Sawyer’s Killer Bug

Hook:            TMC 2302 or Mustad S80-3906 in  #14-18
                      (Tied here with a 3906) 

Thread:         Copper wire in size Brassie or Small
                     (Size 16-18 tie better using small wire)

Body:           Chadwick’s 477 wool substitute

The Sawyer’s Killer Bug is famous in the U.K. and Europe but only recently has this pattern gained a following in the U.S.  This fly is famous for its catching fish and mythological properties of Chadwick’s 477 yarn used in its construction.

I became aware of the Killer Bug through English fly tier and author Oliver Edwards who featured Sawyer’s patterns in his DVD Essential Skills: Search and Sight Fishing released in 2001.

Frank Sawyer was a river keeper on the River Avon at Lake in Wiltshire in the U.K. along with being a writer, and inventor of such flies as the Pheasant Tail Nymph. 

Sawyer’s pattern is simple and effective, using in many cases only two materials.  In the Killer Bug and Pheasant Tail nymph, he used copper wire the thread and weight.  Both patterns are brilliant in their simplicity and effectiveness.

The killer bug was developed by Sawyer’s to manage the grayling numbers on the River Avon.  Back then Grayling were considered vermin, and gentleman would only angle for trout, never grayling.

In alkaline chalk stream, one of the main food sources is freshwater shrimp and the Killer Bug was designed to imitate shrimp and scuds.  Today in the U.S. it’s an effective imitation for larva (crane and caddis), scuds, cress bugs and shrimp.

The originally the Killer Bug was tied Chadwick's 477 darning wool and reddish brown copper wire.  For some, the original Chadwick's 477 wool has mythical fish-catching properties with lengths of the wool selling for hundreds of dollars.  Production of Chadwick’s wool ceased in 1965, which only added to its value.

The Killer Bug was named by Sawyer's friend Lee Wulff, but its popularity never quite took in the U.S.

By the time I found out about the “Bug” there was no wool to purchase.  I was on a mission find a suitable substitute.

Veniard’s sells their version wool (Veniard 477) but without a sample of the genuine article, it was nearly impossible to know if it was a good match.

My first substitute took the form of a cutting up an old rag wool sweater that now too small, which worked well.   Next, I found some old craft yarn “Fun with Fibers” that had a viable candidate but was as rare as the Chadwick’s.  Then I started to use Patons Classic Wool Natural Mix (00229), which I found at Michael’s.  Then I struck gold, one blogger from the U.K. sent me a yard of Chadwick’s 477, now I had the yarn to use as a reference.

Many other bloggers and friends pointed me in the direction of finding a suitable substitute. Chris Swart (TenkaraBum), Juan Ramirez (The Hopper Juan), and Jason Klass (Tenkara Talk).

Here is a list of yarns you can use to tie your killer bug.

Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift: Oyster (Color #290)

Patons Classic Wool Yarn (00229) Natural Mix

Regia Darning Yarn: Light Camel Marl

Veniard Chadwick Wool - 477 (Killer Bug Yarn)

Places to purchase these yarns and your local craft or yarn shop.

http://www.tenkarabum.com/fly-tying-materials.html

http://threeriverstenkara.com/?product=regia-darning-yarn

http://www.performanceflies.com/product-p/v-yarn-c477.htm

Good luck and tie some Killer Bugs for your next fishing adventure.

Lou DiGena

Fly and Fin

© 2017 Louis DiGena All Rights Reserved.

Alternitives for Chadwick 477

First, thanks are in order to Richard, a.k.a. Regular Rod at Dry Fly 'Expert (https://dryflyexpert.blogspot.com/).  If it was not for his generosity and kindness, I would not have a sample of Chadwick's 477 to use as a reference.

Many readers of the blog know I've been searching for a Chadwick's 477 mending yarn substitute.  While Veniard sells a good substitute for the yarn used in Frank Sawyer's Killer Bug, I would never know if it was close.  I've never seen the genuine article until Richard sent me the sample.

It's been a small obsession to find a substitute for Chadwick's 477 starting with me getting Frank Sawyer's Nymphs and the Trout published in 1958 by Stanley Paul & Co. and Oliver Edwards video Essential Patterns.  I've used Rag wool from an old sweater (Rag Bug) before locating a source of Veniard's Chadwick's 477 substitute (Killer Bug Yarn). Next I found a bag of "Fun with Fibers" yarn while cleaning out an old crafts locker (Possible Chadwick 477 Substitute).  Then Patons Classic Wool Yarn (00229) Natural Mix, which I use for my K.I.S.S. Crane Fly Larva.

It was that post and my request for a sample that now brings me to the end of the quest.  Here are the comparisons.

Richard's letter and sample.

The finalist.

A close-up of the field.

Veniard vs. Original 477

Patons vs. Original 477

Fun with Fibers vs. Original 477

Now I think the winner is clear  - "Fun with Fibers," but no luck finding any.  I could not find any information on the yarn and there was no company information on the packaging.  So the closest which you can buy is the Patons Classic Wool Yarn (00229) Natural Mix.  The problem with the Patons is dye lots can vary and it's 100% wool, not the 85% wool 15% nylon blend found in the Chadwick's 477.  Now the Venards is the furthest from the Chadwick's, but is that due to dye lot or year the yarn was manufactured?  I don't know.  One thing I do know is that Trout don't care if it's the genuine article. They only care if it looks and acts like food.  It's up to the fisher to feel or see the take, strike and land the fish.

So thanks to Richard I have a sample that I can compare to any other yarn when my supply runs out.

Richard again thanks and cheers, expect something in the post.