NYMPHS
Floating Damselfly Nymph
HOOK: 8-12; TMC 5262 2X long nymph hook
FLOTATION: a cylinder of high-density foam wrapped
along the hook shank
TAIL: olive marabou and clear Antron fibers (combed
together)
ABDOMEN: olive fur and olive Antron dubbing (chopped,
blended, and dubbed)
THORAX: olive fur and olive Antron dubbing (chopped,
blended, and dubbed)
HACKLE: grouse fibers (tied as a collar and swept back)
This pattern is designed for the Yo-Yo Retrieve.
The sinking, shooting-head line cuts through the
weeds, stirring up insects and flushing minnows,
and the floating fly swims above the weeds right
through this chum slick. This is a fine searching
technique when nothing much is happening; and
during a heavy hatch of damsel nymphs, when the
abundant naturals make it tough for trout to
find an imitation, this technique is often the
only chance of catching a good number of fish.
Sometimes emerging damsel nymphs swim just
under the surface instead of along the bottom.
This usually happens in shallow bays. The trout
roll and break the surface as they take the
naturals. This is the time to fish the Floating
Damselfly Nymph with a floating line and a strip
retrieve right on top.
Two other patterns, the Floating Emergent
Sparkle Pupa and the Floating Marabou
Single Egg, also are designed for the
Yo-Yo Retrieve. These floating variations
are simply the regular flies with a buoyant,
foam under-body.
Floating Caddis Larva
HOOK: 2-6; TMC 5212 2X long and IX fine dry-fly
hook
CASE: brown and gray speckled deer hair
(spun and clipped to shape)
INSECT BODY: pale yellow or pale olive natural
or synthetic fur(dubbed)
HACKLE: grouse fibers (beard style)
This imitates the caddis larva that get air
bubbles trapped under its case and floats to
the surface. Right after ice-out, when the
insects migrate from deep water into the
shallows, mats of these caddis collect in
the wind lanes and trout feed like pigs at
a slop trough. Grease up the fly and allow
it to drift dead with the wind current.
Cased Caddis Larva
HOOK: 2-10; TMC 5262-2X long and 2X heavy nympt hook
WEIGHT: lead wire (wrapped on the shank)
CASE: soft hackle feathers (wrapped and trimmed)
INSECT BODY: pale yellow or pale olive natural or synthetic
fur(dubbed)
HACKLE: soft hackle fibers (beard style)
Fish this fly very slowly right over the bottom.
Rollover Scud
HOOK: 14-18; TMC 9300 standard wet fly hook
WEIGHT: strip of lead wire (tied on top of the
hook shank)
BACK: eight pieces of Fluorescent Blue Stren spinning
line
BODY: Antron dubbing (dubbed rough and shaggy)
The fly, unbalanced by the strip of lead along
the top of the hook shank, flips over when it
isn't being retrieved. This is one of the few
patterns that will make trout that are "grazing"
on zooplankton strike an artificial the sudden
roll of the fly triggers a reaction. It is an
indispensable pattern on rich lakes with
populations of real scuds. It is a valuable
searching fly even on infertile lakes, where
trout never saw a scud but still respond to
the rolling action of the fly. Olive and orange
are the best colors for the Rollover Scud.
Twist Nymph (stillwater version)
HOOK: 10-18; TMC 3761 IX heavy and IX long
TAIL: two peacock herl tips
ABDOMEN: peacock herl and yellow Antron dubbing
(twisted together in a dubbing loop)
THORAX: three or four strands of peacock herl
(wrapped)
CREST: grizzly hackle and golden badger hackle (twisted
together in a dubbing loop and pulled over the
top of the thorax)
One of the most valuable approaches on lakes
is the Do Nothing technique. Cast out your
nymph and as it sinks watch the line tip for
a subtle take. The stillwater version of the
Twist Nymph, with the crest of hackle fibers
acting as a stabilizer, settles through the
water in a lifelike position. It is designed
for the Do Nothing method.
A beadhead version of the Twist Nymph, with
a stubby marabou tail instead of the two pieces
of herl and a brass bead instead of the thorax
and crest, is a great pattern for the Hang-and-Bob
technique.
Pheasant Tail Twist Nymph
HOOK: 14-16; TMC 3761 IX heavy and IX long
TAIL: two pheasant tail fibers
ABDOMEN: pheasant tail herl and orange Antron
dubbing (twisted together in a dubbing loop)
WING CASE: six pheasant tail fibers (pulled
over the top)
THORAX: olive Antron dubbing
This is another nymph that uses the Double Magic
dubbing tying technique, a way of forming a fuzzy
aura of Antron fibers around the herl body. The
result is a combination of imitation, the mottled
color of the pheasant tail herl providing realism,
and attraction, the hint of orange Antron creating
a strong visual counterpoint, that always makes a
powerful fly. The Pheasant Tail Twist Nymph matches
the Callibaetis nymph, and it can be fished over
the weed tops like a resident nymph or pulled to
the surface like an emerger.
Variegated Midge Larva
HOOK: 14-18; TMC 9300 standard wet fly hook
BODY: two colors of marabou fibers and one long
strand of clear Antron (spun in a dubbing loop)
SPIKE: a tuft of white Antron (combed out; extending
out over the eye of the hook)
The spike on the Variegated Midge Larva has
nothing to do with imitation. It was added
so that you can see the fly in shallow water.
Try casting to individual trout and pulling
the larva imitation right in front of the
nose of a feeding fish. Shallow bays have
too much natural food and too much empty water
to throw and retrieve flies blindly and expect
to catch trout. Midge larva migrate off the
shallow mudflats towards deeper water after
the first hard freezes of autumn. ~ GL
To be continued, next time: Streamers
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