A fly from 7 decades ago

[OldBear]

Hello guy's and gal's. Here's a classic fly that I tied and hope you like it. This is Polly Rosborough Casual Dress Nymph.

OldBear

[hap]

I got to fish with Polly several times, a long time ago. He was an interesting old guy and I was just a college kid with a fly rod. Watching Polly tie was an amazing thing to me at the time. The things he did with thin dubbing still amaze me.

[Byron haugh]

Can you fix your photo link? It doesn't show up

[Skip48]

Can you fix your photo link? It doesn't show up

Ditto, would love to see it!

Skip

[kbproctor]

I think this is it.



Now, how about a recipe?

[Steve Molcsan]

That is a very interesting tie,would love to see after it is wet..
A real fish catcher for sure..

Can you describe the materials...

[bones]

the use of Hydrophobic fur for nymphs always intrigued me

[OldBear]

Polly (Ernest) Rosborough Casual Dressed Nymp

Many of you have asked for a tutorial on this nymph. It’s the first I’ve ever had a go at doing, so apologies if it’s not much good. Any questions or suggestions would be welcome, just send me a message. Uni 8 O thread, size 10 streamer or nymph hook, muskrat hide and black ostrich herl is used for this fly,

Step 1
Start the thread at the eye of the hook and wrap evenly, touch and turn, right back to the barb.

Step 1.jpg


Step 2
Take between thumb and index finger a large clump of muskrat, together with guard hairs and clip it off the skin. Leave the guard hairs in, but just clear out the really fine dubbing. Take the clump and hold it at about 45 degrees to the hook. Use 2 loose wraps of your thread to pull the guard hair down onto the top of the hook, and cinch down using one or two tight wraps of thread and leave the thread hanging.

Step 2.jpg
Step 3
Where you tied off the tail clump and left the thread hanging, pull your thread down 2 to 3 inches and touch it lightly with your dubbing wax to just make the dubbing sticky. Between the thumb and index finger take another clump of fine muskrat dubbing, remove all guard hairs after the clump has been clipped off the skin. Twist the dubbing around the thread and start touch and turn to ? of the way up the shaft, leaving about 8 or 9mm from the eye of the hook and leave the thread hanging.


Step 3.jpg


Step 4
Pull your thread down 4 to 5 inches long. Take dubbing loop tool and creat the loop. Then take the thread back up to wrap around the hook. Wrap the rest of the way up to the eye and rest your thread on the cradle. Then back to your musk rat and betwen your thumb and index finger take a large clump of fur and guard hairs. Put this down whilst you take your finger, insert it into the dubbing loop and open it up. On one side of the loop put dubbing wax and whilst the finger is still in the loop, pick up the muskrat with guard hairs, insert it into the loop, remove finger and pull dubbing twister down tightly to close the loop. Take and gently spread the hair out through the loop and twist the dubbing tool and let it spin until the hair is completely twisted and the dubbing tool stops spinning. Get hold of dubbing tool and lift up. Any loose hair needs to be pulled out, then take the dubbing tool and twist the first wrap around in front of the abdomen and pull back to pull the hairs back. Touch and turn and continue wrapping until you get 3 to 4 mm before the eye. Tie off the dubbing loop and clip the wastage thread leaving your tying thread hanging. Take 2 to 3 black ostrich herls and wrap 2 to 3 turns towards the eye of the hook to make the black head.

Step 4 Dubbing Loop and black ostrich herls.jpg



Step 5
Tie off, clip the wastage, whip finish, varnish the head and you’re done.

I have done a picture of a wet look version having soaked one of the nymphs so you can see the effect achieved and a picture of the muskrat hide I used.

MuskRat.jpg

[Skip48]

Cool fly, I have never tried any muskrat, but think I have a little coming on an order I have not received yet. I like the colors on the fly as well.

Thanks,

Skip

[gpatton]

Thanks for sharing the step by step. Looks like a fun and durable fly.