The Skip Nymph

 

The Skip Nymph is named after Skip Morris, a prolific tier and teacher. It imitates the nymph stage of the Callibaetis Nymph in lakes. It is easy to tie, which I read was Skips aim when he developed it.

 

May flies are not as prolific in lakes as they can be in streams, but they still should not be ignored. My favorite water has a consistent slow hatch from mid to late May right into August. I have had outstanding fishing with this nymph in June and July. Curiously this coincides with major fry hatches in the top layers of the water column. The small nymph swims much like the fry with short quick darting movement and I am hard pressed to tell them apart other than the fry are in schools and the nymph is usually solitary. This nymph is an excellent imitator of both and I am not sure whether the trout take it as a may fly nymph or fry, or if they even care.

 

I fish this fly on either a floating line or a very slow sinker, I tie it using a light hook so when I pause my retrieve it does not sink like a stone which would be very unnatural. Both the nymph and the fry are always found around weed beds I fish the fly right over or right next to the standing weeds. A finer tippet will not over power the fly and allow it to track in a straight line.

 

A materials list would include a Daiichi 1560 hook in size 12 to 16. Some fine rabbit dubbing in olive or brown shades and pheasant tail fibres. I use a Fine thread, Uni 8/0 in green or brown.

 

 

 

First step is to lay down a nice base and tie in the gold wire. Form a nice tight dubbing loop of the rabbit fur at the rear of the hook.

 

 

 

Trim the loose guard hairs from the body with scissors, we want a nice tight skinny body.

Measure about a dozen pheasant tail fibres, you want the tail to end up about a hook gap past the end of the fly.

 

 

 

Take a wrap of wire around the hook shank and then pull the pheasant fibres along the top of the fly. A nice tight wrap of wire should flair the tail nicely and then wind the wire foreword and tie of and helicopter free in front of the standing pheasant.

 

 



Lastly we tie the standing piece of pheasant back a little to create some room for the thorax. Then form another dubbing loop of the rabbit, make this one a little looser so that the thorax is a little larger than the body of the fly. Pull the pheasant over the thorax and tie down, clip off and whip finish. Final step is to thin out the tail with scissors, I cut about six of the centre fibres out leaving a nice split tail.

 

Try this fly in the weeds in the prime hatch season of June and July, remember to keep the retrieve to quick little bursts. I'm sure you will have success.

Gold Bead Hare's Ear

 

The Gold Bead Hare's Ear is another one of those patterns that doesn't directly imitate anything in particular but does a passable imitation of a few different bugs. It is an excellent search pattern especially in early summer when lots of bugs are on the move. It can pass for a damsel nymph, mayfly nymph and caddis pupa. It is also a very popular fly with lake fishermen and has a place in many boxes.

 

I find it best fished around weed beds with a floating line and leader length adjusted for depth. A slow hand twist retrieve with a few quicker twitches usually produces results. It is also excellent under an indicator retrieved very slowly.

 

I believe the key to this fly is to use very soft hackle for the collar. Hen hackle is what I use and have had good luck with capes from Whiting. Their capes have long feathers with nice soft barbs and have a good range of size of feathers. The soft hackle adds subtle movement to the fly which I believe to be important. Partridge feathers can be used as well, but it can be tricky to find feathers small enough for the smaller sizes.

 

A material list would include a Daiichi 1560 hook in size 12 to 16, a gold bead, partridge feather for the tail, rabbit dubbing for the body, small gold wire for ribbing and hen hackle for the soft hackle wrap. I use olive 6/0 thread and 8/0 for the small size 16.

 

 

First steps are to place a gold bead on the hook shank, then tie in the wire ribbing as well as the hackle fibres from the partridge feather.

 

 

 

Form a budding noodle by twisting the rabbit fibres onto the thread. I try and keep the loop tight and fairly thin. Wind the loop to the bead and chase it by counter winding the wire.

 

 

 

Next I tie in a hen hackle feather by the tip, the barb length should be so that the fibres extend just past the hook point. Wind the hackle while brushing the barbs back towards the back of the fly. Tie off after two or three wraps.  

 

 

 

Form another very small dubbing noodle and place a few wraps ahead of the hackle. This small collar helps keep the hackle swept back nicely. Whip finish and it's done.

 

Give this fly a go when you're not sure what to try in the early summer, I'm positive you won't be disappointed.

 

The Ice Cream Cone

 

The Ice Cream Cone is a very popular fly with Chironomid fly fishers, it's easy to tie and very effective. It uses a white bead to imitate the gills of the chironomid pupa. I put my own spin on it and where others build a taper of thread for the thorax, I tie in Micro Crystal Cactus for the thorax of the fly. I find it a little easier to do and I like the results better. I use a sterling Silver bead instead of white or pearl as well as I think it gives off a whiter sheen.

 

This fly is made for spring chironomid hatches and has a well earned reputation for moving fish. I fish it hanging vertically under an indicator. It can be used anywhere in the water column, shallow to deep, I have the best results around weed beds. I use an open loop clinch knot found here to attach the fly. http://alaskaflyfishingonline.com/tips/tip1clinchknot.html

 

Materials for this fly are Daiichi 1760 hook in sizes 12 to 16, brown super floss, sterling silver bead, small wire ribbing in red silver or gray and micro crystal cactus in peacock.

 

I begin by splitting the super floss into a more appropriate size.



 

 

 

Next I place the bead on the hook and run a base of thread, tie in the wire and super floss.

 

 



 

Wind the super floss forward keeping it from twisting, form a nice body and then counter rib it with the wire. Tie in the crystal cactus. 

 

 

 

A few wraps of the crystal cactus and then tie off. The fly can be given a coat or two of finger nail polish for durability if you so desire.

 

Try the Ice Cream Cone in whatever configuration you desire, I'm sure you will be impressed with the results.



 

The Water Boatman

 

As promised, a sinking water boatman pattern. This fly is best fished on a floating line as opposed to the floating boatman which is best fished on a sinking line. I cast it out and give the fly some time to sink and then begin an erratic retrieve. Because it sinks so rapidly once the fly has gotten into the depth I want to keep the fly moving along quite rapidly. Short, two inch strips are the retrieve I favor with this fly.

 

I have the most luck fishing this fly during the boatman hatch in the fall. During the warmest parts of the day, boatman return to the water after spending time on land mating. It can be a very exciting time to be on the water as the fishing can be outstanding. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to where on the lake the fish rain down, just watch for what looks like rain drop crashing the waters surface. The trout can lock onto fish at the surface or under water, some trial and error may be needed to find the correct depth but I have found closer to the surface to be the most productive.

 

Early spring has also been a very productive time for me with this pattern. I find when I tie on the pattern, if it is going to work the fish will hit it right away. It's not a pattern I would use if the fish are off a little. In spring it works best in shallow water over growing weed beds, again, the warmest parts of the day seem to be the most productive.

 

Materials for this pattern are Daiichi 1550 hook in size 12 to 16, Waspi Woolly Bugger Chenille in tan small size, Super Floss for legs and Waspi Thin Skin cut at about 3/16" for the shell back. Thread is black or brown Uni Thread 6/0.

 

First I split the Super Floss. I try to get it into an exact half, and then use the halves. I find without splitting it, the floss is too stiff to give the legs the proper action.

 

 

 

Next tie in the thin skin for the back, the chenille and figure eight in the super floss.

 

 

Wind the chenille forward making sure the legs will stand out about half way down the hook shaft.

 

 

 

Pull the thin skin over, I like to stretch it a little to make it a little thinner. This makes the thin skin a little lighter and ensures the fly rides hook down in the water. I find this is one fly that the weight on the top of the hook can overwhelm and make the fly ride upside down, so check your fly's action.

Tie the thin skin down and whip finish a fair sized head on the fly. A permanent marker in black can be used to color a design on the thin skin if desired.

Pull the legs back and cut with scissors at a length that is a little longer than the hook bend. The longer the legs, the better action they will have, but if too long, they can get caught up behind the bend of the hook.

 

Try this fly on a floating line in the early spring or during the fall backswimmer hatch, I'm sure you will be pleased.