Peter Frailey
Massachusetts - Homepage: www.fishingwithflies.com
After
spending my childhood as an avid warm water fisherman, I was coaxed back into the
sport by my older son, who wanted to attend a local United Fly Tiers meeting.
Now, fly-fishing and fly-tying are year-round activities for me.
During the three cold seasons I fish for trout in the streams and rivers of Eastern and Central Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, with occasional trips into Vermont and Maine. But I still enjoy lazy days as a warm water fly-fisher, float-tubing during the summer months on local farm ponds near my home in Eastern Massachusetts, where I live with my wife and three children.
Select One of Peter's Flies:
Bunny Bugger Nymph (Instructions)
Woody Worm Nymph (Instructions)
Softhackle Weenie (Instructions)
Green Weenie
(Instructions)
Be
sure to visit our on-line store at http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html
Tier: Peter Frailey
Like so many
flies, the Bunny Bugger (BB) combines the features of other proven
patterns. Although its design started as a variation of a Woolly Bugger,
hence the family name, its breeding also includes the slightly more
sophisticated Casual Dress. Suggested
materials are minimal: (1) a few inches of lead wire for weight, if desired, (2)
one hackle long enough to wrap palmer-style over of the rear 2/3 of the body,
and (3) rabbit fur. Zonker strips are a convenient source of fur, and they
are available in many colors.
Hook:
Wet/Nymph, 2XL, size 8 to 12. Thread:
3/0 for size 8, 6/0 for size 12, any color. Weight:
10-12 Wraps of lead wire or bead head. Tail:
Clump of bunny (rabbit) fur. Abdomen:
Bunny body fur dubbing. Hackle:
Grizzly rooster saddle or hen neck, palmered. Thorax:
Bunny fur applied with a dubbing loop. Tip:
A great way to make dubbing is to cut ¼" pieces of the body fur and mix
them in a Mini-Chopper or other similar kitchen appliance. Directions Wrap your
tying thread to a point above the barb of the hook. If desired,
wind 10 to 12 turns of lead wire around the shank. For the
tail, tie in one or two clumps of rabbit fur, marabou-style. Tie in the
hackle at the rear of the hook, just as you would for a Woolly Bugger. Starting in
the back, direct-dub an abdomen over the rear 2/3 of the shank. (See the tip
on how to make this dubbing, or use pre-mixed hare’s ear dubbing.) Wrap the
hackle, palmer style, up to the 1/3 point. Tie down the hackle and snip off
the excess. Create a
thorax over the front 1/3 of the body using a dubbing loop. Form the loop at
the 1/3 point and wrap the tying thread to a point just behind the eye. Cut a clump
of rabbit fur and insert it into the loop lengthwise, so it lies at right
angles to the thread. (The Mini-Chopper works great for the dubbing used for
the abdomen, but for the thorax I like to use the full length of the fur.) Close the
loop and position the underfur evenly within the loop with your fingers
before twisting. Spin and
twist the loop to make a dubbing rope. Spiral the
rope over and around the hook. After each wrap, stroke the fur back toward
the hook bend so it doesn’t get caught under the next wrap. Three or four
wraps should complete the thorax. Tie off the
thread behind the eye and whip finish. Select One of Peter's
Flies: Bunny Bugger Nymph
(Instructions)
Woody Worm Nymph
(Instructions)
Softhackle Weenie
(Instructions)
Green Weenie
(Instructions)
Return
to Peter's Introduction.
Tier: Peter Frailey
I have always
enjoyed making simple flies. So why did I complicate the original Green
Weenie recipe by adding a second ingredient? Probably because I’ve
always felt a little embarrassed when I’ve caught trout on the original
easy-to-tie dressing. It seems that trout fishing should be more
complicated and the fish more selective! So, my version
has a thorax of darker green Arizona-style synthetic peacock dubbing. Add
the flash of a gold bead for weight and this flies will also work great for bass
and panfish. For the body, I prefer the bushy characteristics of
ultrachenille.
Thread:
3/0 for size 8, 6/0 for size 12, Green, Yellow, or White. Weight:
Bead Head. Tail:
Loop of Green or Chartreuse Chenille. Abdomen:
Green or Chartreuse Chenille, palmered over body. Thorax:
Synthetic Peacock Dubbing (see note) Ed's Note:
Synthetic Peacock Dubbings is also known as Pseudo Peacock Dubbing and is
available in our store (link below). Directions Slip the
bead head over the hook and slide it up to the eye before inserting your
hook into the vise. Start your
thread, and wrap it to a point above the barb of the hook. Cut a long
piece of chenille so you can use it for several weenies. With one
end of the chenille, tie in a loop for a tail. With open
thread wraps, bring your bobbin to just behind the bead. Just as you
would for a woolly worm, wrap the chenille in tight spirals to just behind
the bead. Tie it down with a few wraps of your thread and snip off the
excess chenille. Using a
dubbing loop, create a thorax with a few wraps of synthetic peacock dubbing.
After each wrap, stroke the fibers back toward the hook bend. Tie off and
whip finish Select One of Peter's
Flies: Bunny Bugger Nymph
(Instructions)
Woody Worm Nymph
(Instructions)
Softhackle Weenie
(Instructions)
Green Weenie
(Instructions)
Return
to Peter's Introduction.
Tier: Peter Frailey
One caveat:
this is an experimental fly. It has come out of my "Winter
Laboratory" and is yet to be fished. Because the Green Weenie nymph
was such a successful fly for me last season, and because softhackles are my
favorite wet fly, I thought I would combine them into the Softhackle Weenie. Only three
materials are required: (1) chartreuse micochenille (1mm in diameter), (2)
Arizona-style synthetic peacock dubbing, and (3) one partridge or other
softhackle feather.
Hook:
Wet, sizes 10 to 14. Thread:
6/0 or 8/0, green, yellow, or white. Body:
Green or chartreuse Micro Chenille. Thorax:
Flashy synthetic dubbing, in matching color (see note). Collar:
Partridge body feather. Ed's Note:
Pseudo Peacock and Ice Dub are flashy dubbing and are available in our store
(link below). Directions Wrap your
tying thread to a point above the barb of the hook. Cut a long
piece of micro Chenille so you can use it for several weenies. Tie in the
chenille at the back of the hook just as you might for a mini-woolly worm. With open
thread wraps, bring your bobbin forward to the 1/3 point. Wrap the
chenille forward in tight spirals to the 1/3 point. Tie it down with a few
wraps of your thread and snip off the excess chenille. Using a
dubbing loop, create a thorax with a few wraps of synthetic peacock dubbing.
After each wrap, stroke the fibers back toward the hook bend. Tie off and
whip finish. Select One of Peter's
Flies: Bunny Bugger Nymph
(Instructions)
Woody Worm Nymph
(Instructions)
Softhackle Weenie
(Instructions)
Green Weenie
(Instructions)
Return
to Peter's Introduction.
Tier: Peter Frailey No, this is not
a misspelling of Woolly Worm. Using woodchuck fur for nearly the entire
pattern, the Woody Worm combines the features and tying techniques of at least
two patterns, the Casual Dress and the Woolly Worm. Suggested
materials are minimal: (1) a few inches of lead for weight, if desired, (2) one
hackle long enough to wrap palmer-style over the rear 2/3 of the body, and (3) a
patch of woodchuck fur for the tail and dubbing.
Hook:
Wet/Nymph, 2XL, size 8 to 12. Thread:
3/0 for size 8, 6/0 for size 12, any color. Weight:
10-12 Wraps of lead wire or bead head. Tail:
Clump of woodchuck guard hair. Abdomen:
Woodchuck dubbing, applied with dubbing loop #1 (see Ed's note). Hackle:
Brown rooster saddle or hen neck. Thorax:
Woodchuck underfur, applied with dubbing loop #2 (see Ed's note). Ed's Note:
Woodchuck, also known as groundhog, has a very small amount of underfur (as does
other small hibernating animals) and to find commercial dubbing is almost
impossible. As indicated below, you can cut off fur and remove the guard
hairs or underfur. You might also consider using Australian Opossum or
other similar dubbing as a substitute but the guard hairs are not as
pronounced. Tip:
A great way to make dubbing is to cut ¼" pieces of the underfur and mix
them in a Mini-Chopper or other similar kitchen appliance. Directions Wrap your
tying thread to a point above the barb of the hook. If desired,
wind 10-12 turns of lead wire around the shank. For the
tail, cut a small clump of fur from the hide. Separate the guard hair from
the underfur. Save the underfur for the dubbing, and use the guard hair for
the tail. Tie in the
hackle at the rear of the hook, just as you would for a Woolly Worm. Starting in
the back, use a dubbing to form a dubbed body over the rear 2/3 of the
shank. (See the tip on how to make this dubbing, or use pre-mixed hare’s
ear or rabbit dubbing.) Tie off the loop and snip off any extra. Wrap the
hackle, palmer style, up to the 1/3 point. Tie off the hackle and snip off
the excess. Create a
thorax over the front 1/3 of the body using a dubbing loop. Form the loop at
the 1/3 point and wrap the tying thread to a point just behind the eye. Cut a
couple of clumps of woodchuck fur from the hide and pull out the underfur. Insert the
underfur into the dubbing loop lengthwise, so it is at right angles to the
thread. (The Mini-Chopper works great for the dubbing used for the abdomen,
but for the thorax I like to use the full length of the underfur.) Close the
loop and position the underfur evenly within the loop with your fingers
before twisting. Spin and
twist the loop to make a dubbing rope. Spiral the
rope over and around the hook. After each wrap, stroke the fur back toward
the hook bend so it doesn’t get caught under the next wrap. Three or four
wraps should complete the thorax. Tie off the
thread behind the eye and whip finish. Select One of Peter's
Flies: Bunny Bugger Nymph
(Instructions)
Woody Worm Nymph
(Instructions)
Softhackle Weenie
(Instructions)
Green Weenie
(Instructions)
Return
to Peter's Introduction.
Be
sure to visit our on-line store at http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html 
for your tying needs.
Hook:
Wet/Nymph, 2XL, size 8 to 12.
for your tying needs.
