Mackey Bug

[Phil Lilley]

Mackie Bug

Recipe

Hook: 3769 TMC Size 10

Thread: UTC 140 Fl. Chartreuse

Weight: .025

Abdomen: Super Bright Dubbing (black)

Thorax: Super Bright Dubbing (Fl. Chartreuse)

Rib: Copper wire (BR size)

TYING INSTRUCTIONS

This pattern was originated by Ed and Bob story. This is one of the best blue gill patterns ever. If you give this fly a shot I can guarantee you will not leave home without this!!

Go ahead and wrap about six to eight turns of lead wire. After you do that you will want to start your thread and secure the lead wire from shifting so tie in front of the wire and behind it making several wraps of thread to lock it in place. This is called a thread dam.

Tie in your wire right behind the lead and wind the thread until you almost to the bend. You still have to tie the legs so make sure you have a little of the straight part of the shank to work with.

You should have a little room to work with at the bend. Grab the sili leg tie it in at the bend. I will talk more about this step in picture 8 and 9. Cut the legs evenly to the desired length you want.

Tie the dubbing until you get just past the lead in the front.

Wind your wire about six turns until you get to the front of the lead also. I am winding this the opposite direction. That will make the segmentations stand out more.

This part might be a little tricky. I have notice people having trouble with getting the legs to look right. What you want to accomplish in this step is making the legs look like a “V on each side of the hook. You will have a total of four legs, two on the top and one on each side of the hook shank. How to do this correctly is by wrapping the legs around the thread and when you lay them down on the hook shank you will notice one going the right direction and the other one going forward. The key is to only do about two turns of thread and then fold the other one over and secure it. You will have to tie back on the leg a little to get it to fold back. Do the same thing to the other side.

Now tie the other dubbing to finish the head and whip the fly. Glue it and your good to go.

[jOrOb]

Good one Phil! I love the Mackey bug for deeper slower presentations. I like the black and chartreuse and the tan and pink. Have you had success on any other colors?

I met a woman at BPS last year that was tying one out of hares mask, and said she caught a lot of trout in smaller lakes using it.