How to Tie the Woolly Bugger

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The Woolly Bugger is a classic fly with endless possibilities. While there are countless ways to tie it, this version—with olive marabou and grizzly hackle—has proportions that just look right. It's also tied in my favorite color combo of olive and dyed grizzly, so it’s sure to catch both fish and compliments on the water. You can literally tie it any color you want and any size you want so have fun and get crazy,

Steps to Tie the Olive Woolly Bugger:

Remember you can use any color you want on this fly, but if you want to tie this example the steps and materials list is below

1. Prepare the Hook & Bead

   • Use a 3x long hook in size 8 with a 5/32-inch gold bead.

   • Slide the bead onto the hook by inserting the point through the small hole and moving it to the hook’s front.

2. Add Lead-Free Wire

   • Wrap 10 turns of lead-free wire (0.020") behind the bead for weight.

   • Push the wraps into the bead’s back, then stabilize them with a small drop of superglue.

3. Start Your Thread

   • Use UTC 140 denier thread in light olive. Begin your wraps behind the wire, securing it down to the hook bend with smooth wraps.

4. Create the Tail

   • Select a fluffy olive marabou feather. Measure the tail to match the hook shank length and tie it at the bend of the hook.

   • Secure the marabou by wrapping it down the shank, pulling it upwards to prevent twisting.

5. Add Flash to the Tail

   • Cut three strands of gold crystal flash. Secure the midpoint on top of the hook shank, and wrap them down to the base of the tail.

   • Pull the other ends back and secure them evenly on both sides of the tail.

6. Tie the Chenille Body

   • Cut a 2.5-inch piece of olive ultra chenille. Secure it at the tail base and wrap forward, leaving space behind the bead.

   • Anchor it with thread wraps and trim any excess.

7. Prepare and Tie the Hackle

   • Choose a grizzly-dyed olive hackle feather and check the barb length with a hackle gauge.

   • Strip the lower fibers and tie the feather in just behind the bead with the shiny side facing you.

8. Wrap the Hackle

   • Using hackle pliers, make two tight wraps behind the bead. Then, angle the wraps down the chenille in an open spiral to the tail base.

   • Secure the hackle tip with a few wraps and trim off the excess.

9. Secure Everything

   • Spiral the tying thread forward through the hackle to the bead, being careful not to trap fibers.

   • Pull the hackle back and make several securing wraps behind the bead. Finish with a 4-5 turn whip finish.

10. Apply Head Cement

    • Add a drop of head cement to the thread wraps behind the bead for extra durability.

Material List:

• Hook: Size 8, 3x long

• Bead: 5/32-inch gold bead

• Weight: 0.020" lead-free wire

• Thread: UTC 140 denier (light olive)

• Tail: Olive marabou

• Flash: Gold crystal flash

• Body: Olive ultra chenille (standard size)

• Hackle: Grizzly-dyed olive