Bodkin / Patterns

Conti's Confidence Nymph

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook standard/jig nymph hook, 12-16
  • Thread to match body (black, brown, olive, tan) 8/0

Materials

  • Bead Tungsten bead (gold or copper) (sized to hook)
  • Tail Coq de Leon (CDL) fibers (small bunch)
  • Body Goose/turkey biot (color to match) (1)
  • Hot spot Small pearl/flash accent (few strands)
  • Collar Hare's mask dubbing (1 pinch)

How to tie it

  1. Slide a tungsten bead to the eye and start thread behind it.
  2. Tie in a sparse tail of stiff Coq de Leon fibers at the bend, about one shank length, splayed slightly for a natural mayfly-nymph tail.
  3. Tie in a biot by its tip and wrap it forward in slightly overlapping turns to create a cleanly segmented abdomen over the back two-thirds of the shank.
  4. Add a small pearl flash 'hot spot' just behind the collar; the tiny bright accent is the trigger that draws wary trout.
  5. Dub a short, buggy hare's-mask collar behind the bead to suggest legs and thorax.
  6. Whip finish behind the bead and pick out a few guard hairs so the collar breathes.

Tying videos

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