Gray Nymph

[nfrechet]

Gray Nymph

Hook - Mustad 3906 or equivalent, size 6-12
Thread - Gray
Tail - Grizzly hackle fibers
Body - Dubbed Muskrat fur with the guard hairs left in.
Body should be picked out to give a shaggy appearance
Hackle - Grizzly hen

Created in 1935 by Dee Vissing of Rigby, Idaho

Popular Fly Patterns - Terry Hellekson

[DOUGSDEN]

Norm,
In it's own "Gray Way", this is a gorgeous pattern and we all know what a fish killer this pattern can be!
Great job as always Norm! You are indeed a forum treasure!
Dougsden

[redietz]

I wonder why the recommendation only went down to 12? That could easily be tied in an 18 or 20 and would catch a lot of fish.

[DUBBN]

I wonder why the recommendation only went down to 12? That could easily be tied in an 18 or 20 and would catch a lot of fish.

This recipe to the Muskrat is the only one I have found. It came from the book "Masters of the Nymph. It was provided by a guide from Aspen Colorado. He started fishing nymphs in the Winter some time in the 60's. His name escapes me. I see where he suggests a hook size of 12 to 18.

At about the same time my father was fishing lakes with this pattern. His two favorite patterns were this Muskrat and a Streamer called the "Brown Bear". The Brown Bear is a Squirrel wing and tail streamer pattern.

When I started tying flies the Muskrat was still being produced and sold here in Western Colorado by a company named the Cardinal Fly Company from Jackson Hole Wyoming. I did not ever see the Muskrat tied smaller than a size 12. It ranged from 12 to a size 8. The Brown bear ranged in size from 10 to size 4. I thought I was a rebel when I started tying the Muskrat in sizes 16 and 18, and the Brown bear in size 10.

Perhaps a size 12 was thought to be a micro pattern here in the West at that time.

I know I enjoy seeing these some what older patterns.

[redietz]

Perhaps a size 12 was thought to be a micro pattern here in the West at that time.

That's exactly what I was wondering about, and why that would have been the case.

[nfrechet]

the "muskrat nymph" in helleksons book (which i wasnt tying for this thread) also has the size as 10-20

just because a recipe call for limits on sizes, the tyers can choose to tie any size he wants

kinda similar but different?



Gray Nymph



Muskrat Nymph

[DUBBN]

just because a recipe call for limits on sizes, the tyers can choose to tie any size he wants

Yep.

[tworod]

One of my all time favorites. Here is my iteration on a size 6 3906B.
It is a fly that I find is the antithesis of the pressured trout/small fly advice you hear today. It is just as good of a fly on spring creeks as it is on freestones in larger sizes. I believe it represents a cranefly larvae and so don't be reluctant tie and fish in larger sizes. When the Livingston spring creeks allowed keeping trout many years ago you would find that the fish were stuffed like sausages with cranefly larvae. It was amazing to see first hand what the fish were feeding on and it wasn't necessarily all of that small stuff on top.

[DUBBN]

One of my all time favorites. Here is my iteration on a size 6 3906B.
It is a fly that I find is the antithesis of the pressured trout/small fly advice you hear today. It is just as good of a fly on spring creeks as it is on freestones in larger sizes. I believe it represents a cranefly larvae and so don't be reluctant tie and fish in larger sizes. When the Livingston spring creeks allowed keeping trout many years ago you would find that the fish were stuffed like sausages with cranefly larvae. It was amazing to see first hand what the fish were feeding on and it wasn't necessarily all of that small stuff on top.

Well done!

Your thoughts on your pattern representing a Cranefly makes alot of sense.

I have always thought the smaller sizes represented Fresh Water Shrimp. I think that was the old term for Scuds.

I am a sucker for Cranefly patterns. You gave me food for thought.

[Variant]

I really like this thread ,there is a lot of good info. here.
Polly Rosborough in his book titled TYING AND FISHING THE FUZZY NYMPHS has a few patterns using the muskrat fur.
His Casual dress nymph, Fledermouse and Muskrat nymph pattern all use the beautiful muskrat fur.
It just goes to show the appeal of fish catching fur.

Lou