FLYMPH FORUM

Been a while folks, thought I'd put up a post of a nymph I played around with yesterday. It's a dragonfly nymph, we call em mudeyes over here (Australia). Trout love mudeyes and I remember many a great fishing session as a kid, catching mudeyes and floating them along a weedy bank or some reeds with a bubble float and an open bail arm, deadly technique.
There are plenty of patterns out there but none I'm happy with. The ones that look great and in theory should swim well are a big let down in the water. I wanted a almost neutrally buoyant fly that would swim or sink in a very slow yet even/parallel fashion. This is my first go at the pattern so any input would be great and if you have some thoughts or better yet a pattern of your own jump in and post it here. I didn't get a touch last evening but plan to give it a few more swims before I give up...

The fly looks amazing in the water, sinks a little quicker than I like once waterlogged, maybe if pad out the underbody with more wool? When squeezed outside of the water it dries the fly and makes it sink more slowly, with a few false casts the seals fur is dry and it almost sits in the surface film. With the current hook and size of the wool underbody this isn't quite right yet. Btw please don't suggest foam, I'd like to keep this one as natural as poss and draw the line at using mono for eyes.

Hook Hanak streamer #10 barbless
Thread uni wine 6/0
Underbody of looped swede chenille tied in at the 3/4 mark with the loop extending a gap length beyond the hook bend.
Rest of underbody, olive wool dubbing to get the pronounced abdomen coffin shape.
Dubbing my own blend of seals fur in a dubbing loop
Legs Scottish grouse
Eyes blue mono burnt with a lighter
Head a dubbed head of the same seals fur

I can't tell you exactly how I came up with the dubbing but it's made up of predominantly fiery brown some olive, yellow, red, orange and black.

Sorry for the grainy bad quality pics of the fleas, used my iphone

Untitled by fly_fischa, on Flickr

Untitled by fly_fischa, on Flickr

Untitled by fly_fischa, on Flickr

Untitled by fly_fischa, on Flickr

Untitled by fly_fischa, on Flickr

Untitled by fly_fischa, on Flickr

Untitled by fly_fischa, on Flickr

Fantastic buggy fly, mate! That thing is almost scary. LOVE IT! Really nice imitation. The eyes take it to a whole new level.

Looks nice. I'd fish that one.

fly_fischa, Howdy;

That is a good photo reference for the definition of "BUGGY"
Has the thought process taken you to the realm of more hydrophobic materials
such as Arctic Hare, Polar Bear, or some of the Aussie Possum Jeff is scattering about
the surface of Earth? Can be dyed to suit your taste.
Just a thought...

hank

Thanks Ray and Zen Leecher

Hank - thanks for the suggestions and thoughts on materials to use. I would love some polar bear but would probably end up using it for streamers. The possum is actually isn't that hydrophobic, we use it a lot over here, very buggy nice coloration but it needs to be treated to float well. The seals fur is the closest I've come to getting it right as it retains it's shape more and is easier to dry when waterlogged. The materials that I'm using in the underbody are intentionally not that water repelling as I want to be able to adjust how quickly or slowly the fly sinks. The wool underbody will slowly absorb water. I can squeeze the body dry before fishing if I want the fly to ride high in the water column and squeeze it in the water to get water logged and help sink it quicker. It's the balance that isn't working right now, I either need a lighter hook or to add some bulk/wool to the underbody... Arctic hate could be interesting, I'll have to investigate...

Karsten

Karsten, that's a great imitation and such an unattractive natural. Sorry that you didn't connect but I would assume you'll keep this bug very high in the box for the next outing. Gorgeous shots of your environs. Love seeing your water.

Karsten, your "Apple Eating Tree Bear" fur is possibly not as hydrophobic as ours, it is colder here and their fur is denser.
Polar bear and Aussie Possum are the only furs with hollow fibres, so of any of the natural dubbings they should float best as they are tiny air tubes.

Your wool underbody will possibly be the heaviest when wet. If you "need" it and if it has no direct bearing on colouration, I would be looking to find natural unwashed wool that will still be lanolin saturated and use that.

We used to "goober" our dragonfly nymphs up with floatant or tie them with deerhair to make them float. We'd use a sinking line, let it sink to the bottom and slither the line across the bottom. The dragonfly nymph would float off the bottom and then dive towards the bottom on the retrieve.

Deadly method but for some reason I haven't done it in years.

Thanks Will, I'll keep swimming them a few more times and tweaking them as I go...

Jeff, thanks for the info Re NZ possum fur qualities. I'll have to investigate

Zen Leecher
Thanks for the info, sounds like a deadly technique alright, I haven't fished a sinking line other than an intermediate for a looong time, lots of food for thought. Appreciate the thoughts

Karsten,
Nothin' wrong with this dragon! This thing is awesome! We want more!!
D.