The Orange Bead Magoo is a very easy fly to tie. The Magoo is mainly a pulling fly but is extremely versatile.

Vern Barby, of the Victorian Fly-Fisher’s Association, writes of his Magoo:

“The Magoo is probably my signature fly. A prolific fish catcher, it has been developed and refined since the 1999 Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships on Lake Wendouree in Ballarat. During that event Vince Gwilym gave me one of the Welsh team’s flies, and it really got me thinking. By using different materials and colours I worked on developing my ideas. The one significant aspect of the Welsh fly was its overall length. I came from the old school that believed long flies and small hooks don’t catch fish, so it took me some time to get to grips with it!

Eventually I arrived at the fly as it is today. The name came about after discussions with Gary McKay and well-known Ballarat fly fisher, Alan Howlett, whose nickname was ‘Magoo’. The fly was originally tied with a gold beadhead, but it now features many different bead colours, the most popular being hot orange. This is a pattern that should always be in your wet fly box when targeting the lakes.”

– Vern Barby, Australia’s Best Trout Flies Revisited

The Magoo is mainly a pulling fly. It can be fished slowly using a figure-8 retrieve; stripped slowly or fast; or retrieved with a roly-poly from slow to flat-out. The Magoo can be fished on the point as part of a team of flies. Unweighted versions for use on the dropper. Line types can vary from a floating line right through to a DI7 (i.e. fast sinker), depending on the depth of water and the speed of the drift if boat fishing.

When pulling the Magoo, takes can be quite aggressive, so I never use a tippet lighter than 8lb fluorocarbon to avoid bust-offs.”

You can read more about the Magoo on the Victorian Fly-Fisher’s Association website.

Materials

• Hook – Size 10 I used a Jig Hook but any hook will do.
• Bead – Orange tungsten or use 4 turns of lead free wire for weight.
• Thread – Orange or black. Orange is a better look.
• Tail – Olive Marabou.
• Tail – Two strands of crystal flash.
• Body – Peacock herl.
• Wing – Any dark colour of soft hackle.

Tying Instructions

1. Crush the barb
2. Put on the bead and any weight you need.
3. Cover hook with thread.
4. Tie in the marabou just behind the bead. Leave space for the hackle.
5. Tie in two stands of crystal flash and fold them down both sides of the hook
6. Tie one or two strands of peacock herl, by the butts, behind the bead.
7. LEAVE space for the hackle.
8. Wrap the herl back to the bend and then back to the behind the bead.
9. Tie in the soft hackle by the tips and make two or three turns to make a good wing.
10. Tie off and whip finish.
11. Use a hair dryer if needed to teach the hackle to fold back.