Bodkin / Patterns

Clouser Swimming Nymph

Nymph · Largemouth Bass · Smallmouth Bass · Panfish · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 2XL-3XL nymph hook, 6-10
  • Thread Rust 6/0

Materials

  • Weight Lead-free (.020 wire under thorax (optional))
  • Tail Gray squirrel (small clump of tail hair)
  • Body Rust/orange material (Australian opossum or hare's fur dubbing)
  • Rib Copper thorax stripe (wire, 4-5 turns)
  • Legs Brown silly legs nymph size (partridge or hen soft hackle)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the hook and start rust thread; if weighting, add a short band of.020 lead-free wire under the front half and lock it down.
  2. Tie in a small clump of gray squirrel tail at the bend for the tail, about half a shank long.
  3. Tie in the copper rib, then dub a slightly tapered rust body from the bend forward to the 70% mark.
  4. Counter-wrap the copper rib forward in 4-5 open turns to segment the abdomen and tie off.
  5. Tie in a partridge or hen feather by the tip and take two turns as a soft-hackle collar, then sweep the fibers back and down as swimming legs.
  6. Dub a small thorax to lock the collar, build a head, whip finish, and snip. Swim it with a slow lift-and-drop or dead-drift near the bottom for smallmouth, trout, and carp.

Tying videos

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