# Working wooly buggers, clousers, etc...



## iajetpilot (Jul 3, 2013)

I'm really new to fly fishing and am having trouble using any of the underwater type flies. I have been catching fish on surface flies like poppers but whenever I try an underwater one like a wooly bugger or clouser etc...after a cast or two I lose it when it gets stuck on rocks, logs, or other underwater items. Is this normal? If not, how do I avoid it?

Thanks,

Larry


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## flytyer (Jan 3, 2005)

The flies are probably weighted to heavy for the water you are fishing. If I used clousers and weighted buggers in the little creek I fish I would loose a bunch of them. 
How deep is the water where you are fishing at?
You could also try stripping them in a little faster and not let them sink so far down.
If you tie your own flies try using bead chain for the eyes instead of lead dumbbells. They will still sink, just not as fast, and they fish just fine. That's how I tie all of mine.


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## iajetpilot (Jul 3, 2013)

Thanks for the tips..I'm going to start tying my own flies pretty soon so I will make sure to do what you said. Until then is there anything special I should look for at the store when buying these types of flies so they will be lighter and not sink so quickly? Does anyone use the snag-less flies? I never see them in the local stores.

Thanks


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Flytyer pretty much nailed it, it's a weight issue. When you start tying your own, you can make several variations of the same fly for different depths. A bead chain Clouser, with light bead chain eyes, is great for shallow water. Bump up to a large dumbbell eye in lead or brass to go deeper, and if you want to depth charge you can go large on the weighted eyes and wrap the shank with a lead or lead-free wire. A great shallow water pattern for bass is the Murdich Minnow, and it's fairly easy to tie and durable.


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## meathelmet (Aug 4, 2008)

Not sure if this is the correct way since I am pretty new but I tied a strike indicator to my wooly bugger and caught some bass and gills.


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## flytyer (Jan 3, 2005)

Larry, here is a picture of one of the buggers I tie. This one is black with a badger hackle and ostrich for the tail, but you can tie them any color you want too.


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## iajetpilot (Jul 3, 2013)

Thinking about stopping by Cabela's tonight to get the peak vice and start fly tying


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## meathelmet (Aug 4, 2008)

I am about to take the plunge and start tying also and still looking for a vise. Tell me how you like it.


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## Flymaker (Jan 24, 2013)

Losing fly's is part of it.....I myself don't weight my fly's heavy but rather I use sink tip lines for most of my streamer fishing....Most of my clousers are ty'd with extra small dumbbell eye's and buggers get a medium cone head...You cant avoid losing fly's but if you tie your own .....your not pissing away $4.00 with every clouser you lose ...maybe 30 cents or so.....


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## flytyer (Jan 3, 2005)

Larry, check out youtube. There's a ton of imfo on there, and just about anything you want to tie, there's a video for.


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## ejsell (May 3, 2012)

I just got some materials from mad river outfitters in Columbus last weekend. Prices were reasonable and the customer service was great. You can also get odds and end at hobby lobby. I usually just get stuff from bass pro because it's close but mad river is my new favorite store so when I'm in the area I plan on shopping there.


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