When you’re fishing deep the risk of losing a fly is always greater than when fishing closer to the surface or dry. If you’re fishing really deep you must expect to lose a handful or two of flies on a long fishing day. With that in mind – keep the flies simple and maybe even tied from cheap easily available materials.
BY LARS CHR. BENTSEN, Images by Ahrex and Matt Guymon / Freestone River Photography.
I enjoy tying complicated pattern where most recognise the exact insect the fly is supposed to imitate. A good example is Oliver Edwards’ Baetis Nymph. Why? I like the challenge a complicated pattern and a no. 16 hook offers. Is it necessary – hardly – at best. And they are annoying to lose to a snag, since they’re not exactly fast and easy to tie.
So if you’re in a hurry, stick to something simpler and faster and rest assured, 2-3-4 feet below the surface the exact pattern won’t matter. Size matters, profile matters, colour matters – in that order. As always presentation is key. A good example is the Simple Yarn Nymph I like tying and fishing. In different sizes and colours, this pattern is enough to imitate anything.
Another good example is Håkan Karsnäser’s Shane Nymph. It’s fast and easy, yet contains all the elements of the living insect. Tail, abdomen, thorax, wing case and legs – even a head. Follow along here, where Håkan shows, step by step, how he ties this simple nymph. Once you have a tied a few, you’ll get the right proportions under your fingers, so you can fill the box with the sizes and colours you need.
The Shane Nymph//
Hook: Ahrex 560/56 1, size 12-20.
Thread: Tan.
Tail: Fibres from a light tan hen hackle.
Rib: Copper wire.
Abdomen: Olive squirrel dubbing.
Wing case: Fibres from dyed black turkey tail.
Thorax: Grey, natural squirrel dubbing.
Hackle: Light tan hen hackle.
