How to tie 4 killer crayfish flies that work all over Canada

Bead Head Woolly Bugger

HOOK: 4X-long streamer, sizes 2-12
BEAD: Gold, 5/32-inch
WEIGHT (optional): Lead-free wire
TAIL:  Bunch of marabou or blood quill with tips removed
BODY:  chenille
THORAX (optional):  Superfine Dubbing
HACKLE: Grizzly or olive saddle

If you find the Autumn Splendour too challenging or think it’s unnecessarily complicated for where you fish, the plain old Woolly Bugger makes an excellent crayfish fly.

The Bugger is a fairly simple fly to tie, and often the first one many people learn. But this video (another winner from Tim FLagler of Tightline Productions) has some slightly unconventional, but very, very good tricks for making the fly sturdier and neater. After 35 years of tying Buggers, I’ve gone all in for this method.