FLYMPH FORUM

Local stream reports are saying that a Red Copper John is the fly to be using on most rivers in my area. I have terrible luck with a Copper John. I tyed this pattern to get around the bad luck.

Hook- Mustad 9672 size 14
Tail - Black Goose Biots Forked
Abdomen - Two Red Wires, and one Black
Thorax- 1/4 SLF Squirrel 1/4 Hares ear 1/2 Red Enhancer
Collar - Undersized Brown Hen Hackle

Nice pattern! I've never seen that shape hook before. Mean looking barb, too.
Kirk

I didnt notice the deformity until I was photographing the fly. Darn Mustad hooks! I think I had an issue with another one a couple thousand hooks ago. Thats what I get for making a less expensive brand of hooks my favorite (sarcastic humor)

Yeah, that kinky bend will scare off the fish for sure .

I knew the bend of that hook looked familiar. I got the colors right aswell (dumb luck).



Da Bears!

Wayne it's an effective looking pattern in general, and the hook...well sometimes unique is cool on it's own, but it's that thorax that catches my eye. Sometimes with a blend like that it can go several ways, but this really comes of nicely and I will definitely be playing with that combination. It's one of my favorite things lately.

It's funny that I haven't fished a Cooper John in ages, but I had an amazing run with them when I first states and I do go anywhere without a few. I much prefer your take on the fly. Cool post.

Wayne - When I was reading your recipe, a couple components caught my attention. I especially like the hook choice on this fly. The longer shank of the Mustad 9672 hook makes for a elongated body. Nice choice for stonefly nymph profile. I was also intrigued to read the hackle was called out as "Undersized". Obviously this was done for a reason. Can you explain why you undersized the hackle? What proportions were you targeting?

Ray, I have to admit the hackle is still, too long. I am trying to get the results others achieve with the Copper John Nymph. Just because I have very little luck with the CJ, I still realize that it is a consistent producer around the world. The secret to the CJ in my opinion is the wire abdomen, and it's drastic taper. I believe that had I tyed this pattern on a shorter shank hook, the hackle would have covered up the wire body. I had two choices. Make the collar sparse, or shorten the collar. I am trying the shorter choice. I wanted the hackle to only go half way down the abdomen.

I know the fashion for Soft Hackles and Flymphs can include short hooks with a huge gape . While they look classy to me, for fishing I prefer a smaller gape hook. The 9672 hook in size 14 is about the same length as a size 12 3906B, but a smaller bend/gape. I fear I am giving trout way too much credit.

I know, kinda rambling here. It's what happens when I miss a weekend fishing trip.

Wayne

P.S. Had I really wanted to mimic a CJ, I should have used peacock for the thorax.

Thanks Wayne. Very interesting.

Reminds me that I have a beadless cj in one of my boxes, ultra short greenwells hackle - intended for use on real skinny water , now this season skinny water is as rare as hens teeth.

the CJ is a fascinating little fly, seems to work everywhere , during hatches of large Dark olives and large spurwings it performs incredibly well when tied with brass rather than the heavier tungsten beads, whats really interesting at least where I fish, it does seem more acceptable to better than average trout which would suggest that in the mimicry department it is more than your average beadhead - and that makes it well worth the effort in trying them out without beads. Bear in mind that where I fish , stoneflies do not exist in large numbers.