Famous Nymphs That Just Don't Work for You

[Fly Tyer]

Copper John! Never had a hit.

[dpenrod]

i have never caught a fish on a scud.

[planettrout]

Standard BH Hare's Ear (use Bead, Hare, and Copper instead)
Kaufmann Stones
Pat's Rubberlegs aka Turds aka Girdle Bugs in any color except brown
Sparkle Pupae and Deep Sparkle Pupae

Walter,

Were these Sparkle and Deep Sparkle Pupae patterns tied using the blended method for the abdomen dubbing and veil ?

In my experience, tied in this manner, they will clobber Trout ...



...on the desk...



...on the water...

PT/TB

[Ray Kunz]

Uncle Jesse has the whole world of fly choice down to his little "circle".
Anyone who has ever been involved in any technical experimentation should tell you this.

[herefishy]

What "blended method" do you use? I tried touch dubbing and Gary LaFontaine's yarn for the veil, but haven't had a lot of luck with it.

[planettrout]

What "blended method" do you use? I tried touch dubbing and Gary LaFontaine's yarn for the veil, but haven't had a lot of luck with it.

Ginger Sparkle Pupa

Dubbing:
One-half squirrel belly Antron
One-half light cahill Superfine Dubbing

Veil:
One-half cahill cream Antron
One-eighth squirrel belly Antron
One-eighth golden stone Antron
One quarter white Antron

Each is blended together. The veil material is combed through with a fine toothed comb, on 'yer upper leg, until the colors are fully mixed ( like the one used for dog's hair with the large and small sides). The dubbing is blended in the same manner then cut into 1/4" pieces and used as "touch dubbing".


Ck. the article in FLY TYER - Spring 2006, ppgs. 20-29. I never caught squat with this pattern until I used this method.

PT/TB

[herefishy]

Thanks - will see if I can find the article. Is the ginger the best color? Use hair for the wing? Dub around in front of the veil for a head?

[DG]

I've caught one fish on a yuk bug in more than 35 years of flyfishing. It was a 23" brown, tho. I also don't fish prince nymphs, after giving up trying to not catch whitefish on them in Montana.

[planettrout]

Thanks - will see if I can find the article. Is the ginger the best color? Use hair for the wing? Dub around in front of the veil for a head?

The head should be the same color as the abdomen, dubbed in front of the veil and wing. Wing pads are saddle hackle fibers to match the head. Pale deer hair for the Ginger and medium or dark deer hair for the others

These were the colors in the article:

Brown & Yellow Sparkle Pupae
Brown & Green
Brown
Ginger
Dark Gray

I added my own:

Cinnamon

Each has it's own color recipe for the abdomen and veil...

[Uncle Jesse]

Uncle Jesse has the whole world of fly choice down to his little "circle".
Anyone who has ever been involved in any technical experimentation should tell you this.

I know how the circle works, but sometimes I have to make myself use something that I have not gained confidence in. Years ago I did that with a spinner bait bass fishing. Last year a discussion made me realize I had never caught a fish on a muddler. Next time I went trout fishing, I tied on a muddler and resolved that situation.