Time flies (no pun intended) and what was innovative (like a bead head) in the early 80’s is now a classic, basic fixture in fly tying of nymph patterns. Still a great, basic nymph pattern! The tinsel rib is seen less today, but the glint of segmentation is still an eye catcher. I still enjoying taking these macro shots of flies I’ve tied and use.
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On of my favorite flies to tie/fish. Tied on a curved shank or straight shank it is a busy, buggy fly. The hackle is starling, tail deer hair, abdomen/thorax hare’s ear with copper rib. A size 14 hook here.
‘Fishing is not an escape from life, but often a deeper immersion into it.’ Harry Middleton
Not too small, a size 14 here, trout pattern when basic black works subsurface. If you aren’t chasing Salmon or Winter Steelhead then it’s time to tie.
“Around the seel no tortur´d worm shall twine, no blood of living insects stain my line; Let me, less cruel, cast the feather´d hook, with pliant rod athward the pebbled brook. Silentt along the mazy margin stray, and with the fur-wrought fly delude the prey.” John Gay, Rural Sports, 1720
Beaded eyes on a dragon fly nymph pattern for stillwater (lakes) fly fishing
Oregon Rainbow Trout, Caught/Released by SwittersB
The abdomen of the dragon fly pattern is densely wound marabou (staggered colors) in a dubbing loop. The shaggy body is then trimmed with scissors or a razor blade (I prefer scissors). A wound hackle for legs and pheasant tail fibers for the wing case over the top of the plastic dumbbell eyes. The head here is dubbing but can be wound marabou fibers or ostrich herl fibers. I do not weight this pattern but prefer to take it subsurface with an Intermediate sink line fishing the shoreline of lakes out to the drop.
A few years ago, this Gold Ribbed, Bead Head Hare’s Ear Nymph was a ‘must have’ nymph pattern for the fly fisher. Today, for whatever reasons, it seems to be less prevalent. The creative, innovative fly tier, inundated with a huge amount of new tying materials, fell away from the tinsel, rabbit fur pattern. The only new addition here is the gold bead and some UV dubbing in the thorax with the rabbit fur guard hairs. Still a nice pattern for the stout clinger/crawler mayfly nymph patterns.
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The U.S. Quarter (or a 1 Shilling) gives a reference point to the size of the flies for the non-fly fisher/no fly tier.
I tied a smallish, size 18, black nymph; a version of a Copper John but with a ultra fine black wire. First I used the macro lens to show the image near a couple of pebbles. But, then I got the idea, for some reason, to attach the fly to a popcorn kernel to further show its size. Yes, go figure. I suppose a small ruler would suffice but instead I busted out popcorn kernels and attempted to capture something…I am sure. A bit blurry and the lighting was not great. Still you get the idea of scale.
A Flymph is a great fly pattern for the beginning tier and serviceable as a fishing pattern for all fly fishers. A combination of the nymph and what we now call the ’emerger’, it entices with movement and general shapes. It suits my ‘impressionistic’ almost, but not quite tying style (some might call it sloppy/lazy) and it is productive in streams and lakes. More here re flymphs
Here, I dubbed a tapered fly from the rear (abdomen) up into the thorax, creating a buggy/leggy/winged front end. Flymphs can be/maybe should be tied with a bit cleaner style with a clearly defined tail/abdomen (nymph like) and then a wet fly style thorax/head. Presentation, as always, is important. The wet fly swing or Leisenring lift (rising, emerging insect) are traditional presentation options for flymphs/soft hackles/wets. Here Oliver Edwards offers his suggestions that contradict the ‘swing’/down and across presentation. On lakes, I have simply cast to rising fish or used as a searching pattern with a straight forward cast it out and slowly work it back letting the fibers work their twitching magic. (Additional information)
