Bodkin / Patterns

Prehistoric Panfish Nymph

Nymph · Panfish · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Long shank / 3X long curved shank nymph hook (tied here on a #14), #8-14
  • Thread Black 70 denier (8/0)

Materials

  • Tungsten bead Black or gold bead (2.4mm)
  • Lead-free wire - (0.015, 6-8 wraps)
  • Chenille (body) Black chenille (Small, 3 inches)
  • Chenille (shellback) Black floss (Small, 2 inches)
  • Emu feather (gills/legs) Olive emu feather (1 feather with long barbs)

How to tie it

  1. Slide the 2.4mm tungsten bead onto the curved shank hook and add six or eight wraps of 0.015 wire behind it to hold it in place and add a little weight.
  2. Start the black thread, build a small dam behind the wire, take a few wraps over the wire and run the thread back to the rear of the fly.
  3. Shellback: tie in a piece of small black chenille at the rear, well back, and leave it hanging behind the fly.
  4. Gills: choose an emu feather with barbs about the length you want and tie it in on top at the rear, angled back, opening a small gap in the barbs at the tie-in point so you do not trap too many. Take two wraps, check that it is sitting on top, then add securing wraps and trim the stem in front. The emu stem is strong. Cut it, do not break it.
  5. Body: tie in a second piece of small black chenille at the rear, bring the thread up to just behind the bead, and wrap the chenille forward to the thread for a thick body. Tie off and trim.
  6. Lay the emu feather forward over the top of the body so the barbs splay out as legs and gills, and tie it off right behind the bead. Trim the excess.
  7. Pull the shellback chenille forward over the top of everything and tie it off behind the bead, then trim.
  8. Fill in the area behind the bead with thread, make room and whip finish. A drop of super glue on the thread before the last wraps if you want it bombproof.
  9. Pluck out any emu barbs that are going somewhere you do not like.

Tying videos

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