swimming nymph very close to Dougsden's fly

[Kelly L.]

Okay, it isn't exact, but it is something I came up with, since I had no pattern. I mixed my own dubbing, and I used woodchuck for the tail...woodcock for the hackle. It is extremely buggy. So, I think it will catch fish.

[Roadkill]

Nice fly and it will catch fish!

I would also tie this in some olive and darker patterns for some Damsel and Dragonfly nymphs.

[Kelly L.]

Thank you Roadkill. Today is the first time I've ever tried a fly like this. I enjoyed tying it.

[Kelly L.]

I have some olive squirrel dubbing I just got in yesterday. It is in the freezer. I wondered about olive, with a black head and tail to go with it. Or do you think just a black head? Thanks for any recommendations.

[willowhead]

Kelly, that is "ON THE MONEY"..........GREAT fishin' fly and worthy of framing for that matter. Before you fish it ("i" would), take my thumb and first finger and just force all that hackle forward/fluff it outward some. You can't hurt it and you can't mess it up...........that fly is a stone cold fish catcher no matter if you do or don't do what i'm suggesting. But to my eye, it just looks like a tiny crease/bit of memory, put in to those fibers up near the head sure couldn't hurt. What i'm thinkin' is "action." The Jazz GIANT Ahmad Jamal (when in rehearsal/during sound checks), uses one word over and over again to get his message across....."Pulse." All the best of luck fishin' it. Great fly..... OH! do up another version wiff a gold rib too.....

Kelly, for the Olive version.....leave the head Olive as well.....Damsels don't have black heads.....you can add burnt mono eyes or bead chain if you like. i'd go with burnt mono.....cause you can color them whatever you like. Bead chain if your lookin' to flip the hook up.

[Kelly L.]

Thank you Mark, I appreciate your helpful comments, and kind words. I will try what you said. This is the second one I did. The first one was just to see how it worked out. The second one I added lead tape, and a small copper rib. I will try it with the gold mylar, or a copper oval rib....heck, why not do BOTH........rotfl. When I saw Dougden's fly....I knew I'd have to try one of those out. I don't know what his fly is called. I don't know what is all in it. But these flies are fun. I am going to do all those flies in the favorite flymph category.

[Kelly L.]

Right Mark. That sounds good. I thought of black, and making a smaller band. That way no matter which way it turned, it might make the fish think it was big black eyes all the way around....but you are right. I should just try some bead chain eyes or something. I was thinking for murky water, the black might get the attention of a fish better. We don't have that crystal clear water here like y'all do there in Arkansas.

[willowhead]

THAT'S the right attitude Kelly...............try any and everything............try whatever pops into your head...........and do it before you forget it.....or write it down when you think of it so you can come back and do it later if nessessary.............i can't tell ya how many times i wish i had remembered to do that. Not so much with Trout flies nessessarily..........i usually get those done "at the time"........cause i can't do more than a half dozen alike before i get bored. So i'll try somethin' 10 different ways before movin' on to a completely different type a pattern. Just remember, plastic bead chain isn't heavey enough to flip your fly hook up.......but most bead chain will if it's heavey enough. Burnt mono won't and is very easy to color. When you burn it, use the blue/lower part of the flame.....it burns it slower and cooler. HAVE A BALL!
Yeah right..........i forgot bout all that muddy water you got down there. Might be better to go with the nead chain. i can send you some if your out. You'll have to cut/clip off sets of two.

[tie2fish]

You're really on the right track now, Kelly -- that is a wonderful job of substituting materials to approximate an established pattern. You have the kind of initiative and creativity that make fly dressing both fun and productive.

[willowhead]

Kelly, i just ran across that other thread where Doug had posted his RFS Nymph.....his is exactly what i was refering to. Looks like it has the gold rib i mentioned.....and the hackle is EXACTLY what i had in mind.....just like he has it.....no more, no less.