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My first fish on fly fell to the magic of a Woolly Bugger and many have gone the same way since then. My understanding is that the Woolly Bugger has its origins in America where it appears to be tied, as a leach imitation. having said that there is also an English fly with bead chin eyes called a…

A wet fly is a fly designed to be fished below the water's surface of the water or a dry fly that has been drowned and is being fish below the surface of the water. Basically there are two main types of wet fly: The type is representational flies which are flies tied to represent food that trout…

Hackles are added to woolly buggers and woolly bugger variants for a couple of reasons. Firstly they add what may well be representative of legs on what ever the woolly bugger is tied to represent. The second reason to add movement to the fly. In most cases it's varying degrees of both … what…

Published: Dec 31, 2016 Revised Mar 07, 2021 This is a list of flies that I know all work well for both Lakes Tantangara, Eucumbene and Jindabyne. For the sake of convenience I have set them out in my "go to" lock style teams and also some "matching the hatch" options and finally some alternative…

This is a list of flies that I know all work well for the lakes around Miena and Bronte in Central Tasmania. For the sake of convenience I have broken the list below up into 4 distinct sections: The first table deals with "Matching the hatch" and is best read in conjunction with an article I first…

In recent years I have found that other than the traditional woolly bugger of around 50 mm in length there is also a demand for very small woolly buggers. In fact I would go as far as to say that in most of the fisheries that I haunt 'mini woolly buggers' of from 25 mm to 30 mm in length are often…

My first fish on fly fell to the magic of a Woolly Bugger and many have gone the same way since then. With its origins in America where it appears to be tied, as a Leach imitation there is also an English version with bead chain eyes called a Dog Nobler. Whatever the name it's a very good fly. It's…

==Perhaps the most iconic lake in Tasmania and for many the most iconic lake in Australia. Arthurs is a hydro lake that was created by the damming of the Upper Lake River in the early 1960's and the flooding of the areas that contained Blue Lake, Sand Lake and the Morass Marsh. From a fly fishers…

=NSW=Completed in 1967 Lake Jindabyne is part of the iconic Snow Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme. Its an iconic lake has a reputation as a brown and rainbow trout fishery. It also produces reasonable numbers in the coldest of months. Jindabyne is the gateway for the NSW snow resorts and as you can…

My first fish on fly fell to the magic of a Woolly Bugger and many have gone the same way since then. With its origins in America where it appears to be tied, as a Leach imitation there is also an English version with bead chin eyes called a Dog Nobler. Whatever the name it's a very good fly. It's…

My first fish on fly fell to the magic of a Woolly Bugger and many have gone the same way since then. With its origins in America where it appears to be tied, as a Leach imitation there is also an English version with bead chin eyes called a Dog Nobler. Whatever the name it's a very good fly. The…

My first fish on fly fell to the magic of a Woolly Bugger and many have gone the same way since then. With its origins in America where it appears to be tied, as a Leach imitation there is also an English version with bead chin eyes called a Dog Nobler. Whatever the name it's a very good fly. The…

My first fish on fly fell to the magic of a Woolly Bugger and many have gone the same way since then. The woolly bugger has its origins in America where it appears to be tied, as a leach imitation but there is also an English version with bead chin eyes called a Dog Nobler. Whatever the name it's a…

My first fish on fly fell to the magic of a Woolly Bugger and many have gone the same way since then. My understanding is that the Woolly Bugger has its origins in America where it appears to be tied, as a leach imitation. having said that there is also an English fly with bead chin eyes called a…

I was introduced to the non bead head Tassi variation of a woolly bugger in the lead up to the 2002 Tasmanian One Fly which by chance I won. Whilst I was not comfortable enough to use the Tassi Bugger then I have used it and this bead head version many times since to great effect. Like most woolly…

Round 1 of the NSW fly fishing championships was held over the weekend of 15th to 16th September 2012. For full details follow this link: www.flyfishaustralia.com.au/cms/ffa-nsw-act-201112-3 There was a lot of interest in this competition and a strong filed of competitors including 2 from Tasmania…

Keep an eye for swallows dipping on the water feeding on midge. That's a sure sign that there will also be damsel nymphs around and then of course further up the food chain there are likely to be trout feeding on both the midge and the damsel nymphs. This is the time to start thinking about fishing…

At different times of the year you will start to see swallows dipping on the water feeding on midge. This is the time to start thinking about fishing either damsel buggers or olive woolly buggers because unfortunately for the midge it's not only swallows that have them on their menu it's also…

Large populations of dark olive Yabbies of the Cherax Genus have developed in both Lake Jindabyne and Lake Eucumbene. Many anglers suggest that the Yabby has been responsible for changing the feeding habits of trout in the lakes as the populations of Yabbies have increased. In fact in both Lake…

At different times of the year you will start to see swallows dipping on the water feeding on midge. This is the time to start thinking about fishing either damsel buggers or olive woolly buggers. Unfortunately for the midge it's not only swallows that have them on their menu it's also carnivorous…

=NSW=Located in that part of New South Wales that is still referred to by some as “old town country”. By virtue of how it is accessed the lake is virtually split into three areas of public access. The only access point I have used, and consequently the focus of this post is via Burrendong State…

I have been keeping a data base record of my fishing outings now for around 15years. When you do a search say on November, December and January for Lake Jindabyne its interesting to see the similarities for that period of time over the years. There is obviously some skewing of the results because…

Food source [months] Fly suggestions Adult yabbies [30] [30] [30] [20] [20] [20] [10] [10] [20] [30] [40] [30] Yabby Woolly bugger Floating yabby Shrimp shell yabby Small yabbies [00] [00] [60] [60] [50] [50] [30] [20] [10] [10] [00] [00] Mini woolly bugger Woolly bugger Worms (as vegetation is…

Food source [months] Fly suggestions Adult yabbies [30] [30] [30] [20] [20] [20] [10] [10] [20] [30] [40] [30] Woolly bugger Floating yabby Shrimp shell yabby Small yabbies [00] [00] [60] [60] [50] [50] [30] [20] [10] [10] [00] [00] Mini woolly bugger Woolly bugger Worms (as vegetation is drowned)…

Food source [months] Fly suggestions Gudgeon and galaxia [50] [50] [50] [50] [10] [10] [10] [10] [10] [10] [10] [50] Bead head nymphs Magoo Shrek Mrs Simpson Murdoch Adult yabbies [30] [30] [30] [20] [20] [20] [10] [10] [20] [30] [40] [30] Yabby Woolly bugger Floating yabby Shrimp shell yabby Small…

Whilst the woolly bugger was evolving in Pennsylvania USA from a fly designed by Russell Blessing to represent the local hellgrammite or dobsonfly nymphs, probably from the woolly worm pattern, at the same time in England a similar fly that became known as a dog nobbler was also evolving. Dog…

I reckon that the Woolly Bugger is the quintessential streamer or stripping fly. Fly fisher folk must agree with this statement because the Woolly Bugger seems to be the origin of more variations than any other, or at least almost any other, streamer or stripping fly. This fly is a variation on the…

My first fish on fly fell to the magic of a Woolly Bugger and many have gone the same way since then. With its origins in America where it appears to be tied, as a Leach imitation there is also an English version with bead chin eyes called a Dog Nobler. Whatever the name it’s a very good fly. Its…

For the sake of convenience I have broken my fly suggestions up into 5 distinct sections. I have put those sections in the order in which I methodically go through as I determine what fly or flies to tie on. MATCHING THE HATCH WITH DRY FLIES It's hard to beat the exhilaration that comes with…

==Lake Maroon is one of South East Queensland's best freshwater fly and surface fishing destinations It lays close to the base of the Great Dividing Range on Burnett Creek, a tributary of the Logan River. It is a relatively small impoundment with a surface area of 350 ha and an average depth of 9.6…

Hi Kerry, Thanks about your email looking for information on Lake Maroon. I love Maroon and have had a couple of podium finishes there in Fly Fish Australia competitions. I am not aware of any guides that fish the Lake Maroon area so I cant help you there but I have set out a little information on…

==Lake Maroon is one of South East Queensland's best freshwater fly and surface fishing destinations It lays close to the base of the Great Dividing Range on Burnett Creek, a tributary of the Logan River. It is a relatively small impoundment with a surface area of 350 ha and an average depth of 9.6…

Food source Seasonality (Jan–Dec) Fly suggestions Adult yabbies Woolly bugger Floating yabby Shrimp shell yabby Booby Small yabbies Woolly bugger Floating yabby Shrimp shell yabby Booby Ants & termites Foam flying ant / termite Foam flying ant / termite 2 Ant Midge Midge Beetles Red tag…

There are a few flies that I have absolute confidence in and consequently have no hesitation in tying them on if I am in unknown territory and am up for a bit of prospecting. This fly is really a merging of two of them and it is so consistent that its has earned its own place amongst my top 10 or…

It doesn't matter if your fishing saltwater or freshwater, targeting demersal or pelagic fish or that your target fish is feeding on mullet, garfish, herring, bony bream, hardyhead or some other baitfish … at 13cm long and with a great swimming action more often than not my articulated bugger in…

Over the years I have identified three flies that have elements of their ties that are similar. Depending on who ties them they can be almost the same or can be diverse as two Woolly Buggers tied by two different fly tiers. The three flies I refer to are of course the Flash Harry, the Dirty Harry…

The 'Fiona' (Shrek's lady) as I have called this fly is a counter balance for the increasingly popular fly called a Shrek. It is in fact the same tie as the Shrek except that it incorporates different coloured materials. Both are basically Woolly Buggers by design and just as the emerald green is a…

=NSW=Lake Eucumbene is one of 16 lakes in the iconic Snow Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme and was completed as the second dam in the scheme in 1958. The full water level is 1030 meters putting the lake around 100 meters higher than Lake Jindabyne. The dam was created by damming the Eucumbene river…

There are a few flies that I have absolute confidence in and consequently have no hesitation in tying them on if I am in unknown territory and am up for a bit of prospecting. This fly is really a merging of two of them and it is so consistent that its has earned its own place amongst my top 10 or…

Whilst the tips I have set out below evolved from fishing in the Snowy Mountains of NSW, in general terms they are equally appropriate to a whole range of fisheries. These tips are all designed to help you locate trout to encourage their cooperation.   Location, location, location Location is…

One of my favour early season still water flies this fly is dressed with a skit around a marabou tail. It is very adaptable and is a great way of tying tails of two colours of marabou or just adding a hot spot at the base of the tail which fish find very attractive. The skirt can be made of several…

Large populations of dark olive Yabbies of the Cherax Genus have developed in both Lake Jindabyne and Lake Eucumbene and many other places. Many anglers suggest that the Yabby has been responsible for changing the feeding habits of trout in the lakes as the populations of Yabbies have increased. In…

==This is an popular recreational lake located in the heart of Ballarat. It dried out in the drought but filled again in 2010 and is now a top fishery once again and is shared by fishers, sailing boats, sculls and other users. Even with all this activity the lake fishes well throughout the season….

Please read this article in conjunction with the companion article fly fishing tips. Loch style fly fishing is fly fishing over the lee side of a boat with the wind at your back with the boat side onto the wind, using a system incorporating one or a number of flies. It is a technique that is well…

This fly is one of a series of 4 woolly bugger flies that I tie specifically for river fishing and if I only had one woolly bugger in my river fishing fly box this would be the one. Most jig hooks are suitable for this fly but my preferences are Hanak, Fulling Mills and Knapek. I generally tie my…

Vern Barby's Magoo is a very special fly and a great variation of a woolly bugger. Vern designed this woolly bugger variation specifically for use in 'smelt' rich Lake Purumbeet in western Victoria. It's worth a swim in any water where 'smelt' whether they be Galixia, Gambesia or other small fish…

This fly was out of left field as far as I was concerned and when I was first introduced to it I had no great expectation of it finding its way into my fly box. I was wrong. The bright tinsel body certainly stands out and rather than spooking fish as I expected it seems to trigger a response from…

As the name implies this fly has been designed specifically for fishing into mangroves and other tropical structure such as gravel and rock bars. It has several attributes that make it the ideal fly to entice fish like Barramundi, Mangrove Jacks and Fingermark out of structure and to take the fly….

This is a Peter Morse fly and is a great variation of a Woolly Bugger and is making its mark. It's dressed on a wide gape hook that creates an effective "keel" effect and sports a relatively long marabou tail and a dense collar which together create plenty of currents around the fly that really get…

This is a variation of a bead head woolly bugger that has worked very well for me in Lake Eucumbene and Tantangara Reservoir on brown trout and on Lake Maroon for bass. Materials   Hook Bead/weight Thread Tail Rib Body Hackle Collar Knapek S #6 to #10 Metallic/anodised TBH pink bead 6/0 brown…

I was ripping the black tailed version of this fly through the chop with some success when my boat partner asked what fly is that 'silver surfer'. I explained to him that it was just a woolly bugger variant tied with a black tail and silver UV straggle fritz. I tried to give it a real name such as…

A similar fly to a Shrek or Bloody Mary this fly is distinguished by the bands of fuzelled seals fur and holographic tinsel along the full length of the body. This is a particularly good point fly early and late in the season when the browns and bows are getting ready to make their spawn run. Brown…

My first fish on fly fell to the magic of a Woolly Bugger and many have gone the same way since then. Some say that what we call a woolly bugger had its origins in America where it appears to have been tied, as a leach imitation. Others say it had its origins in English where evolving at roughly…

If your fishing in water with reasonably large numbers of caddis your going to want to give this small to very small bugger a swim. Caddis represent up to 70% of a trout's diet and whilst this fly is bigger than any caddis nymph I have seen trout love it. It is also a must tie on fly for…

This tungsten bead head / cul de canard river bugger is one of a series of 6 bugger variants that I carry in my trout river fly box. They are all very buggy looking flies that lend themselves to being swung down and across shallow water or to being swum down where the fish are holding in deeper…

This fly is one of a series of 4 woolly bugger flies that I tie specifically for river fishing. They sinks well and the jig hook encourages the fly to bounce along the bottom hook point up which of course mitigates getting snagged up. Most jig hooks are suitable for this fly but my preferences are…

This fly is one of a series of four woolly bugger flies that I tie specifically for river fishing. They sinks well and the jig hook encourages the fly to bounce along the bottom hook point up which of course mitigates getting snagged up. Most jig hooks are suitable for this fly but my preferences…

This fly is one of a series of 4 woolly bugger flies that I tie specifically for river fishing. They sinks well and the jig hook encourages the fly to bounce along the bottom hook point up which of course mitigates getting snagged up. Most jig hooks are suitable for this fly but my preferences are…

Every now and then it's worth going through your fly boxes and resorting them. Not only does it give you a chance to re-establish some order in your fly boxes but it also helps identify where you need to tie a few and which ones you can discard. Even if you have decided to discard some flies keep…

Whilst a lot of the things we seek to imitate with flies don't in fact have tails we still tie what are commonly referred to as tails into most of our flies. I am a firm believer that in some flies realistic eyes are a trigger that elicits a response from fish. There are many ways of adding eyes to…

Only some of the things that trout eat have tails and often the tail is very small. Despite that many of the wet flies that we tie have a tail. In most cases tails are tied into dry flies as an extension of the body and are generally incorporated in the fly design to give the fly some additional…

AKA: Dahlberg diver type tails. Only some of the things that bass eat have tails on often the tail is very small. Despite that many of the flies that we tie have a tail. In most cases tails are tied into dry flies as an extension of the body and are generally incorporated in the fly design to give…

In the last few years I have identified three flies that have elements of their ties that are similar. Depending on who ties them they can be almost the same or can be diverse as two Woolly Buggers tied by two different fly tiers. The three flies I refer to are of course the Flash Harry, the Dirty…

For me polaroiding is one of the most rewarding forms of fly fishing. It involves the process of sighting fish with the aid of polaroid sunglasses and then working out and executing a when, where, what and how equation with the aim of enticing the sighted fish to take the fly. I like it because it…

Large populations of dark olive Yabbies of the Cherax Genus have developed in both Lake Jindabyne and Lake Eucumbene and many other places. Many anglers suggest that the Yabby has been responsible for changing the feeding habits of trout in the lakes as the populations of Yabbies have increased. In…

I was ripping the black tailed version of this fly through the chop with some success when my boat partner asked what fly is that 'silver surfer'. I explained to him that it was just a woolly bugger variant tied with a black tail and silver UV straggle fritz. I tried to give it a real name such as…

a.k.a. Shuggie This 'frog or dog nobler' type pattern by David Downey is a fusion of two flies. The first was 'frog or dog nobler' variant tied by Loch Leaven anglers Jock Hodge and Dusty Miller. That fly had small bead chain eyes on top, a black body palmered with an olive hackle and a tail of…

I had the pleasure of bass fishing with Peter Morse a couple of years ago and he introduced me to the concept of "fuzzeling" which I understand was developed between Muz Wilson and himself. It's dead simple and involves creating a dubbed body and then picking out the dubbing fibres with a strip of…

Food source [months] Fly * Dark Side suggestions Bream [10] [10] [20] [30] [40] [50] [50] [40] [30] [20] [20] [10] FLY Mud prawn PET shell prawn Mutant clouser DARK SIDE Flathead [50] [40] [30] [20] [20] [20] [20] [20] [20] [30] [40] [50] Articulated swimmer Mutant clouser Mud prawn Pregnant prawn…

Redirecting… [duplicate id=1987]

The number of fly boxes you carry is obviously one of personal choice. One difficulty you may encounter when you are setting up your fly boxes is which flies you should include, and how many flies you should carry in your fly box or boxes. The last thing you want to be doing is standing on the bank…

This wonderfully named fly came to light in Australia when John Horsey published an article about the 2008 Fly Fishing Championships that he came fourth in just a few months earlier. He went onto say 'I switched to a slime line and put a Black Straggle Fritz Taddy on the point, kept the Damsel on…

Dragonflies are of the sub- order Zygoptera and Damselflies are of the sub-order Anisoptera which is part of the Odonata family of insects that spend part of their life cycle in the water. The Family Odonata is the oldest of the insect families and prehistoric fossils of dragon flies with wingspans…

Please read this article in conjunction with the companion article: [member Link="p=6028" Title="Fly fishing tips"] A very good technique for water of almost any depth that has a little width to it and an obvious flow that will work your flies. It is often only used where holding fish can't be…

If the fish are cooperating I would always prefer to catch my bass or other native species on a surface fly. Sometimes however you just can't convince them to come to the surface to take your fly but you know they are there because there still responding to your mates who are fishing on the "dark…

When I am talking about big fish flies I have in mind the flies I carry when targeting species such as but not limited to: Barramundi (both freshwater & saltwater) Kingfish (Yellowtail and Cobia) Lutjanids (Mangrove Jack & Fingermark Javelin fish (Barred Grunter and Silver Grunter) Flathead (Dusky…

AKA "All depth booby". Boobies have been generally fished as a wet fly to target trout and other species This version is relatively neutral in buoyancy but can be fished at a a range of depths with the depth being determined by the speed of the retrieve and the fly line it's fished on. With a…

OF FLY TYING AND FLY FISHING TERMS   See also: A TO Z OF FLY TYING SKILLS ABDOMEN. Rear most of the three body divisions of an insect. ADIPOSE EYELID: an immovable transparent outer covering or partial covering of the eye of some groups of bony fishes, such as mullets and trevallies. AMADO. A…

When bass are feeding on big insects like Cicadas and Hoppers that crash onto the water they also become susceptible to large noisy and obvious flies like Dahlberg Divers cast around their structure or twitched across the surface. At other times they just have a whack at these big flies because…

AKA: Legs – palmered hackle If my memory of things I have read about Palmering flies is right then the term Palmering a fly has its origins around 1300 AD, that's right about 700 years ago. Whilst a fly can be palmered in either direction along the hook shank and doesn't necessarily require wire or…

Hackles and hackle fibres are used in various ways in the construction of wet flies. Whilst poorer dry fly hackle capes have traditionally been used in wet flies, over recent years, specific wet fly capes and saddles have evolved by the selective breeding of various birds. Preferred characteristics…

One of the best search flies in slow moving or still deeper water using a sinking line. If fishing from a fixed position cast it out, let the line sink to the desired depth, and then retrieve the line using a constant stripping motion, a pumping retrieve or a combination of both. The stripping…

One of the best search flies in slow moving or still deeper water using a sinking line and a booby. If fishing from a fixed position cast it out, let the line sink to the desired depth, and then retrieve the line using a constant stripping motion, a pumping retrieve or a combination of both. The…

Detailed below are all the materials you will need to tie all the flies in the course "abc of fly tying for trout" plus heaps of other flies. The overall weight of this kit is 3kg. Over the years I have also used this as the fly tying kit that I take to international competitions such as the…

There is nothing new about "Booby Pumping". English fly fishers have been doing it for years and for a time it was considered so successful in some impoundments that it was banned. I have been fishing boobies for quite a few years and booby pumping has even won a couple of competitions for me. I…

I often get asked the question as to what gear a newcomer to the sport of fly fishing should buy. A lot has been written on what gear you should buy (most by people who are selling it) when you first start out but by the time you have sifted through the volumes you'll probably be as confused as I…

One of the best search flies in slow moving or still deeper water using a sinking line. If fishing from a fixed position cast it out, let the line sink to the desired depth, and then retrieve the line using a constant stripping motion, a pumping retrieve or a combination of both. The stripping…

At the 1999 world fly fishing championships held at Jindabyne in 1999 fishing buzzers was the buzz (excuse the pun) and as soon as I got home I tied some up according to the patterns I had seen. I fished those flies many times , without conviction or confidence, and with the inevitable poor…

This is definitely my preferred popper for targeting Australian native bass in their natural river and lake habitat. Bass strike for 3 reasons. The fist and most obvious is when they are actively feeding. At those times bass can have an appetite for everything from nymphs, yabbies, small fish,…

It took me some time to get into using blobs but these days there are plenty of trout waters where I include a blob in my team most of the time. This is one of my favourites blob flies particularly when the waters have a good population of rainbow trout. Materials   Hook Thread Tail Rear half…

It took me some time to get into using blobs but these days there are plenty of trout waters where I include a blob in my team most of the time. One of my favourite flies for waters where there is midge activity is the bibio and when I am fishing those waters most of the time I have a bibio on the…

My articulated swimmer dressed in the red and white "Qantas" colours has been one of my most successful prospecting flies for Central Queensland. It has caught more than its fair share of barramundi in both the Boyne River and Awoonga Dam and has caught other species including bream, flathead,…

My bass jig has been designed to be fished on a variety of lines with the choice of line being determined by the depth the target bass are holding at. With a 4mm tungsten slotted bead for weight it sinks well and when retrieved with a stripping action with a few protracted pauses provides plenty of…

=NSW=Text photo1 photo2 photo3/td> Lake *name* water flows are as follows: Water flows into *name* from: text text Water leaves *name* via: text text Safety first: Given the water inflows and outflows it's not surprising that water levels in Lake Jindabyne vary considerably so caution is…

==Located near Imbil south of Gympie Borumba Dam is unique in that it offers both great Bass and Saratoga fly fishing. The layout of the lake is interesting in itself and basically forms a cross. On the north east axis you have the dam wall and main lake and opposite that you have the Yabba Creek…

This is an old pattern and whilst it can be dressed in many different ways I prefer it dressed as described below which is similar to the original form with the exception of the tail which I prefer to be much finer than the original. I guess that makes it like a small Woolly Bugger. This fly works…

If I could only carry one surface fly when fishing for Bass, Yellow belly and other native species my black Poll-Head-Popper would be it. When Bass or Yellow belly are feeding on big insects like Cicadas and Hoppers that crash onto the water they also become susceptible to poppers cast around their…

Early wet flies flies used in Bass fishing: Whenever I can I choose to fish for bass, saratoga, yellowbelly and silver perch but more often than not that the fish are holding deep and a surface fly is nor an option. These flies worked at the depth the fish are holding at are my 'go to' point flies….

Please read this article in conjunction with the companion article: [member Link="p=6028" Title="Fly fishing tips"] Whilst it would be nice to have the right rod, line and leader set up for each sort of water in a river or stream it is not always possible. In competitions in particular you can…

31/8/11 Just a short report from the Snowy Mountains. Three outings last week resulted in 37 trout. The first trip was polaroiding Lake Jindabyne with regular fishing partner Chris Mills. Plenty of rainbows in the margins and for the first time we are seeing some bows hunting and other groups…