So the weather is finally looking good for camping on Labor Day weekend (too hot, probably, high 80s, but we’ll take it). So I’m trying to replenish the fly box, and I’m going to try to give some things a really extended try. Top of the list is killer buggers. I tied some black ones, following exactly the TenkaraBum instructions. These are smallish, tied on a Daiichi 1560, so more Killer Bug than Woolly Bugger. Black Killer Bug with a marabou tail, basically, and with one or two layers of small Ultra wire for the only weight. I’ve caught fish with them, and have used them enough that the original four I tied have been whittled down to one survivor. I haven’t caught trout on them, but that’s mostly because I haven’t really tried, I think. Anyway, I’m going to make an effort. I wanted something a little closer in proportions to a Woolly Bugger, so I used a Daiichi 1720 size 12 (the same 3X long nymph hook I use for my regular Woolly Buggers). I wanted more weight, so I used an extended lead wire underbody. And I threw in a few strands of Krystal Flash. The body is Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift Bracken [edit: actually, it’s not – what TenkaraBum sells as olive killer bugger yarn is distinct from Bracken, and I don’t know what exactly it is], from one of the samples sent out with orders by TenkaraBum (so I only had enough right now for four, because I made them portly). Apart from an education in why it’s a good idea to superglue the wire to the shank (what the…the fly is spinning…THE FLY IS SPINNING!), they seem fishable. I thought about adding more bells and whistles, but the idea is to make a Killer Bugger, not a Woolly Bugger with yarn substituted for the chenille. However, I might try some with a hackle collar behind the eye. I’m going to tie up a bunch of black ones as well, and make a concerted effort to give them their due this weekend. It’d be great if they subbed directly for Woolly Buggers, as they’re far easier to make.
