How To Fish A Woolly Buggar

[jwpage]

I have been watching the blogs and have a question or two about fishing woolly buggars and soft hackles. I read a blog that says that you cast across or slightly down and then strip the line. The fish usually will bite on the swing or directly down stream. I am not sure what they mean by on the swing or directly down stream. Also, I have tried fishing the woolly buggar and soft hackle and never seem to get bites. I watch the line, even as it is sinking, and nothing. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[tippet7]

picture yourself in the water, facing downstream, you will cast at your 10 o clock or 2 o clock. allow the current to carry the fly downstream, just let it drift, dont mess with it! as your fly line gets directly infront of you, the fly is still a little upstream and the current will "swing" to its position below you. hence the term "swing" this is where a good number of strikes will take place. watch your line as it is getting nearer to that position and be ready.

if you do not get a hit on the swing, start stripping the fly back to you. some people like to strip real slow, others at a faster pace. sometimes it takes some fooling around with the pace to determine what the fish want.

thats what works for me. i hope this helps you out a little bit. i did a google search for how to fish a wooly bugger and did not come up with much. you may want to check out kelly galloup videos on how to fish streamers. i think you may find something on the web for him as well.

john

[Gavin]

There is no wrong way to fish either of them...but here are a couple suggestions......

Cast up or quarter up, mend, and dead drift that sucker......watch for a take on the dead drift...try to visualize where your fly is...

Fish out the swing...maybe give it some animation during the swing...

Let it hang in the Current below you, mend and let it swing back and forth, maybe add some animation. Strip it in a bit, then let it drift back.....Works sometimes, but best if you can hold it a good looking spot for awhile.

Cast up, quarter up, or across, and rip em back with short little jerks..sometimes this will drive fish nuts. Works on a sinking line too.

Another effective method..fish em deep under a bobber like a nymph...probably the most effective way, IMO. Mend a lot...even a sloppy mend is good...cuz it might draw attention to your fly. Cheers.

[Danoinark]

Here's an article that might be of interest to you...Dano

http://ozarkanglers.com/index.php?option=c...0&Itemid=99

[Flysmallie]

Mend a lot...even a sloppy mend is good...cuz it might draw attention to your fly.

Cool, all my mends are sloppy! I think I remember Don and a group of guys fishing the Beaver tailwaters having luck fishing them under an indicator.

[jwpage]

Thanks for all of the help and insight. I appreciate your help.

John

[bigredbirdfan]

What colors and sizes should a novice have of both wollies and soft hackles for Taney in, above and around lookout?

Additionally, what size leader and tippet?

THX

BRBF

[Danoinark]

What colors and sizes should a novice have of both wollies and soft hackles for Taney in, above and around lookout?

Additionally, what size leader and tippet?

THX

BRBF

Olive, brown and a variegated gray color wooley was good this past weekend. I would have them in size 10, 8 and 6.

Light Olive, Orange and Black soft hackles have always worked for me on Taney. Try, 18's, 16, 14's.

I typically use a 9ft leader and 4ft of 6x tippet for soft hackles. 4ft of 4x fishing wooley buggers.

Dano

[bigredbirdfan]

Olive, brown and a variegated gray color wooley was good this past weekend. I would have them in size 10, 8 and 6.

Light Olive, Orange and Black soft hackles have always worked for me on Taney. Try, 18's, 16, 14's.

I typically use a 9ft leader and 4ft of 6x tippet for soft hackles. 4ft of 4x fishing wooley buggers.

Dano

Thanks Dano