Wonder Bug

Another effective pattern from Fred Bridge

Peter's note: Fred has been a friend for years. He's a superb trout fisherman, so any fly he recommends is worth trying. You can check out other patterns he has submitted to fishingwithflies.com by going to the "Flies With a Story" index.

Fred wrote me that this is a very old fly pattern that was resurrected a couple years ago by a fishing friend. He finds it to be very effective on heavily fished clear or slightly off color waters.

Fred suggests fishing this nymph dead drift, ticking the bottom. He uses an indicator.

Wonder Bug

Tying sequence:

HOOK: #14, #16, #18 dry fly hook

THREAD: Black 8/0

WIRE: 6 to 8 wraps .015" lead

TAIL: 6 to 8 mallard flank fibers, tied in short, about 2/3 length of shank

BODY: Natural peacock herl rope; 2 or 3 strands depending on hook size.

BRISTLE: palmered grizzly hackle, trimmed close to the herl to give a spiky or bristly effect.

Note: The peacock herl rope (2 or 3 strands twisted together) and grizzly hackle are tied in at the back of the hook, as you would with a woolly worm or woolly bugger. Wrap the peacock herl rope to just behind the eye and tie off. Then wrap the grizzly hackle to the same point and tie off. Clip the hackle so it sticks out about 1/16th to 1/8th inch.

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