How To Fish A Wooly Bugger? Catch More Fish

ByShirley Carrillo

Hello, new fishers! This is Shirley Carrillo and today’s topic is – “How to Fish a Wooly Bugger?” If you are a beginner or intermediate I bet I know at least a line more than you. This is because I have been standing in this field for long 9 years and I try my utmost to help you. 

So, today’s topic is to show you the beautiful methods of fishing the Wooly Bugger on the top list of your fly box.

How to Fish a Wooly Bugger? Well, a Wooly Bugger is not a true fly, it is usually called a wet fly, and used for underwater fishing surface. You may use it for both fresh and saltwater. There are lots of styles to tie a Wooly Bugger and lots of colors to emulate a variety of games for fish prey. All you need is your creativity to be used wisely, revolutionizing your armaments.

So, let us get deep into it.

Fishing a Wooly Bugger

After I have told you so much already, you must be thinking of how to fish a Wooly Bugger fly. It is just time to enlighten you up in this sector.

I have been using the Wooly Bugger for a long time. I have resembled large nymphs, bait fishes, leeches, ground insects, and also shrimps.

Looking Closer to a Wooly Bugger

If you look close, you will see it is made up of a tail of marabou, chenille, fur body, and also a feather from the rear straight to the fly head.

As you go down, you see a pattern on the fine copper wire rib and protect the feather. It gets even better as the underbody had tungsten or lead wire.

They are mainly available in different colors like black, brown or olive, which I have used a lot in freshwater.

For salmon steelhead and saltwater usage, I recommend you to use the brightest color and combinations.

Wooly Bugger Working Magically!

The Bugger attracts an extensive range of bugs. There are all types of surface bugs on which larger fishes feed all the time. Therefore, the Bugger will draw you a lot more variety of fishes and bigger sizes.

I have used the Fly Fishing Wooly Bugger in different water surfaces like rivers, streams, and ponds, but you can also use it on lakes and tidal flats.

Did you know you can tie it in a lot of styles and colors to attract more fishes and other prey?

Wooly buggers for trout and bass eat up big prey and also initiate calorie-laden victim like the leeches, crayfish, and bait fishes. The explosion on a Wooly bugger is the most exciting part you will experience while fishing. It gets incredible, and you start having butterflies inside your stomach.

Let me tell you a trick, something that makes fishing even easier with Wooly Bugger flies. I have never had to consider the drag or also to get a natural drift or even reading the water you are about to fish in.

All you have to do is to place your Fly Fishing Wooly Bugger in every place you think you can get a shot. It is just that easy.

Wooly Bugger mainly used for imitating bait fishes, but there are other Wooly buggers for trout.

The Wooly Buggers for trout may mistakenly have the Wooly Buggers thinking of some prey or have them as a reflex. According to me, they look like juicy prey in their way.

Hence Woolly Buggers flies attract more bait fishes.

With hundreds of variations, the fly fishing Wooly Bugger becomes a simple and effective fly.

Choosing the Perfect Bugger for You

Just like you, in the beginning, I was confused about what size should I take or which color and had to go through lots of trials and errors. After I finally got the perfect choice for me, I was amazed by the results.

Then I understood, there is nothing as good as stripping a Wooly Bugger. Once you finally get the taste that I got, you can never get over the Wooly Bugger variations.

The perfect time for different Wooly bugger variations

Did you know that different weather and climate conditions prefer different types, sizes, and colors of Wooly Bugger flies?

That’s a little tiring, but yeah, that’s true. You need to do a lot of experiences yourself. You have to work a lot of these. You got to do some homework.

I often try talking to local fly shops or other guides in the area I am fishing. Thus you get a more vivid idea about the place and the types of Wooly buggers for trout. You see, a bright day, bright fly, dark day, dark fly works excellent.

Thus try different flies on different days, and once you hit the right one, voila! It’s just Bingo for you!

The best time for Fly fishing wooly bugger is right when the water level rises, maybe during a rainstorm or something like that. Higher turbidity of water influences predator fishes over bait fishes. They work great in shallows.

Also, look for disturbances around the water surfaces due to bait fishes or other small creatures. Thus you might even hit the jackpot. On sunny days you need to be slow and careful. The reason of describing so much is we often get asked how to fish a wooly bugger!

So, am trying my best so, that no confusion remains.

Here is something that should help you dramatically: (Particularly the common FAQ’S)

What is a wooly bugger supposed to be?

Wooly Bugger is a kind of an artificial fly, a wet fly, and used for the underwater fishing surface that can be taken for both fresh and saltwater.

Do Wooly Buggers sink or float?

It does not even matter where you choose to fish. The location, the type of water, or anything else does not count while using a Wooly Bugger. I request you to not hurry for a catch. Stay calm and let the tail do its job. The floating line works fine. A sinking range, however, works better for big fishes, where they tend to hide.

How do you tie a Wooly Bugger?

There are actually five different patterns of tying a Wooly Bugger.

  • To tie an Olive Woolly Bugger Fly
  • To tie a Better Woolly Bugger
  • A Woolly Bugger tied by one and only Hans Weilenmann
  • Instructions tied by Krystal Woolly Bugger Fly
  • You can also try fly tying a Black Wooly Bugger by Jim Misiura

What size is a Woolly Bugger?

There are lots of Wooly bugger variations in sizes and colors. You need to do your research and go through some trials and errors to find the perfect one to make your day.

Concluding my final thought:

Finally, Fly fishing wooly buggers often thought of as the best flies among all. Even when there are no hatching insects, Woolly Buggers flies work way better than others. You will usually get the bigger fish, and if you like a more active style of fishing, for catching big fishes. So, this was how to fish a wooly bugger and I bet you will fall in love immediately with using the fly rod methods.

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Catch your first fish easily and early! Hey Everyone, How are you? Want to know about me? My Name is Shirley Carrillo CEO & main author of Honest Fishers. You can read my all blogs and reviews. Thank You All!