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The TenkaraBum Challenge 2014 stems from the comment "You can catch anything with a black woolly bugger." Personally, I don't think that's true (you might also need a white woolly bugger). Seriously, some fish just eat algae, some saltwater fish eat coral. There are fish you can't catch with a black woolly bugger.
Still, it is the genesis for an interesting challenge.
First, the fly at the center of TenkaraBum Challenge 2014 is not a woolly bugger, but a Killer Bugger - which is a cross between a Killer Bug and a Woolly Bugger - basically a Killer Bug with a marabou tail.
Click for Killer Bugger Step by Step tying instructions.
Visit the Black Killer Bugger Gallery to see how the challenge is shaping up so far.
Black Killer Bugger
I've done extremely well with a Killer Bug, and the Black Killer Bugger has been a success from the very start.
My first fish caught on a Black Killer Bugger |
18" chain pickerel |
Beadhead Killer Bugger Bass |
Black Killer Bugger Bluegill |
Size 26 Black Killer Bugger |
Baby Bluegill on Size 26 Bugger |
So, what can YOU catch with a Black Killer Bugger?
The TenkaraBum Challenge 2014 is a species contest. The angler who catches the most species of fish using a Black Killer Bugger wins.
Rules:
1) The contest begins at 12:01 AM May 1, 2014 and ends at 11:59 PM August 31, 2014. Times are Eastern Daylight Time. Submissions must be for fish caught after the contest starts and must be received before the contest ends.
2) Each submission must include a photo of the fish and a photo of the fly, taken before you've fished with it (use your camera's macro setting if it has one) and photos of at least 1 and no more than 3 fish of the same species caught with that fly. If you forget the fly photo, the submission won't count but can be resubmitted with the fly photo. If you have caught several species with the same fly, please upload the fish photo first so the blog entries (which are automatically generated) don't show the same image over and over.
3) You do not have to use the same fly or the same size fly. The fly just has to fit the definition of a Black Killer Bugger.
4) For the purposes of this contest:
A Black Killer Bugger MUST be:
A) Tied on a straight shank hook. (Tanago hooks don't qualify but the Daiichi 1110 size 26 do.)
B) Tied with a body consisting of TenkaraBum Black Killer Bugger Yarn.
C) Tied with a black marabou tail.
A Black Killer Bugger MAY be:
A) Tied with copper wire or tying thread (or both).
B) Tied with or without a bead head, a cone head, lead or other wire.
A Black Killer Bugger MUST NOT be:
A) Tied with any hackle, rubber legs, or anything other than Black Killer Bugger Yarn, Black Marabou, wire, thread, bead head, cone head.
5) Only one species per submission, and only one submission per species. If you caught different species with the same fly, submit them separately and upload the same fly photo for each species.
6) You must identify the species. You don't have to be certain and you don't have to be right, but you have to say what you think it is. If you are submitting micros, a photo box helps in identification. If there is any question on identification, I will ask for help from outside experts. After their input, I'll be the judge and the judge's ruling is final. You can challenge someone else's ID, but don't be a jerk about it. I do want to have an accurate contest and an accurate count, though. Send challenges to the Contact Us page. Hybrids count, but a tiger trout does not count as both a brown and a brookie.
7) Black Killer Bugger yarn samples will be given out with each* purchase from TenkaraBum.com from now until the contest ends. (If you start getting more yarn than you want, you can opt out, but you'll probably have to opt out again with each purchase.) In addition to the samples I will send with each purchase, you can also purchase packages of the Black Killer Bugger Yarn directly. Of course, you can also purchase the marabou, hooks, wire or thread (and receive a free sample of the yarn) but you do not have to purchase them from TenkaraBum.com.
*If you buy Black Killer Bugger Yarn package(s) or the Black Killer Bugger One Fly Kit, you may receive a bit of Black Woolly Bugger Marabou or a couple hooks instead of getting an extra sample of the yarn.
8) Prize (possibly prizes) to be determined. I'm thinking a T-shirt, but might change my mind.
9) Kiwi has agreed to tie Black Killer Buggers for me, and they may be used in the challenge. They will be available on the TenkaraBum Store - Flies page. I will not get many at a time and they will sell out very quickly. I will not reserve or hold them for even the very best customers. They are strictly on a first come, first served basis. No backorders. If they say "Out of stock" they really are out of stock. No need to send an email asking if they are in stock. Even if they say "In stock" they may have sold out before I got a chance to edit the page to change it. If they won't stay in your cart, they are out of stock. Limit: one order of three flies per customer per day.
10) Each submission must be made using the form below.
11) The rules may change and the challenge may be discontinued prior to the scheduled ending time (neither is anticipated, buy hey, you never know).
Click below to see submissions from other anglers.
Trout
Ice fishing. Used a killer Bugger as a lower fly..
TenkaraBum Challenge - Redbreast Sunfish
The river that I commonly visit is chock-full of beautiful redbreast sunfish (and huge bass that are too lazy to eat). The male sunfish are especially …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Red Shiner
Stopped by the Blue River on the way home from work. The Blue is usually pretty murky and slow. Not good for sight fishing. Found these in a slow riffle …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Common Carp
After many frustrating sessions of spooky fish and broken tippets (don't want to talk about the rod), I got a carp this morning. Small muddy pond. Dropped …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Little Brown Fish
There was a small group of these in some still shallow water by a weed bed. They hit the fly aggressively. I could not find any more of them for the rest …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bleeding Shiner
The Bleeding Shiner is apparently the most common fish in Brush Creek. I caught them all day. My micro rig for the day was the Kurenai HM30R with size …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Yellow Perch
You hear stories of fly fishermen catching fish as they are reeling in their line, with the fly hanging in the current directly below them.
This little …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Brook Trout
I took on your black yarn challenge during my last backpacking trip. I caught brook trout and grayling. It was deadly on the brook trout. I'd just toss …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Blacknose Dace
I caught this beauty from a tiny, rocky, high gradient brook in N. NJ. This was my second target species for the day and one that was a long shot. I never …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Brook Trout
I fished a high gradient, tiny, rocky brook in North NJ and this beauty came on the second cast with a # 26 BH Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Banded Killifish
I'd caught one of these once before - last fall in the same stream.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Brook Trout
The only brookie I caught in a stream that usually produces more than just one. Gold tungsten bead size 26 black Killer Bugger did the trick.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Blacknose Dace
Went to a brookie stream expecting to catch a brook trout, but hoping to catch a blacknose dace. The dace came first (actually caught two dace but only …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Longear Sunfish
Longear sunfish caught on black Killer Bugger
TenkaraBum Challenge - Largemouth Bass
Largemouth Bass caught on black Killer Bugger
TenkaraBum Challenge - Redbreast Sunfish
Redbreast Sunfish caught on black Killer Bugger
TenkaraBum Challenge - White Bass
White bass caught on black Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Spottail Shiner
I fished my go-to (for species) warm water stream in Princeton NJ and caught another new one. This is the 12th species from this body of water. As a result …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Unidentified Shiner
This was caught on Thursday fifty miles from Roaring River at Capps Creek conservation area. I could't ID it at the time but it looks a lot like the shiners …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Duskystripe Shiner
I spent last Friday at the Roaring River Trout Park in southwest Missouri with the plan to pick up the species I caught there in April only on a Killer …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Rainbow Trout
Three of the streams I fish have stocked rainbows. The last few times I've gone to any of them all I could catch were browns. Finally, a single rainbow …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Largemouth bass
My son and I finally got out for an afternoon of fishing at a marsh about an hour north of Las Vegas. I was using the Nissin Pro Spec, whose 2-way zoom …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill
My son and I finally got out for an afternoon of fishing at a marsh about an hour north of Las Vegas. I was using the Nissin Pro Spec, whose 2-way zoom …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Brown Trout
After leaving the Ouray, Ridgway area in the San Juans my wife and I spent some time in Frisco in Summit County before returning to Kansas City. This little …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Cutthroat Trout
After a few fish in the lake we worked our way up a beautiful small creek full of boulders and pools. This creek is not stocked at has truly wild trout. …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Cutbow Hybrid Trout
Paul Vertrees from Rigs Flyshop in Ridgway, Colorado and I began our day fishing the inlet of a mountain stream into a small lake in the Cimarron Mountains …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Mummichog
I caught this beauty at the end of a marathon day covering over 200 miles, two lakes an old cranberry bog and ending at a saltwater marsh.It was my only …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Mummichog
Coach and I were out on another species quest and he said he knew a place were we could catch mummichog. He was right!
I sight fish for micros when …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Chain Pickerel
Caught this pickerel while fishing for sunfish. I was using the Nissin SP390, which handled it with absolutely no problem.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Wedgespot Shiner
Side pools to the main channel I got lots of fish with the little size 25 Killer Buggers. Most of those were sunfish and many of the rest were shiners. …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Spotted Bass
I was fishing the Osage Fork river at the inlet of a small mostly dry creek. The water formed some long very shallow pools that had lots of little fish. …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Northern Studfish
After working a size 12 for a while I rigged up my Suntech Kurenai with one of two size 25 Killer Buggers I had tied but put off fishing because they're …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Striped Shiner
After catching the rainbow and getting that out of the way, only joking, I like to catch trout. I spent the rest of my time exploring a small section of …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Rainbow trout
My wife has friend in Lebanon, MO and we went to visit over the 4th. Went to the Bennett Spring state trout park and caught this rainbow. Was really disappointed …
TenkaraBum Challenge - White Crappie
I heard there were White Crappie in a lake near my house where I used to fish for Bluegills. I needed another species so I went there near dusk and managed …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Chain Pickerel
Stopped at one of the Cranberry Bogs in South NJ for a quick shot at a Pickerel. I needed to use a spinning rod so I could lift any fish so I tied a double …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bass????
I caught one of these little fellows by accident about a week ago in a local urban pond . It put a smile on my face so I set out to do it again, this …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Smallmouth Bass
This Smallmouth is the 10th species I've caught on the Killer Bugger from this small and shallow warm water brook.
There are another 2-3 species available …
TenkaraBum Challenge - White Perch
I had heard that there were some white perch in a lake close to home. It took over 2 hours to hunt one down and catch it. The hardest part was working …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Satinfin Shiner
I started out with a size 26 but found that a size 20 killer bugger was more effective.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Banded Killifish
I have always associated Killies with salt water marshes and brackish water. I didn't know that these could be found in a freshwater steam 40 miles from …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Satinfin Shiner
The tenth species of the day.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Rock Bass
Second catch in the warmwater stream.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Green Sunfish
We then moved to a warmwater stream, where my first catch was this little Green Sunfish.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Creek Chub
Second stream and fourth species in a ten-species day. Third was brown trout, which I've already caught for the Challenge. We had hoped to catch brook …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Common Shiner
The second catch of a 10-species day. I've caught common shiners before, but never in spawning colors. Wow!
TenkaraBum Challenge - Redbreast Sunfish
Caught in the same warmwater brook as the other sunfish.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Pumpkinseed Sunfish
Caught in a warm water brook
TenkaraBum Challenge - Fallfish
Third species caught in a cold water stream.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Yellow Perch
I am amazed that I was able to catch this perch as the sunfish would not leave the killer bugger alone.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Largemouth Bass
Caught in an urban pond. The killer bugger is deadly on bass and bluegills, especially after dark.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Black Crappie
First crappie I've seen in this warm water brook. One of the 10 species caught that day.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Green Sunfish
Caught in a warm water stream. One of the 10 species caught that day.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Rock Bass
Caught in a warm water brook one of 10 species for the day
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill Sunfish
Caught in warm water brook. Some of the 10 species caught that day.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Creek Chub
Caught in a high gradient tiny rocky creek.( Struck out on Brook Trout. It was part of a multiple species marathon day with 10 species caught.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Brown Trout
Second species caught in a cold water stream. It was a multiple species marathon day with 10 species caught.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Common Shiner
One of three species caught in a clear cold water stream.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Fallfish
Sunday was a many species day. I started out with a fallfish.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Mayan Cichlid
Here in Florida we find all kinds of non indigenous fish. Hoping to find more.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Rainbow Trout
Had some fun in White Oak Creek North Carolina and got this nice wild rainbow trout.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Pumpkinseed Sunfish
The Pumpkinseeds were just as aggressive as the Redbreasts. Black Killer Buggers got hit.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Redbreast Sunfish
The sunfish just couldn't get enough of the Black Killer Buggers. Cast, pause, slow steady retrieve, tug, fish on. Over and over and over.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Smallmouth Bass
The smallies in Maine loved the Black Killer Buggers!
TenkaraBum Challenge - Largemouth Bass
I catch mostly smallmouth bass in Maine, but I always catch at least a few largemouths. This year I only caught one was when I was fishing a black killer …
TenkaraBum Challenge - White Bass
Here's a White Bass from Lahontan Reservoir caught on a size 8 killer bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Freshwater Drum
I didn't even know these guys could be found in Walnut Creek. But once I spotted them chilling along with Buffalo, Carp, and River Carpsuckers I figured …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Channel Catfish
Since I had the day off and the weather was nice, I decided to hit Walnut Creek again to try and get more species for the challenge. But instead of using …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Western Mosquitofish
I must say the western mosquitofish was a super difficult fish to catch on fly. I've caught plenty of eastern mosquitofish on fly with no problem. But …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Channel Catfish
We received some much needed rain this weekend but all the creeks and rivers are high and muddy. I went to a small municipal lake I know is stocked with …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Common Carp
Here's a Common Carp caught on a size 12 Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill
My first Tenkara fish!
It's been a very long winter up here in the North (Upper Peninsula of Michigan). I bought a Kurenai 33 to console myself and …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Green Sunfish
Here's a Green Sunfish from a local urban pond caught on a size 18 killer bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Tiger Trout
Here's a Tiger Trout caught on a size 12 Killer Bugger from a little creek called Desert Creek.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Lahontan Redside Shiner
Here's a Lahontan Redside caught on a size 18 Killer Bugger in the East Walker River.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Cutthroat Trout
Took the float tube out on Monument Reservoir and caught numerous 'bows and cutt's, all on a size 12 black Killer Bugger. I missed more than I brought …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Rainbow Trout
Took the float tube out on Monument Reservoir and caught numerous 'bows and cutt's, all on a size 12 black Killer Bugger. I missed more than I brought …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill
Here's a Bluegill I caught using a size 14 Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Black Crappie
Also caught at Van Cortland Lake, the next cast after the golden shiner.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Golden Shiner
Went to Van Cortland Lake, which is supposed to have quite a few yellow perch, but caught a golden shiner instead.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Shortnose Gar
I returned to Indian Creek with renewed focus and a bigger net. And also a good location tip from Zach Janssen a local carp on the fly specialist. The …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Rainbow Trout
Here's a Rainbow Trout from a local urban pond caught on a size 12 killer bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Green Sunfish
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
TenkaraBum Challenge - Redear Sunfish
I wasn't honestly targeting Redear Sunfish when I caught this guy but was sure happy when I had it in hand and noticed it was actually a Redear sunfish …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Orangespotted Sunfish
A true Orangespotted Sunfish this time, the other one I had posted was a misidentified juvenile Longear Sunfish.
I tried to spend the day fishing for …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Sacramento Perch
Here's a Sacramento Perch from a local urban pond caught on a size 18 killer bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Spotted Sunfish
Out fishing with my daughter and caught this nice little spotted sunfish.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Tui Chub
Caught this Tui Chub in a local high elevation lake on a size 18 Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Brown Trout
While fishing for Smallmouth today I caught this pretty little Brown on a size 12 Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - "Baby" Smallmouth Bass
Caught this little Smallmouth in the Carson river on a size 12 Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Cutthroat
First fish caught on my new Daiwa Kiyose was a nice Cutthroat from a local reservoir on a size 18 Black Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Sand Shiner
Well I woke to a thunderstorm this morning which completely changed my plans of targeting gar, buffalo, carpsuckers, and catfish on the Black Killer Bugger …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Brook Trout
Eastern Sierra Brook Trout on a size 12 beadhead Black Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Largemouth Bass
Here's a Largemouth Bass caught in northern Nevada on a size 12 Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - White Crappie
Continuation of my Red Shiner, White Bass story.
After trying and trying to catch a gar with no luck and taking into account the fact that the sun was …
TenkaraBum Challenge - White Bass
Continuation of my Red Shiner story.
After giving up on catching a catfish on a fly due to the wind, I slowly worked my way downstream until I came across …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Red Shiner
After spending a good portion of my Mothers Day with my mother, I just had to hit the creek that ran through town before driving back home. It's actually …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Black Crappie
After a good Saturday I headed out this morning with high hopes. A drove to Shawnee Mission Park which has a nice lake. I had caught a few crappie there …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Golden Shiner
Continuation of my Black Crappie story.
After catching a Black Crappie I continued to fish West Winter Creek in the hopes of catching a White Crappie. …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Black Crappie
When I was heading home from fishing West Bitter Creek where I caught a Green Sunfish I remembered there was one more creek I could try that I had almost …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Green Sunfish
After catching an Orangespotted sunfish early that Saturday afternoon. I made a stop at the town park but was completely unable to fish it due to the wind. …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Orangespotted Sunfish
Itching to increase my count for the challenge I spent my Saturday hitting various creeks near my house. The targets for the day were mostly micros but …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Creek Chub
Well I was in chub town but they were out on break. I was using a plain size 14 Killer Bugger and getting very little action. I caught a few small green …
Longeared Sunfish
Upstream from the aquarium is a series of flats and rifles leading to a long pool with some 3 and 4 foot deep holes long the banks. This is chub town. …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Largemouth Bass
Went out to Mill Creek on the West side of the Metro, another clear rocky creek. There's a huge hole under a bridge "the aquarium" clear, deep and full …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Green Sunfish
A beautiful day in Kansas City and hoping to fill in a few blanks. Stopped by Tomahawk Creek for the first time this spring. It's a rocky, clear suburban …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Largemouth Bass
Lots of fun chasing a few bluegill and bass at a small local park lake.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill Sunfish
Lots of fun chasing a few bluegill and bass at a small local park lake.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Longear Sunfish
Continuation of my Bluegill story.
As I continued to fish with the same fly my entire time at Walnut Creek. I could see Longear Sunfish all over in the …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Hybrid Sunfish
Not sure if this entry counts, but it was still a cool catch.
This is a continuation of my Bluegill story.
After landing a Largemouth Bass, I got …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Largemouth Bass
This is a continuation of my Bluegill story/entry.
Right after I caught my Bluegill, I got right back to fishing and it wasn't long before I had my second …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill Sunfish
As soon as I received my Black Killer Bugger yarn and marabou tail I tied up three flies of various sizes and headed out to a local creek east of town. …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Black Crappie
Last of the easy to catch species entry. There are catfish, grass carp and yellow perch in this lake, but they are fewer and farther between. After these …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Large Mouth Bass
Same trip as the bluegill entry. Same fly. Same weather and water conditions. I caught another one using a western 4wt rod, but I figure this is a "tenkara" …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill Sunfish
We had a deluge last week and just when you think the water is calming back down, we get more rain. The sun finally came out and the fish were willing …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Green Sunfish
This is the first fly I have ever tied and I tore the Green Sunfish up with the Killer Bugger. Cant wait to get some more species on the list with this …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill Sunfish
Baby bluegill I believe. Caught it on the #26 killer bugger. Think I will put him back for a few more years.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Mosquito Fish
Mosquito fish with the micro fly what a fight.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Jeweled Cichlid
At the lake and caught a jeweled cichlid. Who new I would find one in florida lakes?
TenkaraBum Challenge - Large Mouth Bass
cought this little bugger on the killer bugger in the lakes of florida.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Golden Shiner
Second fish a minute after the Bluegill. Totally unexpected. Had to go home and look it up.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill Sunfish
First day out on the challenge. Pretty day, pretty lake, pretty fish. Beadhead size 12 Killer Bugger.
TenkaraBum Challenge - Brown Trout
It wasn't very big, but it was the first brown trout I caught after the Challenge started.
My species on a Black Killer Bugger
#1 Bluegill Sunfish …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill
On the board. Black Killer Bugger tied on a sewing pin bent into hook shape. Just wanted to see if I could catch a fish on the sewing pin. The bluegill …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Bluegill Sunfish
AHA! First on the board! Just a little bluegill from Central Park. After this fish I had a couple little neighborhood kids who took turns asking if they …
TenkaraBum Challenge - Creek Chub - Example
This creek chub was about 9", taken from a stream I drive past almost every time I rent a car to go fishing. I have never seen anyone fish it.
This …
TenkaraBum Home > TenkaraBum Challenge 2014
“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin
"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662
As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.
The hooks are sharp.
The coffee's hot.
The fish are slippery when wet.
Beware of the Dogma
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I purchased several colors of yarn from you and the first fly I tied was the black killer bugger. I did not take any pictures because I was to busy catching large bluegill. This fly is incredible. I almost felt guilty it was so easy. Thanks for a great product. Keep up the good work.
Chris A, Georgia |