Olive Wooly Bugger
Olive Bugger
Lower River Pattern
Hook: TMC 3769 size 8-10 (or any standard nymph hook) or 2X length
Thread: Black 6//0 Uni-Thread
Tail: Olive Marabou (krystal flash optional)
Body: Marabou
Body: Olive hackle (palmered)
Rib: Medium Gold Wire
Instructions:
  1. If extra weight is desired, place a conehead or bead on the hook.
  2. Place the hook in the vise.
  3. Tie in the thread just behind the eye and wrap back to the bend of the hook.
  4. Tie in a clump of evenly spaced marabou feathers.
  5. Instead of trimming the butt ends, lift them up and wrap forward to the eye.
  6. Tie in a piece of gold or copper wire and wrap the thread back to the bend leaving the long end of the wire hanging back.
  7. Wrap the thread forward to the head.  
  8. Wrap the marabou forward to create a fuzzy body and tie off and trim at the head.
  9. Select a hackle to match the hook size and tie in about 2 eye lenghts back with shiny side up and hackle tip pointing back towards the bend.
  10. Wrap the hackle back to the bend of the hook.
  11. Wrap the wire forward and through the hackle to secure it.
  12. Secure the wire at the head and wiggle to break the wire.
  13. If you used a bead or conehead, dub some olive sparkle dub or olive dub mixed with flash dub to fill in the small gap.
  14. Whip finish and cement.
  15. Trim any excess hackle at the back.
Variations & Comments: This standard pattern catches a lot of nice browns on the lower river.  They seem to prefer olive and brown, but black can work from time to time as well.  Add a bead head or cone head for a little more attraction and added weight.