One thing I’ve found over time when tying nymphs for stream fishing, is a growing importance of hydrodynamics in fly design. The smaller the hook size, the more I cannot stress this enough. With all the modern techniques, tying materials, epoxies and tungsten weights available today, it is very easy to make a fly, even down to size 18-22 that will fish very well and find it’s place in the water column quickly and efficiently, even in the quick riffles that trout love to hold in during summer’s heat!
Below is a pattern that does just this; utilizing a streamlined epoxied body ribbed with stripped peacock, you get a very ‘suggestive’, durable and sinkable pattern that is perfect for any french nymphing rig, which can be fished by itself or in a team of flies and tied in just about every colour under the sun!
Quill and Sulphur Nymph
Hook: Hanak H200BL (Size 12-16)
Bead: Black Tungsten
Thread: Body – Colour of Choice, Thorax – Fl. White UTC 70
Tail: Coq de Leon
Body: Tying thread (UTC 70 or 140)
Rib: Stripped Peacock Herl
Thorax: Sulphur-Orange “Nymph Dubbing”
Epoxy: Bug-Bond Lite and One coat of varnish
Hopper Yellow/SLF Squirrel
Red/Sulphur, Red/Squirrel
Brown/Sulphur
