angora bugger

the angora bugger

I might have never even tried tying with angora goat if I hadn’t been trying to find seal fur for a British nymph pattern. It was labeled "Seal Fur Substitute." Having never tied with seal fur, I thought this stuff was terrible. Long, slippery fibers that didn’t dub easily, too shiny, impossible to tie small flies with the stuff…..I retired the bag to the hook on my pegboard that holds the odd balls. A year or so later, I saw some wooly buggers for sale with rabbit-dubbed bodies that looked nice and spiky.
When I fished them, the rabbit fur matted-down losing all it’s bulk. "Gee" I thought…"if only there was a dubbing that had long, slippery fibers that was well-suited to tying large flies.." The orange angora quickly came to mind. I couldn’t remember what other colors were available but soon found black in stock at the local shop. It took some practice to use, wax was necessary. The stuff requires a bit more pinching force when adding it to the thread, but you get the hang of it.
While I tie a few versions and colors of angora-dubbed streamers, this one has really proven itself. I’ve caught rainbows, brook trout, largemouth, smallmouth and every kind of panfish that swims in Ontario with this fly, in this color. My version of the classic bugger has become one of my most productive bass patterns, and continues to catch trout in deep-water situations. The fly’s other obvious advantage is that it uses no hackle, and has a strong wire rib that protects the thread holding the dubbing. I’ve NEVER had one come undone.

Tying The Angora Bugger Fly Pattern

Hook:Daiichi#1750/Mustad#79580 size 4/6/8
Weight:Gold plated 5/32" with several wraps of med. lead wire
Thread:Black 6/0
Tail:Black Marabou
Rib:Gold Wire
Body:Black Angora Goat
Flash:Black Krystal Flash
Fit bead onto the hook, pinching the barb might be necessary. Add several wraps of lead and secure it
from slipping by tying a small "dam" of tying thread behind it.


Select 2 black marabou plumes, align the tips and tie on as shown. The butt-ends should end where at the lead wraps.

Tie in the gold wire and dub a tapered body of angora goat. Leave a bit of room behind the bead.


Tie in 4 strands of black Krystal Flash and begin to tighten-back as shown.

Wind the wire forward in open wraps, over the Krystal Flash to hold it down. Tie the wire off and trim.

Using your bodkin (or a needle, or a toothpick) pick-out the dubbing on the top and bottom btween the wire wraps. (top is complete in this photo)

Add some dubbing (Applied to the thread loose) and dub the area behind the bead sroking the fibers back as you go.


When you are happy with the level of "bulk," sroke all he fibers back and tie-off behind the bead.Trim the Krystal Flash so that some strands are shorter than the tail, some longer. Add head cement to the wraps.



Angora Bugger