I read Dave Hughes description of his “flymph” with great interest with regard to his technique for wrapping his soft hackle. He wrapped it over the thorax, not just at the front, saying that the legs of the insect came out of that area and that was where his imitation’s should be. Should we be using this technique on our nymphs? Or is it because the flymph represents a different stage of development?
As the name speaks, flymph, fly and nymph. Sp it is a representation of both not the same as either a fly or a nymph. Pete Hidy coined the term in the 60’s, I think. He fished them upstream and across, then high stick then a gentle lift as the fly came to the end of it’s drift. Soft hackles are tyed with the hackle wrapped on the front, usually. Nymphs are tyed to represent legs.
Herefishy,
You raise a good question.
The nymphs I tie have legs at the thorax area. I believe nearly all are tied that way.
A soft hackle is tied so that the fibers undulate through the current - so better placed near the front for maximum effect.
Now to contradict myself…when I tie Dave Whitlock’s incredibly effective Red Fox Squirrel Nymph, the “hackling” is spun on a bit ahead of the thorax.
Everyone adopts the theories that they have confidence in and make sense to them.
The traditional location of the soft hacking material at the front sure proves itself.
Wish I was a good enough fisherman to try each and evaluate them.
With the North country spiders there are two distinct styles of hackle. The usual style is to wind them at the head, but the Stewart style the hackle is tied in further back, twisted around the thread and wound over the front third of the shank. Like this.
Stewart Style Black Spider (#16)
Cheers,
A.
its just another way of doing things, try it ,you may like the outcome.