Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Allan Liddle

Black Nymph SBS
« on: 28/06/2013 at 08:30 »
Hi Guys
Here's a wee SBS from the Scottish Angler site where i've started doing a wee Fly of the Month thing (don't worry i've checked about the copied content thing  :z16)
Hope to add a few more flies in general but keep up the FotM entries on the open blog section so all can see.

I know there's a couple on here that use this pattern (Noel for one) and appreciate you'll all have something similar, but here it is anyway.

Cheers

Allan


Fly of the Month July 2013 Black Nymph

Time I got organised and followed up on something I’ve been promising for a while with a wee 'Fly of the Month' entry.
These patterns will generally be what's required for the given time of entry, however through the winter it might be something I hope helps inspire the tiers amongst us all to dust off the vice and copy, or even better, vary.

This month I’ve chosen to focus on a wee versatile 'tail fly' pattern I’ve had in the armoury for a while, good on both running and still water for both wild and stocked fish, I simply call it the Black Nymph.
 
The Black Nymph

Fished behind a couple of 'Bob Flies' on a loch team of three the Black Nymph has proved its worth on many occasions with fish often taking it after turning on one of the bushier patterns fished above it, sometimes though they've been known to even take it 'on the drop' as the cast 'settles' prior to my retrieve.
Non-descript in appearance with a familiar profile to trout of a general nymph type pattern it makes a decent buzzer or shrimp imitation, as well as often I feel ticks the box as a wee Baetis Nymph, maybe even a wee pin fry. Whatever it's taken as fish like it and it's generally my 'go to' tail fly for a loch team when fishing traditional style, or used as an anchor if tied weighted behind a couple of spiders on our rivers or burns. I've also pitched a gold head version under an indicator at our stocked fish when winter fishing at a fishery or two.

Definitely one to make room for in the fly box.

Black Nymph (Allan Liddle)



Hook: Partridge Wet Fly Supreme size 10-16 (excellent hook profile and weight for this pattern, almost custom made for this pattern)
Thread: Black Uni 6/0 or 8/0
Tail: Small bunch brown partridge feathers
Body: Black Rabbit / Hare mix
Rib: Medium or fine Mirage tinsel with fine silver wire over to help protect from sharp trout teeth
Thorax Cover: Natural pheasant tail
Thorax: As body but well picked out to resemble 'legs'

Note: As indicated a wee gold bead can be used in the place of the thorax, or a few turns lead as an under body. Some useful colour variations include natural hare’s ear, light and dark olive, fiery brown and claret.



 

Materials Required



Tying sequence:

 

Run thread down and tie in tail

 


Trim off waster from tail

 


Tie in tinsel and wire rib

 


Dub body and run tinsel followed by wire rib directly over to protect the tinsel from sharp trout teeth

 


Select a small slip of PT fibres

 


Tie in thorax cover

 


Form thorax (needs to be a little heavier for brushing out and forming 'legs')

 


Pull over thorax cover and tie in

 


Trim off thorax cover waste

 


Brush out thorax to form 'legs'

 


View from above

 

Varnish head and fly's finished

















Iain Cameron

Re: Black Nymph SBS
« Reply #1 on: 28/06/2013 at 09:26 »
hi Allan

Like that. A good generic pattern.

cheers
iain

Mike Barrio

Re: Black Nymph SBS
« Reply #2 on: 28/06/2013 at 09:41 »
Great stuff Allan ..... thanks for sharing :z16

Cheers
Mike

Rob Brownfield

Re: Black Nymph SBS
« Reply #3 on: 28/06/2013 at 10:01 »
Lovely looking.

I have to ask though, why the brown tail? I would have thought a black tail would have made more sense.

Sandy Nelson

Re: Black Nymph SBS
« Reply #4 on: 28/06/2013 at 10:46 »
Rob

To my eyes a Black tail would just make the fly appear bigger in a solid profile, the speckled brown tail will be appear more translucent and should help break up the profile a little to match with the roughed up fibers.
A nice generic pattern that suggests food.
Cheers Alan :z18

Sandy

Jim Eddie

Re: Black Nymph SBS
« Reply #5 on: 28/06/2013 at 13:58 »
Aye nice flee Allan, quality photo's to

 :z18

Jim

Rob Brownfield

Re: Black Nymph SBS
« Reply #6 on: 28/06/2013 at 14:06 »
Rob

To my eyes a Black tail would just make the fly appear bigger in a solid profile, the speckled brown tail will be appear more translucent and should help break up the profile a little to match with the roughed up fibers.
A nice generic pattern that suggests food.
Cheers Alan :z18

Sandy

The reason I ask is purely down to nymphs (the insect, not the fly) normally being one colour or a slight varitation on the same colour.

Maybe it is the distinct band of colours that makes it successful, perhaps the brown is seen as a shuk?

Still a nice fly that I will be adding to my box :)

Allan Liddle

Re: Black Nymph SBS
« Reply #7 on: 28/06/2013 at 16:59 »
Thanks guys, much appreciated.

Rob it's actually a variation of a lake olive nymph where the brown barred tail and brown thorax cover are pretty close to original and I simply wanted a black version hoping the fish would approve. Thankfully they certainly have and it is my go to tail fly for a traditional loch team.

I like the subtle colour variation of the partridge tail as it helps break the silhouette lets the fly 'blend' and doesn't appear as a solid shape.  I've also got variations with glow rite red (nos 4 & 5) or flo green(gb no11) tails, not sure what these represent in the real world but in the right conditions they work as well.

I've got these nymphs in a range from the black,, through olive, brown, claret and natural hares lug, all work on their day and I'm sure are taken by the fish as imitations from baetis through shrimp, buzzers even fry.

 




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