Winter is quickly turning to spring as I look out the shop front window to see rain falling on this mid January day. The itch is starting to set in and spring time is all about nymphing. Don’t get me wrong, you have opportunities for some great dry fly fishing, but nymphing will still be your most productive method. Here is a list of nymphs we can’t live without here in Western Montana.
Hogan’s March Madness Nymph: This fly is produced by MFC and works great for a March Brown nymph, but we fish it year round. The CDC wings give this nymph a great realistic motion.
Recipe:
Hook: Umpqua U105 #12-16
Bead: Cyclops Bead Copper
Thread: Danville 6/0 Flymaster Brown
Tail: Natural Pheasant Tail
Thorax: Brown Scud Back, Pearl Flashabou, & Hareline Brown Dubbin
Wings: Hungarian Partridge & Natural CDC
Pat’s Rubber Leg: Arguably one of the most productive bugs for Western Montana. Make sure you have a good stock of these before the season starts.
Recipe:
Batman Nymph: Produced by MFC and has been a go to attractor nymph for a couple years now. A great dropper for Rock Creek and The Blackfoot.
Recipe:
Hook: Umpqua U105 #12-16
Bead: Cyclops Bead Gold
Thread: Danville 6/0 Flymaster Purple
Tail: Goose Biot Brown
Body: Ice Dub Purple
Wire: Ultra-Wire Brassie Blue
Collar: Goose Biot Black & Hen Neck Black
Legs: Grizzly Barred Rubber Legs Purple
Pearl Green Lightning Bug: Lightning bugs in general work well, but the pearl green lightning bug from Umpqua was very productive for us last year.
Recipe:
Hook: Umpqua U105 #12-16
Bead: Cyclops Bead Copper
Thread: Danville 6/0 Flymaster Brown or Olive
Tail: Natural Pheasant Tail
Body: Flashabou Pearl Green
Wire: Ultra-Wire Brassie Brown
Thorax: STS Trilobal Dub Olive
Legs: Natural Pheasant Tail
Peacock Double Bead Stone: A great lead fly for nymphing in the spring and early summer. The Double Bead Stone has enough weight to get you down where you need to be during higher flows and is a great stonefly pattern.
Recipe:
Hook: Umpqua U106 #8-14
Thread: Danvile 6/0 Flymaster Olive
Tail: Peacock Swords
Rib: Clear D-Rib
Abdomen: Peacock Herl
Thorax: 2 Gold Cyclops Beads
Wingcase: Scud Back Olive & Loon Thick UV Clear Fly Finish
Kingrey’s Caddis Pupae: Caddis hatch all summer long and are a huge food source for trout across Western Montana. The Caddis Pupae is often over looked, though they can be exactly what picky fish are looking for.
Recipe:
Hook: Umpqua U105 #12-18
Bead: Cyclops Bead Gold
Thread: Danville 6/0 Flymaster Black
Body: Ice Dub Olive
Rib: D-Rib Olive
Hackle: Hen Neck Black
Prince Nymph: Whether trout, carp, or steelhead The Prince nymph just flat out works.
Recipe:
Hook: Umpqua U105 #10-18
Bead: Cyclops Bead Gold
Thread: Danville 6/0 Flymaster Red
Tail: Goose Biots Amber
Body: Peacock Herl
Wings: Goose Biots White
Hackle: Hen Hackle Brown
Zebra Midge: With midges hatching year round you better have a few of these in your box. One of the more simple ties out there.
Recipe:
Hook: Umpqua U202 #16-22.
Thread: Uni-Thread 8/0 Black
Rib: Utlra-Wire Silver
Pheasant Tail: One of the first mayfly nymphs and is still one of the very best. Fairly simple to tie and is our go to mayfly nymph for the summer.
Recipe:
Hook: Umpqua U105 #12-18
Thread: Danville 6/0 Flymaster Brown
Tail: Natural Pheasant Tail
Abdomen: Natural Pheasant Tail
Rib: Ultra-Wire Gold
Thorax: Peacock Herl
Wingcase: Natural Pheasant Tail
Wings: Natural Pheasant Tail
San Juan Worm: You can’t make a top ten list without including The San Juan worm. Whether you like it or not, worms are a huge food source for fish in the spring.
Recipe:
Hook: Umpqua U202 #8-14
Thread: Danville 6/0 Flymaster Red
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