Design challenge

[pittendrigh]

I've been kick-netting bugs recently....into a net. And then photographing the bugs.
It's a fun sub-hobby. One thing I notice: unlike the traditionally cylindrical Hare's Ear or PT
nymph style type, in the real world there are also a lot of wide, flat rock-clinging nymphs.
And a fair number of those wide flat nymphs end up in trout stomachs. Many of those rock-clingers
are big nymphs too. Maybe that's what trout are rooting out when you see them tailing like bonefish.

However. There is no good fly pattern for a wide flat rock clinger. Not that I've ever seen.
Typically the real nymphs are strongly two-toned with white or yellow on the bottom and a mottled brown top.
They all seem to have a slightly flattened abdomen, strongly flattened thorax and an extra-wide flat head.
The dorsal view (from the top) looks almost like an arrow head.

So I propose an informal contest of sorts. Let's see who comes up the best new clinger nymph pattern,
with.....let's say.....Thanksgiving as the deadline.

The winner gets an expenses paid trip to the Seychelles.
Paid for by.....................well. We'll work on that part.

[Normand]

i think oliver edwards has one in his fly tying masterclass book

can i submit this one

http://www.rackelhanen.se/eng/10270.htm

[pittendrigh]

That's a nifty pattern. But it's clearly in a different category than "the set of all fly patterns that are practical to
tie and to fish with."

So I amend the ground rules. You have to be able to make the fly, from start to finish, in less than a single day.
Less than an hour, for that matter. I mean. Well. Some flies I can crank out a dozen an hour.
Some are more like three per hour. And that's about my limit. If I can't make at least three of them in an hour's time,
then I'm not interested. At least not as a fly to actually fish with.

[FishnDave]

Can you post a picture of one of the more common nymphs you are collecting, that we can try to emulate?
I recall Skip Morris gives a dragonfly nymph tutorial in one of his books...it has a broad flattened-shaped abdomen, with a 2-color woven body (dark on top, lighter beneath), etc. Perhaps modifying the pattern, but using similar techniques, to suit your smaller "clingers" might be the answer to your search?

[pittendrigh]

This isn't the world's best photo, nor the Gallatin River's widest, flatest nymph.
In fact this one came from the Beartrap Canyon on the Madison--now that I think about it--this
past April, during Blue Winged Olive time.

This photo doesn't show the stark white bottom side of the nymph, moreover.



A few more bug photos ....

[FishnDave]

OK...here's my go at it...pretty easy to tie. If you like it, I can post a recipe.
Top views:


Top and Bottom views:

[Bluegill222]

Most of the mayflies in the lakes around here are either clingers or burrowers. For the clingers I just tie a heavier thorax to provide the wider profile, then add a soft hackle collar for the legs as they are also more pronounced than other types of mayfly nymphs. I don't have a picture at the moment or I would post one. I'll see what I can come up with. Nice picture by the way.

[quivira kid]

How big of a bug are we talking about here? I have some ideas about a design for a big bug, but they won't work too well for a smaller one. (Or I need to finally push myself over the edge and get better with the smaller diameter materials needed for it!) Are we talkin' size 6 or 16 here?!