How to Tie a Zug Bug

The Zug Bug is a nymph pattern originally tied for eastern streams and lakes. The Zug Bug has proven to be such a productive trout fly that its popularity has expanded across the country. This nymph is now considered an excellent fly for western waters as well. The Zug Bug is especially effective fished in beaver ponds and slow moving streams. The nymph is tied primarily with peacock herl, which gives the fly an iridescent green sheen that resembles a cased caddis nymph as well as other insects.

Things You'll Need

  • Fly tying vise
  • Fly tying bobbin
  • Fly tying bodkin
  • Fly tying scissors
  • Fly hooks, 2X nymph hook, sizes 10 to 14
  • Fly tying thread, black 6/0
  • Peacock herl
  • Silver tinsel, oval small size
  • Turkey quill
  • Hackle, dark brown
  • Fly head cement
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clamp the bend of the hook in the vise so the hook shank is parallel to the table top. Wrap the end of the thread around the hook shank just behind the hook eye and wrap the thread around the shank working back to where the shank starts to form the bend of the hook. Let the bobbin hang.

    • 2

      Take three peacock herls, even up the tips and lay the herls with the tips to the rear on the hook shank where the thread has stopped. Adjust the herls so the tips extend past the hook's bend, one-third the length of the hook shank. Wrap the herls down to the shank with three wraps of thread and cut the herl butt ends off flush with the shank.

    • 3

      Cut a 2-inch length of oval silver tinsel. Lay the end of the tinsel on the hook shank, on top of the wrapped herl ends, and tie it down with three turns of thread. Let the piece of tinsel hang.

    • 4

      Select three peacock herls. Tie the butt ends of the herls to the hook shank, on top of the wrapped tail ends with five turns of thread. Wrap the thread forward to the hook's eye and let the bobbin hang.

    • 5

      Wrap each herl one at a time around the shank to a point behind the hook's eye that is equal in distance to double the length of the eye. Make each herl wrap tight against the one before it. Tie each herl down with two turns of thread. Wrap three turns of thread around the last herl, then cut the excess herl off flush with the shank.

    • 6

      Wrap the tinsel forward over the herl body, spacing the wraps so there will be four equally spaced turns of tinsel over the entire body. Tie the tinsel off over the tied down herl with three turns of thread.

    • 7

      Separate a section out of a turkey quill that is the same width as the herl body. Lay the section down flat on the back of the shank so it lies along the top of the fly's body. Wrap the section down just in front of the herl body with three turns of thread, then cut the turkey quill section straight across leaving it protruding along the back for one-third the length of the shank.

    • 8

      Select a hackle with individual wisps that are long enough to reach from the hook eye to the point of the hook. Pinch 10 to 12 individual hackle wisps between your thumb and fore finger and cut them off flush with the hackle stem.

    • 9

      Even up the butt ends of the hackle wisps and hold the ends on the bottom side of the hook shank where the turkey quill section is tied off. Tie the hackle ends onto the underside of the shank with five wraps of thread, and trim the butt ends off flush to the hook shank. The tips of the hackle wisps should reach the hook point.

    • 10

      Create a head on the fly by wrapping the thread back and forth from the front of the body to the hook eye, forming a cone-shaped head. Tie the thread off with three half hitches and apply head cement by dipping the tip of the bodkin into the cement and painting it on the head. Let the cement dry, then clip the thread off flush with the head.