Rob G Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 I'm tellin' ya, it gets no respect......the black woolly bugger. So I spend all winter tying up new patterns in exciting new materials and look forward to the new season. Then it happens, I hit this particular local stream and I end up throwing the whole fly box at them and nothing. I'm throwing top water, and bottom dredging crayfish and all sorts of cool minnow-like imitations.......zero. And finally as a last resort, I toss a plain Jane black woolly bugger, and Bam! 5 quick ones from that same area. I come back a week later to the same stream and again, they get to see it all, again....... zilch, reluctantly I tie on Mr. Black Woolly and Bam! a few more nice fish. So a few days later, again same stream different location and there is no way that Mr. Woolly is gonna get wet, I'm determined to find something else that will work on this particular stream but again, not much action other than a few short hits on everything else and my patience wears thin and again it's Woolly to the wescue, at least a couple heavy ones partake. This particular stream seems to be an oddity but I continue to be amazed at the fish catching ability of this fly that I too often take for granted. Thank you Russell Blessing from 67' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gillio Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 I have seen the fish picky like this more often this year than ever before. Not speeking of black woolly buggers but of lures in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom L Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Black Woolly Bugs are my favorite for steelhead. I'll have to carry some in my smallie fly box. Thanks John & Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Tom, it's one of the 5 that I never leave home without. So often we tend to think that newer is better and so therefore this 50 year old design must be outdated but yet it still produces. It kind of looks like a leech, maybe a baitfish, or a helgramite, or a crayfish, I really don't know but the smallmouth sees it as something edible, so I'm happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim A Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 It definitely looks like fish food. Thanks for the reminder to keep it simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredmo Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 This talk inspired me to get down to my bench and tye a few wooly buggers for the Kank on Sunday. Amazing the variety of materials you can use, depending upon whose instructions you follow. Now, if they work tomorrow....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted July 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 You never know what you might catch on Mr. Black Woolly, it's not just for smallmouth any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gillio Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 They are a fairly good hellgrammite imitation, and channels like hellgrammites. Nice cat Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted July 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 They are a fairly good hellgrammite imitation, and channels like hellgrammites. Nice cat Rob. yea, at about 22" and a good few lbs., he should be happy he didn't wind up on the grill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 The Golden Salmon at my local mud hole wouldn't look twice at a white clouser the other day. Switched to a black W.B. and they were on it like a hobo on a ham sandwich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gillio Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 Nice salmon. Tom was right . Grilled catfish sounds much better than gar balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom L Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 Nice salmon. Tom was right . It must be one of those Yemen salmon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted July 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 It must be one of those Yemen salmon. I always heard it called the Bonefish of the Midwest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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