Swimmer Nymphs & Pheasant Tail Backstrap

The Swimmer Nymph: The slender bodied nymph that undulates to the surface film (as opposed to crawlers, clingers, borrowers). Blue Winged Olives generally fall into this category and are often considered, over all, one of the more important mayfly species to learn about. Below, Pheasant Tail fibers are an excellent material to help represent that slender, swimming body. It was also used here for the wing case and gives that fuzzy effect. The Pheasant Tail fibers were run back over the top of the abdomen and extended into the tail. I wrapped the wire ribbing forward over the top of the pheasant tail pieces to secure them (Skip Nymph technique for back strap over abdomen). Some, in a more exacting style, would opt for fewer pheasant tail fibers, say 3, in an attempt for matching the natural image (3 tails).

Fly Tying: Skip Nymph (Over Dubbing)

The Skip Nymph (Skip Morris) is designed to show a contrasting bodied nymph of dark over light, much like the real nymph. I hadn’t tied this in a few years, so the initial efforts (3-6) usually are a fine tuning effort. The pictures show the over dubbing, misaligned ribbing as well as a better effort with peacock for the abdomen.

Would the above fly fish ok? Sure it would. A size 14 fly, even with tier’s imperfections, would fish just fine. But, I do possess a little bit of interest in some uniformity and appearance.

Siphlonurus ‘Gray Drake’ Nymph & Callibaetis Nymph Similarities

 Callibaetis

 Gray Drake

simply note the similarities of the two nymphs (tails, gills, slender, a bit of difference in antennaes’ lengths).

http://www.pbase.com/michellemahood/image/24839291 (pics by Michelle Manhood)

Both patterns are great for lake fishing. The callibaetis is the more frequent and better known nymph from my experience (not sure, to be honest, I would know a gray drake hatch if I saw it). I am going to incorporate ostrich herl for gills and make tails, legs, eyes, and antennae more pronounced on my nymph pattern along with a darker back and lighter belly ala the Skip Nymph.     

In the excellent, upcoming ff mag, FLY FUSION, Spring 2008, there is an article in the ‘Bugs’ section on pages 44-47 by Phil Rowley entitled ‘CONSIDER CALLIBAETIS’. There is an excellent photo of a nymph in its’ nymph pose with splayed tails, legs and gills. Rowley provides precise info on the seasonal evolution of the genus Callibaetis.

Also, with regards to discerning the differences in duns, Hatches Magazine, Spring 2006

 http://www.hatchesmagazine.com/page/january2006/86 has photos and wing identifiers to separate out different mayfly duns….’speckled wing’ being the primary identifier as you gaze upon the dun that has landed on your forearm or is still perilously sailing upon the lake’s surface.

    Siphlonurus wing (plain)       Callibaetis wing (speckled)

So, for in the field or on the lake identifying, or for fly tying this helps me calculate which is which, and the materials to use for the wing to get the light dun look (gray drake)  or speckled look (callibaetis).

https://swittersb.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=587 (see here also)