Fly Pattern: Thunder Nymph
Tyer's Name: Blaine Donohue
Date: April 4, 2011
Fly Originator and History: A Blaine Donohue original: "I created this fly last
May, 2010. I named this pattern the "Thunder Nymph", which is a direct description
of the weather we faced the first day I fished this Pattern. It was pretty "hairy".
But it could also be a good description for the action this fly receives, it
gets Pounded!"
How the Fly is Fished
Suggested line and leader: Use a sinking line with a 9-foot leader and
about 6 feet of tippet.
Depth range: Try different depths within the water column.
Suggested retrieve: Slow retrieve.
Comments: "This pattern produces great numbers in both rivers and still waters.
This is one of those patterns that besides being a great attractor, it's also
fishes well as an imitation damsel nymph, stone fly, caddis, green drake, etc.
It's incredibly versatile."
Fly Material
Hook size /length / make: #12, 3XL Nymph, Daiichi 1720 (or equivalent)
Thread: size / color / type: 6/0 Black Uni Thread.
Weighted y/n / size: .020 lead or lead substitute (wrapped along entire shank)
Tail material / size / color: 4-6 pheasant tail fibers, natural, tied in a split-v.
Body material / size/ color: UTC V-Rib, medium, brown 16/20. Extra-Strong French
Oval "Largoton" (medium), Varnished Poly Tinsel, green
Thorax size / color: Peacock herl
Hackle size / color: Ring neck pheasant rump feather, natural.
Eyes size / color: Wapsi Mono Eyes, small, black
Other:
Part I. Creating A Woven Body
NOTE: Continue to Part II 'Tying Steps for the Thunder Nymph' if you already
know how to tie a woven body.
A woven body is nothing more than a series of overhand knots. Start off by using yarn
or twine to practice the technique. For best results, use materials of the same
diameter. Do it a few times and you'll nail it.
1. Lay down a thread base.
2. In this exercise, the light colored yarn will end up on top of the hook and
the dark yarn will be on the bottom. Tie in the light yarn on the side of the
hook shank closest to you, and the dark yarn on the opposite side.
3. Keeping the body material parallel to the shank, tie it in to the bend, then
run the thread forward. Whip finish and cut off the thread.
4. Turn the vise towards you as shown above. The light colored yarn is to your left.
5. As each overhand knot is tied, the light yarn will be to the rear of the
knot, and the dark yarn to the front.
6. Complete the overhand knot by running the dark tag-end through the loop.
7. Now grab the light yarn and place it onto the top of the hook.
8. Pull the knot tight.
9. Repeat the process. Remember to keep the light colored yarn to the rear of
the loop.
10. To finish off the woven body, tighten the final knot, tie off the yarn,
and whip finish.
11. Top, bottom and side of the completed body.
Part II. Tying Steps for the Thunder Nymph
1. Weight. The weight should cover about 3/4 of the shank. Wrap about 16-20
wraps of .020 lead or lead substitute wire on the shank. Center the wire along
the shank.
2. To prevent the wire from moving around, build up the area directly in front
and back of the lead wire with thread.
3. Using pliers, mash the wire along the top and bottom of the hook so that it
forms a wide body.
4. Thoroughly cover the lead wire with thread.
5. Tail. The tail should be about the length of the hook shank. Position 4-6
pheasant tail fibers such that they will sweep upwards when tied in. Tie in
the tail, and trim the excess material.
6. Body. The brown v-rib material will end up on top of the body, and the green
material on the bottom. Tie in the v-rib on the side of the hook closest to you,
and the green tinsel on the opposite side. Advance the thread to the eye, whip
finish and cut off the thread.
7. Form the body (refer to Part I. Creating A Woven Body). The body should take
up about 3/4 of the shank. Leave room for the thorax and eyes.
8. Tie in the thread behind the eye of the hook, then tie off the body material
and remove the excess.
9. Soft hackle. Prepare a pheasant rump feather. and tie it in by the tip, just
in front of the body. Give the feather 2 wraps around the shank, folding the
barbs rearwards as you wrap. Tie down and trim the excess.
10. Eyes. Tie in the eyes directly behind the eye of the hook, on the underside
of the shank. Tie in using figure-8 wraps. Once the eyes are in place, start
'bending' the eyes towards the topside of the hook as you continue to tie them in.
11. Thorax. Select about 5 or 6 strands of peacock herl. Tie in the herl just
in front of the hackle. Twist the herl, and then wrap towards the eyes. Tie down
and trim.
12. Whip finish and glue.
13. Trim the tail. The finished tail should resemble a stone fly's tail. Create
a V-shaped tail by removing some of the tail fibers.
Rick Shadforth 04/13/11
