Keith Finlayson's "Bi-Bugger"

Hook streamer hook
Weight several wraps of lead wire (I use different amounts to have a variety of sink rates.)
Underbody Punch Yarn (this is used to make the body fuller and can be omitted)
Tail Black and Olive Marabou with Gold Flashabou mixed in
Body Olive rabbit dubbing
Thorax Black rabbit dubbing
Hackle Grizzly hen for the body and Black hen for the thorax

Tying Instructions

  1. After thread has been started, wrap lead around  hook several times, cover it with thread to hold it in place. I like to add a drop of Zap-A-Gap here to make sure that the lead doesn't spin. (Optional part next. Wrap Punch Yarn around the lead to fatten it up a bit and begin a tapered look for the body.)
  2. Add the marabou for the tail, about half black and half olive. Also put in 5 - 10 strands of gold flashabou.
  3. Tie in the grizzly hen hackle by the tip.
  4. Begin dubbing the body with the olive rabbit. Go about 2/3 of the way to the hook eye.
  5. Wrap the grizzly hackle forward to the point that you stopped dubbing. Fold the hen hackle back as you wrap. Tie off hackle and trim.
  6. Tie in the black hen hackle by the tip.
  7. Begin dubbing the thorax with the black rabbit. Leave enough room to finish the head as well as tie off the hackle.
  8. Wrap the black hackle forward, tie off, and finish the head.

Credit

This fly was shown to me by Rich Osthoff a few years ago at a show in Chicago. I have fished it a lot since and find that it a rather productive fly. The soft hackle seems to give it better movement in the water. The rabbit adds another twist instead of using chenille.

Tying Tips

This is not a difficult fly to tie. It is just a new twist to an old standby. One thing that makes the fly look better to me, and it also seems to make it more productive, is to make sure that the black hackle is a few sizes larger than the grizzly. That way it will move back over most of the body.

Have fun fishing it.

BACK TO SMALLMOUTH V

 

 1