Bow River Bugger
Written by
Harold
- Published in Fly Fishing the Bear
- Read 2834 times
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Bow River Bugger
From the tying bench of Josh "Jelly" Gelinas comes a great early, mid-season Char fly - and it's not too shabby when it comes to Lake Trout either.
- Hook: Size 4-2 Streamer 2XL
- Thread: 8/0 Black Uni
- Bead: Tungsten Cone
- Legs: Rubber legs
- Collar: Buck belly hair spun and trimmed
- Body: White Peacock Pearlescent Chenille
- Hackle: Brown Saddle Hackle
- Tail: White Marabou
- Flash: Gold or Pearlescent Flashabou
A very famous pattern originating on the equally famous river of the same name that runs through Calgary, Alberta.
This version is tied typically larger then you’d normally see them, and is my #1 Laker fly, and one hell of a Char fly.
My very first day on Great Bear Lake back in 2014, I used this fly right off the dock at the main lodge and my very first cast ever on the lake I managed to hook at land a 22lb Lake Trout, which at the time was much bigger than anything I’d caught before.
Since then, if my guest is a fly fisherman, I have an arsenal of these ready.
Many different approaches work.
Trolling with a DI 7 line and using a 6 ft., 20lb test leader. Or sight casting with a DI 3-5 and stripping with both hands and rod butt in the armpit.
For Char use this early- mid season with a sink tip in any water and it should provoke a hungry fish.
