GUACAMOLE STICK BUG
Every once in a while a good friend of mine will call me and want to go fishing on the Elk River which is the tail waters below Tim's Ford Dam here in Tennessee. The last time he called, we had a great time together and caught rainbows and browns plus a couple brookies. I noticed that he would get three strikes to my two strikes and I asked him what fly he was using and he told me it was a Guacamole Stick Bug. This is a fly pattern created by a gentleman who use to have a fly shop in Nashville and I believe his name was Chuck. I do not remember his last name but he created the Guacamole Stick Bug and another one call Eat at Chucks which was a soft hackle fly. Since the Stick Bug was working so well for my friend, I asked him if I could see the fly and he gave me one out of his fly box and told me to try it. I told him I would save it to take home to use as a pattern. He said he would send me a link to the tying instructions, so, I tied it on and the trout loved it. He kept his word and did send me a link with the list of material but no step-by-step tying instructions but a picture of the fly. Here is the list of material sent:
Materials:
- Hook – 3X or 4X streamer hook with a gold bead
- Body – Olive or green floss
- Dorsal Rib – Two peacock herls. Do not cut the ends off, these will form part of the tail
- Tail – Olive or green marabou
- Hackle – Brown, palmered across the body, like a wooly bugger
I used a Lightning Strike hook # NW3 in size 8 and a 7/64th size Tungsten bead. Instead of floss for the body, I used UTC Fl. Chart. 70 denier waxed tying thread because it was easier for me to work with.
This picture shows the hook, bead and hackle tied in
This picture shows the two peacock herls tied in plus the marabou tail.
The peacock is tied behind the bead only. Use the tying thread to build up a uniform body.
After building up a uniform body with the tying thread, raise the peacock herls up and run your thread to the rear at the tail tie in point and tie down the peacock again at this point. Trim the peacock off at the end of the marabou tail.
Now palmer the brown hackle back through the body, tie off at the tail tie in point, clip off the excess hackle and palmer your thread back through the hackled body to the bead which will reinforce the hackle. Whip finish behind the bead and coat with Sally Hanson.
I know the pictures are not great, but, hopefully, you will be able to tie up one of these from what I have given. If you have questions, please let me know.
This fly has produced very well for me on trout, bluegill, crappie and bass. Don't be afraid to tie up some and use different colors. I have tied up one with an orange body, brown tail and tan hackle, but, have not had a chance to try it yet due to the rivers here are blown out due to rain.
I hope some will tie this pattern and try it out and be sure to post how it worked for you.
Warren Patterson ("WarrenP" on FAOL)
Tullahoma, TN
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Beginning Fly Tying | Intermediate Fly Tying | Advanced Fly Tying.