Bodkin / Patterns

Articulated Hen Bugger

Streamer · Trout · Smallmouth Bass · Intermediate · 5 versions

Note: Contested against a published dressing: CONTRADICTS our stored tail. The whole point of the Hen Bugger is that it is tied from hen saddle rather than marabou — FFF describe it as tied 'with nearly one material', hen saddle for both tail and palmered hackle. Source: Fly Fish Food — "Articulated Hen Bugger" tying tutorial (Cheech / Fly Fish Food) — https://www.flyfishfood.com/blogs/streamer-tutorials/articulated-hen-bugger

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Articulated: trailer hook joined to front hook/shank, Rear #6-10, front #4-8
  • Thread Black or olive 6/0

Materials

  • Connection Wire or braid + beads (1 hinge)
  • Tail Marabou + flash (1 clump)
  • Body Chenille or dubbing (As needed)
  • Hackle Soft hen, palmered (2 feathers)
  • Head Bead or cone (1, optional)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the rear hook, start thread, and tie in a marabou tail a shank length long with a few flash strands.
  2. Tie in a hen hackle by the tip and a length of chenille; wrap the chenille forward to the eye, then palmer the hen through it in 5-6 open turns. Soft hen breathes far more than stiff rooster.
  3. Tie off, whip finish the rear, and cement.
  4. Connect to the front hook with wire or braid and 2-3 beads so the joint hinges freely.
  5. On the front hook, tie marabou over the joint, then a hen hackle and chenille, and wrap/palmer forward as before.
  6. Add a bead or cone head if you want it to dive, build a thread head, whip finish, and cement.

Other versions

4 more in the app: Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 1, Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 2, Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 3, Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 4.

Tying videos

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