By Barbless Editor
Materials for Gray Ugly (purchase using links):
• Hook: Daiichi 1180 #8-18
• Thread: Danville Gray 6/0
• Tip: Silver Tinsel
• Body: Peacock Herl
• Rib: Fine Silver Wire
• Hackle: Grizzly Hackle
• Tail: Grizzly Hackle Fibers
Materials for Beaded Gray Ugly: (purchase using links)
• Hook: Daiichi 1180, sizes 12-14
• Thread: Uni-thread Gray 8/0
• Body: Peacock Herl and Caddis Green Glass Bead
• Hackle: Grizzly hackle, Fore and Aft
• Tail: Golden Pheasant Tippets
Like the Sierra Bright Dot, the Gray Ugly is a Fore and Aft pattern in which there are a Front and Rear hackle. Ken Miller of Chatsworth, CA created a variation of the Gray Ugly using a beadhead body and golden tippet tails. According to Ken, he’s had great success in the Sierras with this fly.
Reproduced with permission from Steve Schalla’s Fly Fishing the Sierra
Tying Instructions: Gray Ugly
1. Attach a silver tinsel on the shank in front of the hook point. Wrap the tinsel to about the halfway position of the hook bend and wrap back to where you started.
2. Attach a bundle of Grizzly Hackle fibers to the start of the hook bend for a tail. The tail length should be about the same as the hook shank.
3. Attach a Grizzly hackle that is about one size larger than the hook gap at the bend of the hook. Give three wraps and anchor. Trim the the hackle tag.
4. Attach two Peacock Herls by the tip just in front of the Rear Hackle. Also attach a piece of silver wire that will be used for ribbing.
5. Wrap the peacock herl forward with tight wraps to about 1/8″ behind the eye.
6. Bring the Silver wire ribbing forward with even wraps and attach a Grizzly hackle in front of the herl body for a Fore Hackle. This Hackle should be one size smaller and the Aft Hackle or Rear Hackle. Complete with a thread wrapped head. Whip Finish.
