and Thread

The bobbin is the funda- Peel off approximately 5 least 5 inches past the Insert the spool of thread mental wrapping tool in inches of thread from the end to ensure it doesn’t into the bobbin, making any fly tying. Before tying spool. Insert the end of the back out. Some people sure the open line does can begin, you must guide thread into the tube on the use an extra tool called a not fall back through the the thread from the spool bobbin. Push the thread threader to help guide the tube. Pull the thread tight. through the bobbin. through and pull out at line through the tube.

3. Starting the Thread onto the Hook

Next wrap the thread back toward the hook over the previous wraps. After the thread is secure, trim the free end of the thread Wrap the thread over near the hook. After the hook is secure in the hook and around the the vice and your thread shank toward the eye. Continue to wrap the bob- is on the bobbin, the next The correct technique is bin and thread toward the step is to start wrapping to wrap the thread away rear of the hook until the the thread onto the hook. from you going over the thread is slightly down the Hold the loose end of the hook and then toward you bend. If you let go of the thread against the hook coming underneath it. Do bobbin it will hang near shank with your left hand. this at least five times. the barb of the hook. 4. Tying in the Marabou

Pinch technique

the hook and inside of your thumb and forefinger. This Pinch the marabou near wrap should be loose when the eye of the hook. This going around the hook and is the amount of marabou then the thread should be that will make up the tail pulled tight. Repeat this at of the fly. Move your hand least three times. and the marabou to the both the thread and materi- back of the hook where Lift the stem end of the als a short distance from Choose a piece of mara- your bobbin is hanging. marabou up away from the eye to ensure they can bou. The color can vary. the hook. Wrap the thread be correctly secured when Wet your fingers and slick The next step is to tie in in wide loops toward the finishing the fly. down the piece of mara- the marabou using the eye of the hook. bou. Place the marabou pinch technique. With Wrap the thread back along the shank of the your thumb and forefinger Use the pinch technique to the bend of the hook, hook with the free ends at pinching the marabou again to secure the mara- securing the marabou in the bend of the hook. against the hook shank, bou to the hook near the place. Trim the marabou in wrap the thread around eye. Make sure to stop front of the eye of the hook.

5. Tying in the Hackle Hold the over the hook with the tip pointing of the feather that is clear to the eye of the hook. of fuzz, which may be found near the stem of Align the hackle so that the feather. the separation, where the fibers go in different Hold the hackle with your directions, is over the bend thumb and forefinger at of the hook. Use the pinch Select a piece of hackle the tip. Use your other method to tie the hackle feather that is approxi- hand to pull the fibers in place. mately 4 inches long. below your thumb against Make sure to use the part the grain. Do not wrap the hackle yet!

6. Tying in the Chenille

Pinch technique

Select a piece of chenille marabou and hackle. Make wraps along the both the hackle and the approximately four inches Secure the chenille at the length of the material chenille to the shank of long. Lay the chenille bend of the hook using toward the eye of the the hook. along the top of the hook the pinch technique. hook. This will secure in the same way as the 7. Wrapping the Materials Make a few extra wraps chenille. You should only with the thread to secure make six or seven wraps Materials should be a short distance from the the material to the hook before reaching the wrapped in the opposite eye where the thread and and cover the end of the bobbin and thread. order they were tied in. bobbin are located. chenille. This means you should wrap the chenille first, When the chenille is at and then the hackle. the same place as the thread, lift the excess material up away from the hook at an angle. Take the bobbin and make a few wraps directly behind the material on the vise With the bobbin and side. Do this at least three thread still hanging near times and then trim the the eye, take the hackle With the thread and excess chenille. Do not cut and begin wrapping bobbin at the eye of the the thread! toward the eye. As you hook, take the chenille do this, the fibers from and make tight wraps the hackle will protrude Tie off the hackle using the along the shank of the out from the hook. This same method used to tie hook toward the eye. technique is called off the chenille. Trim the These wraps should be “palmering.” Wrap the excess hackle and secure close together but not hackle in the grooves the material with a few overlap and should end between the wraps of more wraps.

8. Finishing the Fly

Take the fingernail polish into the materials and and put a small amount damage the fly. Let it sit in To finish your fly you will Carefully slide the loop near the head of the fly the vice for a few minutes to want to make several off of your finger and onto where you tied in the let the nail polish dry. half-hitch knots where the hook near the eye. materials and tied the half all the materials are tied Tighten the loop a short hitch knots. You can do You just tied your first fly! just behind the eye of the distance back from the this with the brush from The wooly bugger can be hook. You can use a tool eye of the hook. Repeat the nail polish or with a used to catch , , call a whip finisher to do this process at least three toothpick. Make sure to sunfish, and many other this, but you can also use times. Cut the thread as keep the nail polish right species of fish. Go wet your your fingers. close to the fly hook as near the head of the fly line and see what you catch! possible. otherwise it will seep back Take your left hand and Practice tying additional hold the bobbin. Wrap wooly buggers to improve the thread around your your skills. There are many right forefinger making a variations to this fly so loose loop. experiment with different colors to see what works best for you.

©2007, State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources. An equal opportunity employer. Available in alternative formats for people with disabilities. Written by Dan Ryan, MinnAqua, DNR. Photography by Deborah Rose, Creative Services, DNR. Layout by Amy Beyer, Creative Services, DNR.