Email this page  Print this page  Comments

A Better Bugger

➊ Attach the thread behind the hook eye and wind to end of the shank. Tie in the wire above the hook point, wind behind the hook eye as shown here, trim the tag, apply a liberal amount of head lacquer to the wraps and cover with two spiral wraps of thread. Clip of a small tuft of black-bear hair, remove the underfur and tie it on the hook immediately behind the lead wraps.

➋ Select one blood marabou feather with no visible center quill and tie it over the bear hair. The length should be no longer than the hook shank. Tie in two strands of gold Krystal Flash on each side of the tail.

➌ Peel a few fibers from the chenille to expose the core threads and tie onto the hook immediately in front of the tail. Tie in the tip of the black hackle feather (with the shiny side forward). Carefully wind the chenille to make one turn behind the hackle tie in and then forward to within three hook eye spaces behind the hook eye. Tie it down and clip the excess.

➍ Carefully wind the hackle forward between turns of chenille, being sure that the shiny side faces forward on each turn. Take a couple of turns in front of the chenille to create a hackle collar, tie down, clip off the excess, whip-finish and apply a coat of head lacquer.