After many years of fishing S.W. Ontario rivers, (especially the Grand), I have had amazing success with this pattern. This year I have used it successfully for browns, rainbow, and bass. It has out fished even my previously favorite Hare’s Ear Nymph pattern.
It has also proven to be a non hatch dependent pattern, and has been successful during different hatches on the Grand, and the Forks of the Credit.
Try it and get back to me; I am sure you will not be disappointed.
Hook: Mustad Streamer size 12 R75-79580
10 gr soft copper wire.
Thread: 8.0 Yellow
Tail: Coq de Leon
Abdomen: Light yellow ice dubbing.
Abdomen segmentation and wing case: 1/32″ wide Pearl Mylar #14
Thorax: Natural rabbit dubbing.
Legs: Yellow Mallard Barred Flank feather.
Debarb the hook:
Wrap the copper wire around the shank with additional wraps toward the eye: (Why copper rather than lead? Just look at the luminescence of the wetted fly and you will see that the copper shows through, giving a very lifelike appearance).
Secure the whole thorax and abdomen with the thread:
Tie in about ten Coq de Leon fibres for the tail, not longer than the hook width:
Tie in a 4 inch piece of pearl Mylar at the base of the tail:
Trim the tail feather stems, then dub the abdomen with the yellow Ice dub:
Wind the Mylar forward with 5 turns, leaving small gaps for the Ice dub.
Secure the Mylar on top of the abdomen, but do not trim it yet:
Prepare the mallard flank feather:
Tie in the tip of the feather, with the concave side upwards, at the junction of the abdomen and thorax.
Then apply the natural rabbit dubbing along the thorax:
Bring the feather forward over the thorax and tie in behind the eye of the hook:
Bring the Mylar over the top of the feather, and tie that in behind the eye:
Color the upper abdomen and thorax with a brown sharpie:
Whip finish and apply several drops of U. V. cement to build up a wing case:
david williams