[2] Woolly Buggers are typically fished in streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and tidal flats.

I suspect its effectiveness is due to its resemblance to so many edible creatures in the water—nymphs, leeches, salamanders, or even small sculpins.

It just looks like a meal!Although the original Woolly Bugger pattern was believed to have been created by Pennsylvania fly tyer Russell Blessing as early as 1967 to resemble a hellgrammite, or dobsonfly nymph, its precise origin is unknown, but is clearly an evolution of the Woolly Worm fly,[4] which itself is a variation—intentional or not—of the British palmer fly, which dates back to Walton and beyond.

[5] The Woolly Bugger, depending the specific material used and how it is fished can be assumed to resemble large nymphs, baitfish, leech, drowning terrestrial insects, clamworms, crayfish, shrimp or crabs.

Tying the pattern with a rib of fine copper wire helps protect the palmer hackle.