Chuck Bug

[ScottP]

Minor variation on the Gartside Sparrow; use the butt ends (wrapped) of the marabou for the body, palmered with grizzly dyed olive hackle. Don't fish streamers that much any more, but last time I checked, it still got the fishes interest. Have had real good luck with this for trout in the east and west; smallies like it, too. Named after my neighbor, who first showed it to me after (not before, mind you - lol ) he absolutely schooled a number of supposedly wary trout on a well-known PA spring creek with this fly.

hook - Mustad 36890 (salmon hook not required but makes it look a bit classier)
thread - UTC 160 olive-brown
tail - marabou blood olive
body - butt ends of marabou, wrapped
rib - copper wire small
body hackle - saddle olive/grizzly
collar hackle - pheasant rump
head - pheasant aftershaft feather


Part 1


attach thread to hook, wrap back to the bend, tying wire rib in




tie in marabou feather, let the tail extend about 1 shank length




grab butt ends (the feather's, not yours) & twist into a rope/chenille




wrap forward and tie off at head. Chuck's original was tied with a floss body, which made for a skinny fly. I like it a bit meatier so go with the marabou, the same way I tie most of my Buggers (actually the fly up to the pheasant rump collar is pretty much a Bugger); also makes for a faster tie.




tie in saddle hackle (webbier the better) at head




wrap back to the tail




then wrap wire rib forward through hackle (trim hackle at tail and wire at front)




prep a pheasant rump feather, stripping away excess fuzz




then pull back feather barbules leaving a few at the tip for tie-in



tie in rump feather at tip with dull side up (don't trim it until the feather's been wrapped; otherwise it may pull out)