Steelhead Bugger

Materials

Hook

TMC 3761 #6 (2X-long, 2X-heavy nymph hook) as Current Works ties it; a loop-eye salmon hook such as Dai-Riki 899 #6 for a fly you mean to swing; sizes 4-8

Thread

Uni 6/0 black (or 140 denier UTC)

Weightoptional

8-12 wraps of .020 lead-free wire over the front two-thirds of the shankLeave it off if you fish it under a float with shot; the heavy hook and bulky body sink it well enough.

Tail

Black marabou blood quill, one shank length, with the rest of the plume bound along the shank as underbodyOlive or brown marabou on those variants.

Flash

Black/pearl Flashabou, one or two strands each side of the tailGreen or chartreuse Flashabou on the black/green variant.

Riboptional

Fine copper wire, counter-wrapped

Body

4-6 strands of peacock herl, twisted into a rope and wound fatOlive or brown chenille on those variants; peacock Ice Dub for a quicker tie (the Current Works Ice Bugger).

Hackle

Black hen saddle or a webby black saddle hackle, palmered, with two extra turns at the front as a collarSculpin olive saddle on the Orvis tie; olive or brown hen on those variants.

Head

Small thread head finished with UV resin or head cement

Steps

1. 1.Flatten the barb, clamp the hook, and start the thread behind the eye. If you want weight, wrap the lead-free wire over the front two-thirds of the shank and lock it down; then run a thread base back to a point above the barb.
2. 2.Take one black marabou blood quill, pinch off the wispy tips, and tie it in at the bend for a tail one shank length long. Do not trim the rest of the plume: bind it down along the whole shank to build the fat underbody that gives this fly its bulk.
3. 3.Tie in one or two strands of Flashabou down each side of the tail, trimmed to the tail tip.
4. 4.Tie in the copper wire rib at the tail base if you use one.
5. 5.Prepare a webby hen saddle feather and tie it in by the tip at the tail base, shiny side toward you.
6. 6.Tie in four to six peacock herls by their tips, twist them around the thread into a rope, and wind the rope forward in close turns to about two eye-widths behind the eye. Tie off and trim.
7. 7.Palmer the hackle forward in four or five open turns, then take two more turns close together at the front as a fuller collar. Tie off and trim the stem.
8. 8.Counter-wrap the copper wire through the hackle, tie it off and break it away.
9. 9.Form a small neat head, whip finish, and coat the head with a drop of UV resin or head cement.

From the tier

• This is a representative Michigan tie, built from Ted Kraimer's Current Works description (peacock body, a touch of flash, size 6) and his Ice Bugger sheet, not a single named originator's recipe. Kraimer calls the bugger the crescent wrench of the fly box: it passes for a leech, a stonefly and who knows what else.
• Fish it as you would a nymph: dead-drifted or bottom-bounced under a float or indicator through Great Lakes tributary runs, or let it swing at the end of the drift; Tim Flagler ties his on a loop-eye salmon hook specifically to swing it.
• Do not skip the simple flies: Flagler and Kraimer both note that anglers chase fancier steelhead patterns and forget how many fish a plain bugger takes.

Hook and hardware

• 2X-long 2X-heavy nymph hook1

  size 4-8 · TMC 3761 (or Dai-Riki 899 salmon hook)

  Hook

  1

Feathers and fur

• Marabou blood quill1 plume

  black (olive or brown for variants)

  Tail

  1 plume

• Peacock herl4-6 strands

  Body

  4-6 strands

• Hen saddle or webby saddle hackle1 feather

  black (olive or brown for variants)

  Hackle

  1 feather

Synthetics, flash and legs

• Flashabou2-4 strands

  black/pearl (green for black/green)

  Flash

  2-4 strands

Thread and finish

• Tying thread1 spool

  6/0 black · Uni

  ThreadHead

  1 spool

• UV resin or head cement1 drop

  Head

  1 drop

Other

• Lead-free wireoptional8-12 wraps

  .020

  Weight

  8-12 wraps

• Copper wireoptionalabout 6 in

  fine

  Rib

  about 6 in