Nymph Patterns
In the universe of trout flies, Mayfly Duns get all the glory but truth be known, nymphs catch more fish. The patterns classified in this section imitate the nymph stage of mayflies and stoneflies and the larva and pupa stages of caddisflies. Also included will be patterns of other aquatic insect Orders like Diptera which includes midges, mosquitoes, gnats and crane flies.
One of the reasons that nymphs are so productive is that trout are rarely selective when feeding on the bottom. This means that the choice of patterns, while important, is not as critical as when fishing dry flies. What is important is getting the nymph down in the water column where the trout are feeding. This is where weighting comes in with many recipes either calling for weight or specifying it as optional. Winding lead wire wotks well, with the rule of thumb being to choose a wire diameter about the same size as the diameter of the hook shank.
Nymph hook size is important when fishing so you will often see a fairly wide range of hook sizes specified in the recipes. It is not uncommon to see a range of from 18-10 on some searching patterns, however 18 does seem to be the standard bottom limit to most patterns. Midge patterns are an obvious exception that often gets down to size 22.
20 Incher Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC200R, Thread- Black 6/0, Underbody- Natural Olive Dubbing, Abdomen- Peacock Herl, Tail- Two Brown Goose Biots tided split, Rib- Fine Gold Wire, Thorax- Gray Hares Ear Dubbing, Wingcase- Turkey Tail fibers, Legs- Partridge or Grouse feather.
Birds Nest (Hares Ear Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC3761, Thread- Brown 6/0, Hackle- Mallard or teal duck flank feather fibers tied completely around the length of the abdomen, Thorax- Dubbed hares ear fibers, Abdomen- Dubbed hares ear fibers, Ribbing- Fine copper wire, Tail- Mallard or teal flank feather fibers.
Bitch Creek Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC5263, Thread- Black 6/0, Hackle- Brown palmered over thorax, Antennae- Two white rubber leg sections, Thorax- Black chenille, Abdomen- Woven black and orange chenille with orange on belly, Tail- Two white rubber leg sections.
Brassie (Copper Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC2488H, Thread- Black 6/0, Head- Peacock hurl wrapped from eye about 1/3 of overall length, Abdomen- Copper wire wrapped around shank.
Brooks Montana Stone Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC5263, Weight- 25 to 35 turns of lead wire the same diameter as the hook shank from the bend to just short of the eye with a double wrap the thorax area, Thread- Black nylon 6/0, Tail- Goose biots half the length of hook shank tied split, Rib- Thin copper wire, Abdomen- Black wool yarn, Gills- White ostrich herl wound with hackle, Hackle- Brown and Grizzly mixed, Thorax- Black wool yarn. Pattern Designer: Charlie Brooks
Caddis Larva Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC200R, Thread- Black 6/0, Thorax- Black thread, Legs- Lacquered heavy black thread, Abdomen- Chartreuse standard size Stalcups tubing.
Caddis Pupa Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC3769, Thread- Black 6/0, Ribbing- Mint Flashabou, Abdomen- Caddis green Antron Dubbing, Wingcase- Dark turkey quill barbs, Thorax- Black Superfine dubbing, Legs- Brown partridge, Antennae- Ringneck pheasant tail barbs, Eyes- Black monofilament. Pattern Designer: Nori Tashiro
Deep Sparkle Pupa (Brown/Bright Green Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC100, Thread- Brown 6/0, Head- Dubbed dark brown superfine, Wing- Brown partridge wrapped around entire abdomen, Abdomen- Green Antron yarn with veil of same, Tail- No tail.
Diving Caddis (Ginger Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC9300, Thread- Black 6/0, Hackle- Brown wrapped as sparse collar over abdomen, Wing- Brown partridge, Abdomen- Ginger Antron, Tail- No tail.
Flashback Pheasant Tail Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC200R, Thread- Brown 6/0, Head- Fine copper wire, Thorax- Peacock hurl, Wingcase- Pearl Flashabou, Abdomen- Ringneck Pheasant tail barbs, Ribbing- Fine copper wire, Tail- Ringneck pheasant tail barbs.
Flashback Hares Ear Pattern Recipe: Hook TMC3761, Thread- Tan 6/0, Thorax- Dubbed hares ear, Wingcase- Pearl Flashabou, Abdomen- Dubbed hares ear, Ribbing- Fine gold wire, Legs- Hares ear fibers from abdomen, Tail- Brown partridge barbs.
Gold Ribbed Hares Ear Pattern Recipe: Hook TMC3761, Thread- Tan 6/0, Thorax- Dubbed hares ear, Wingcase- Turkey quill section, Abdomen- Dubbed hares ear, Ribbing- Flat gold tinsel, Legs- Hares ear fibers from abdomen, Tail- Brown partridge barbs.
Drake Nymph (Green Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC3761- Thread- Olive 3/0, Thorax- Olive Brown Antron Dubbing, Wingcase- Dark gray Canada Goose quill segment, Abdomen-Olive Brown Antron Dubbing, Legs- Brown partridge barbs, Ribbing- Fine gold wire, Tail- Brown partridge barbs.
Helgramite Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC9395, Thread- Brown 6/0, Antennae- Brown goose biot, Thorax- Gray-brown Antron dubbing, Abdomen- Gray-brown Antron dubbing, Legs- Golden brown hen saddle, Ribbing- Copper wire, Tail- Brown goose biot.
Hex Nymph Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC200R, Thread Yellow 6/0, Thorax- Pale yellow yarn or rabbit dubbing, Wingcase- Dark turkey quill or dyed black mallard quill, Gills- Ringneck pheasant after feather, Abdomen- Pale yellow yarn or rabbit dubbing, Back- Dark turkey quill section, Ribbing- Medium copper wire, Tail- Natural gray marabou or downey pheasant feather.
March Brown Pattern Recipe: Hook TMC3761, Thread- Brown 6/0, Hackle- Brown palmered over peacock hurl thorax, Wingcase- Natural gray duck section, Thorax- Peacock hurl, Abdomen- Brown or reddish brown floss, Ribbing- Peacock hurl, Tail- Dark moose hair.
Peeking Caddis (Cream Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC5262, Thread- Black 6/0, Head- Black ostrich barbs, Thorax- Cream rabbit dubbing, Abdomen- Dubbed dark hares ear and mask, Ribbing- Medium gold wire, Tail- No tail.
Pheasant Tail Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC3761, Thread- Brown 6/0, Thorax- Wrapped peacock hurl, Wingcase- Ringneck pheasant tail barbs, Legs- Ringneck pheasant barb tips, Abdomen- Wrapped Ringneck tail barbs, Ribbing- Fine copper or gold wire, Tail, Ringneck pheasant tail barbs.
Poxyback (PMD Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC200R, Thread- Orange 6/0, Head- Orange/brown Antron dubbing, Thorax- Orange/brown Antron dubbing, Wingcase- Dark turkey tail section epoxied, Legs- Partridge barbs, Gills- Light tan marabou tips, Abdomen- Orange/brown Antron dubbing, Ribbing- Single strand of pearl Flashabou, Tail- Three Ringneck pheasant tail barbs tied split.
Rubber Legged Stone Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC5263 with weight added, Thread- Dark Brown 3/0, Tail- White round rubber leg sections, Abdomen- Cream on bottom to match hares ear thorax and medium brown woven synthetic fuzzy yarn on top, Legs- White round rubber leg material, Thorax- Medium brown hares ear and muskrat dubbing left shaggy. Pattern Designer: George Anderson
San Juan Worm (Worm Brown Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC2457, Thread- Coffee 3/0, Abdomen- Single long strand of worm brown Ultra Chenille, Clitellum- Fluorescent red paint coated with clear acrylic.
Stone Nymph (Black Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC300 barbless with weight added, Thread- Black 6/0, Antennae- Black turkey biot, Tail- Black Turkey biot, Ribbing- Black transparent Swannundaze, Abdomen- Black HareTron 50% and claret, red, orange, rust, black brown, blue and purple goat dubbing, Wingcase- Dark turkey tail in three sections, Thorax/Head- 50% Black HareTron dubbing and 50% claret, red, orange, rust, black brown, blue and purple goat dubbing. Pattern Designer: Randall Kaufmann
Tellico Nymph (Green Caddis Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook-TMC9300, Thread- Light green 6/0, Weight (Optional)- .010 Lead wire wrapped around shank, Tail- Guinea hen or pheasant tail fibers, Wing Case-Turkey tail quill section, Rib- Peacock herl, Abdomen- Light green floss, Hackle- Furnace wound in sparse collar.
Tellico Nymph (Orange Caddis Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook-TMC9300, Thread- Orange 6/0, Weight (Optional)- .010 Lead wire wrapped around shank, Tail- Guinea hen or pheasant tail fibers, Wing Case-Turkey tail quill section, Rib- Peacock herl, Abdomen- Orange floss, Hackle- Furnace wound in sparse collar.
Tellico Nymph (Yellow Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook-TMC9300, Thread- Black 6/0, Weight (Optional)- .010 Lead wire wrapped around shank, Tail- Guinea hen or pheasant tail fibers, Wing Case-Turkey tail quill section, Rib- Peacock herl, Abdomen- Yellow floss, Hackle- Furnace wound in sparse collar.
Zug Bug Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC376, Thread- Black 6/0, Thorax- Wrapped peacock hurl to include abdomen, Wingcase- Mallard Wood duck section, Legs- Brown hackle barbs, Abdomen- Wrapped peacock hurl, Ribbing- Single flat strand of silver Mylar, Tail- Peacock sword.
Z- Wing Caddis (Lime Green Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC2457, Thread- Olive 6/0, Head- Wrapped Peacock hurl, Wing- Cream colored Z-Lon, Abdomen- Lime green Antron dubbing, Back- Dark turkey quill section, Ribbing- Olive thread, Tail - No tail.