This is a very versatile pattern that will catch fish on virtually any lake or river. The key to its success is plenty of action, provided by a closely palmered hackle and a tail of soft turkey maribou.

It also has a heavily weighted underbelly formed from close turns of lead wire. These are applied before the thread and can either be held in place with strong glue or by tight thread wraps.

The woolly Bugger is tied in a variety of colour combinations, usually natural ones such at black, brown and olive, and can imitate anything from a leech or dragonfly nymph to a small fish.

View/download tying instructions