In this week’s “How to Tie” video feature, Charlie Craven ties one of the late Shane Stalcup’s masterpieces, the Gilled Nymph.
Learn About This Fly:
Difficulty: Intermediate
Mayflies are a dietary item for nearly all trout. Keeping a wide variety in your nymph and dry boxes is key to matching the hatch or subsurface surveying, ultimately increasing your success rate on the water. While there are more mayfly patterns out today than most anglers know what to do with, it’s important not to forget the naturals that got us where we are now. Whether you fish for trout in rivers or lakes, there’s no doubt that the Gilled Nymph will bring you success if brought in your fly box.
Working with natural materials is something every fly tyer should get comfortable with. Although synthetics are easy to work with, the profile that naturals give for nymphs and dries is very hard to match. For novice tyers, go slow and be careful of breaking materials while trying to create the perfect profile. The Gilled Nymph won’t give experienced tyers too much grief, but working with smaller sized flies can always surprise you!
Not including a bead in this pattern means you’ll have to use split shot or another nymph to get it down. For tricking finicky fish, the natural materials and weightless body is perfect. If mayflies are coming off on top, pairing this pattern with a dry to imitate an emerger coming to the surface is another way this fly will be effective. Regardless of how you fish it, the Gilled Nymph will produce fish and make for a happy day on the water.
Ingredients:
- Hook: #16 Tiemco 200R
- Thread: Tan Veevus 14/0
- Tail: Natural Emu Herl or Ostrich Herl
- Body: Natural or Tan Ostrich Herl
- Rib: Fine Gold Wire
- Casing: Medallion Sheeting or Brown Swiss Straw
- Thorax: Tan Superfine Dubbing
- Legs: Partridge
Now you know how to tie the Gilled Nymph!
Video and ingredients courtesy of Charlie’s Fly Box.
