UNI Products Fly Tiers Corner

A Multi-Threat Fly

December 2022

The Zug Bug was developed more that 90 years ago in the 1930s by Cliff Zug of West Lawn, Pennsylvania. His original vision was to create an immitation of caddis fly nymphs. While the pattern works well in that capacity, in the ensuing decades anglers have found the Zug Bug to be deadly on trout when fished in several ways.

Besides its founding purpose, this pattern can be used as a prospector, as a dropper or even swinging it across current like a wet fly. Probably the most effective modern use has been suspending it in a dry-dropper rig.

The Zug Bug has often been mentioned among the top 10 most effective nymph patterns ever created. Whether or not that holds up to the test, it is certain that the fly has proven its worth all across the country. That has been especially true in both the tailwaters and the mountain streams of the southeastern states.