I was reading through a copy of John Goddard & Brian Clarke’s book, “Understanding Trout Behavior” and found their comments on nymph design very interesting. They suggest for visibility of nymph patterns against the stream or lake bottom, you incorporate into the dressing a stip of white feather or silver mylar. They have an excellent underwater picture examplifying this. Has anyone done this and compared the number of strikes versus a dark color material?
Dr Bob
flashbacks have always seemed to work better on the local streams here in Western Mass than those without–purely anecdotal but that has been what’s worked for me
Dr. Bob,
Where did they tie the strip of mylar or white in? If it is something like a zug bug or prince, there is a white biot tied in already I believe. Is this tied onto the back?
Thanks,
paff
I like to place a “HOT SPOT” of bright color (red, orange or yellow), between the abdomen and the thorax.
Parnelli
There’s a lot of truth to this claim. I was out on a very small, high pressure stocked trout lake and was catching nothing on anything I used that was all one color. Then, in desperation, I tied on an nymph/emerger with white wings and caught a lttle brown. I had never caught a brown before, so I admired him for a couple of minutes and then bid him farewell.
When things soured again I tried the plain colored flies and got nothing, then tied on a flashback which incorporates pearl crystal flash for the back and wing and caught another brown. Also, the biggest gill of the year nailed the flashback, they seem to really like the pearl crystal flash.
There’s almost nothin’ wrong with the first lie, it’s the weight of all the others holdin’ it up that gets ya’! - Tim
[This message has been edited by MOturkE (edited 03 March 2006).]
A REALLY good bluegill nymph is the lightening bug.
Donald
For some reason, I have never tied a flashback. A prince nymph has definitely done the best of all my herl body nymphs. With regard to flash, I have never created a flashback nymph, but I do use a lot of Krystal Dub on my nymph bodies. Krystal Dub is a Hareline product that is made from rabbit fur with short pieces of flashabou mixed in with it. If you tie a lot of nymphs “in the round” like I do, this is a nice option. I use a lot of the “Hare’s Ear” color and also the “Olive” and suggest these two colors if you want to try it out.
paff:
It is hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like the throax as the wing casing. I don’t think it matters since their point is to tie in something white or bright so it catches the fish’s eye as they seach the dark colored bottom for food. The Prince nymph is a good example and the use of mylar or something shiny.
Dr Bob
I found a pattern for the “Lighning Bug” at:
[url=http://www.telusplanet.net/public/cnangler/html/fom0102.htm#fom4:05f86]http://www.telusplanet.net/public/cnangler/html/fom0102.htm#fom4[/url:05f86]
It looks an awful lot like a variation of a copper john (which typically has a bit of tinsel on top of the wing case) but with less wire for the abdomen and a flashier abdomen (since it’s tinsel instead of colored copper wire).
I’ve been tying Copper John’s lately for a fishing trip this summer so the similarity really stuck out.
The Lightning Bug might end up coming with me this summer as well.
Peter F,
i too use krystaldub and like it a lot. It has just enough of the hint of a glint, as Dick Talleur would say, to make it interesting.
paff
Dr. Bob,
If you are familar with krystaldub, do you think that is enough glint according to that article?
Thanks,
paff
paff:
Hey, wait a minute. I just noticed your in Pittsburgh. I don’t know if I can help you anymore seeing I am from Seattle. (Seahawks & Steelers: Superbowl??) Just kidding.
I have used some flashy dubbing like Krystal dub and some stuff that looks like mylar dubbing. It flashy but, I would suggest you just replace the wing casing on your nymphs, like a hares’s ear, with a strip of white feather or a strip of mylar or Flashbou. As someone suggested, like the mylar or Flashbou used on the wing casing of the Copper John. This gives a flat surface on the top side of you sinking nymph to reflect some light, making it an eye catcher for the fish.
The reference to the lightning bug is interesting. I fish the Yakima River frequently and have found the lighning bug to an effective nymph pattern. My experience is that the Yak is more of a dry fly river. You can usually catch fish on drys. On tough days, you switch to nymphs.
Dr Bob
Depending on the size of the nymph, I tie in several strands of chrystal flash. The chrystal flash is pulled over the wing case and adds just enough flash. Remember to tie in the strands before you tie in the wing case material. This will ensure it is in the proper position when needed.
…bead head Lightening bug/Indiana version
as pattern but no rib, micro rubber tails and legs, and peacock herl only for thorax.
donald