Prince Nymph

So lets start this out by stating I'm not the worlds number one fly tier and I don't clam to be. That being said I take an approach to casting a fly rod that was taught to me by an old man on a stream when I was first teaching myself to fly fish. The old man said it's not always about being a picture perfect cast, but it's about putting the fly on the water just right. I've taken that advice and ran with it, I've taken it along with me in all aspects of my fishing life and life in general. So the pro fly tiers out there will look at my technique and my end product and just laugh no two flies I tie are alike and sometimes they aren't even close. The fact that my flies are not pretty or picture perfect doesn't bother me because if you turn over a couple rocks, or screen water in the stream, or catch a fly from the air while on the bank you'll notice that they all have something a little different. Bugs get busted up from currents, birds, wind, other bugs, and fish, so if you tie a nymph and the hackle is too short or you're tail pieces are two different sizes don't worry because in the wild it might be best to leave it be.

So here is how I tie a prince nymph these days. I tie them from size 20 to 8, also for the bead head I use black thread, for the normal ones I tend to use red. So tonight I'll show you a normal one so you'll see it being tied on a size 12 with red thread.

size 12 with red thread

I like to use some lead wire to add some weight because I tend to fish currents or deep pools with my nymphs

When I apply it I tend to push if to the eye of the fly to keep a nose first fall in the water because most nymphs get kicked up from the bottom and try to return there.

So once your weighted up wrap the weight with some thread so your other materials don't slip down into the turns of the weight, then you tie a crossed tail using goose biots rusty or brown in color and a piece of gold ribbing.

Then tie three pieces of peacock herl rapped from back to front leaving the gold rib behind to be rapped next

Now lets rap the ribbing forward, then tie white biots facing up or forward, along with a piece of hackle. Give the hackle two turns away from you and tie off then fold those wings back over the hackle and give the fly a head.

The prince nymph is a versatile fly used by the experts and by beginners alike. I love the prince nymph when I am fishing a new spot or the fish are looking for dark nymphs. This fly will catch stock fish, and wild/native fish as well, it is one I never leave home without at least half a dozen of these bad boys. It is my favorite nymph in recent years and if you look close in some of my trophy pictures most likely you see a prince nymph hooked into the top jaw of those trout.

Thanks for following and go get on the water everyone!

Bruce