Re: Wooly bugger presentation
I like to fish them in moving water, slightly weighted and with only imparting a bit of action by twitching and adding just a few strips. The rest of the action come from the fly itself.
I typically cast "quartering" upstream (i.e. up and angled across). I immediately throw in an upstream mend which help the bugger sink faster and keeps the fly line from developing a belly.
When it gets across from me I throw in another mend, but not too much.
I then let it swing across the current and downstream.
I jiggle the rod tip left and right to get more movement as I trip and jerk upstream a bit, before picking up the line and casting, usually with just one false cast.
This allows you to fish the bugger like a nymph, wet fly, and streamer, all during one retrieve.
Re: Wooly bugger presentation
For unweighted buggers & woolly worms, I fish them in still water with a slow drop, then a slight strip & drop again.
In streams, I also have great success as BBW said in his #1. I will add that I prefer internally weighted and unweighted buggers over bead heads, but that's just my personal preference.
Lastly....is there a WRONG way to fish 'em? :)
Mike
Re: Wooly bugger presentation
I've been nailing pond bass with dumbell-eyed buggers lately. Darned things will hit them 'on the drop'. That is just too cool.
Re: Wooly bugger presentation
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Bad Wulff
1) I get kidded for doing this but it works. I let a wolley bugger sit down stream from me and 'not moving'. Actually to a fish it looks like something actually swimming in the stream and 'holding it's own' against the stream.
Ocassionally I will strip it up stream a little.
It seems the longer fish see it 'swimming' the more they think it's alive.
2) I will throw it in the main stream body and just when it is about to make it out of the fast-moving water to calmer water I will strip it into the calmer water and it will get a hit near the junction of the waters.
I have not had much luck with stripping wolley buggers in lakes and ponds but that is just me..........I take it back! I caught two 2.5-3 lb bass on an olive wolley bugger with dumbell eyes just today. I made it a few weeks ago just for fun and low and behold it works!
BBW, do you usually use heavily weighted flies to keep them down a little deeper with this (#1) technique? Also, congrats on the pond bass. Sounds like a great time!
Re: Wooly bugger presentation
Quote:
Originally Posted by bowfin47
Saturday a week ago - 20+ crappie all near the surface with 1-2" strips on #10 peacock and grizzly woolly bugger with various tails
Hey Bowfin, did you tie those weighted, or unweighted? I think I wanna tie some up myself.
Thanks
Re: Wooly bugger presentation
Gigmaster,
#10 - 9672 , Tails were olive or black, copper or brass beadhead, 4-5 strands of peacock hurl - twisted, grizzely hackle, with one side stripped off, and counterwrapped with fine copper wire.
Tightlines,
Kyle