Woolly Bugger, Bead Head
A variation of the woolly bugger, a bead head adds weight in addition to the lead wire. The fly is constructed with a marabou tail, a chenille body, and a hackle palmered from the tail to the head of the fly. Tying the pattern with a rib of fine copper wire helps protect the palmer hackle. The woolly bugger can be tied in a variety of sizes and colors.
- Submitted By: Fly Tying Guide
Materials
1
Slide a bead on the hook and then place it in the vise.
2
Starting at the bend in the hook, wrap the lead wire along the shank to form the weighted under body. Push the lead wire wrap into the bead cavity to help secure it and create room to tie in the tail.
3
Secure the thread behind the bead and wrap it to the bend of the hook, past the lead wire. Tie in the marabou feathers so that they extend the length of the hook shank past the bend. Snip off the tag ends of the marabou and form a smooth under body.
4
At the base of the tail, tie in the saddle hackle, chenille, and copper wire. Return the thread to behind the bead.
5
Wrap the chenille along the body leaving enough room to form the hackle collar. Secure the chenille with thread.
6
Wrap the hackle along the body in even spaced turns until you reach the bead, form a collar by taking three close turns directly behind the bead. Securing the hackle with thread.
7
Wrap the copper wire in the opposite direction of the hackle being careful not to fold over the feather fibers. Secure the wire with thread.
8
Remove the excess materials and whip finish directly behind the bead.