The Bully Bluegill Spider is the creation of fly tier Terry Wilson. It was first introduced to the wider community in the 1999 book that Terry wrote with his wife, Roxanne, Bluegill Fly Fishing & Flies. According to the book, Terry accidentally hooked the rear end of a bull while casting a bass bug. He wisely chose to break the fly off rather than trying to approach the annoyed animal. As Terry was re-rigging, he watched a man with a cane pole fishing with live crickets and noted that the movement of the insect’s legs seemed to trigger strikes. The Bully Bluegill Spider is Terry’s attempt to mimic those flailing legs.

The keys are the proper location of the weight, which allows the fly to sink like a drop bait, and the method for attaching the wiggly round-rubber legs.

Materials

• Hook: Size 10 Firehole barbless.
• Weight: 16 turns 0.15 lead free wire. Bulb at rear of hook.
• Thread: Red woolly nylon.
• Chenille: Saltwater colours chartreuse, orange, light rust, yellow & dark green.
• Rubber legs for contrast