How to Tie: The Rainbow Warrior

In this week’s “How to Tie” video feature, Fly Fish Food shows us how to tie the Rainbow Warrior nymph.

Learn About This Fly:

Difficulty: Novice 

To most anglers, whether they’re brand new to the sport of fly fishing or have been tossing line since they learned to walk, there are a few flies that have firm real estate in everyone’s vocabulary of bugs. There’s the elk hair caddis, the zebra nymph, and of course; the rainbow warrior.

This fly, a creation of fly tying legend Lance Egan, is a staple amongst almost any anglers fly box. Because of its flashy presentation, it is the perfect dropper fly to get a hungry fish’s attention. However, it’s true appeal comes with how easy it is to tie. By utilizing only a few simple materials, an entire armada of these tasty little bugs can be conjured up within 20-30 minutes.

When tying this fly, remember the order of the steps that go into it. This way, you’ll have everything synched in tight, and you’ll be maximizing the longevity of the fly. By taking your time on the first few, you’ll be able to dial in your wrap-count, and in turn, greatly increase your production speed. Soon enough you’ll be able to whip up one of these trout-slayers in your sleep!

Ingredients:

• Hook: TMC 2457 Caddis Pupa, Nymph Hook – 16
  
• Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier – Red
  
• Beads: Plummeting Tungsten Beads – Nickel – 3/32″ (2.3mm)
  
• Tail: Nature’s Spirit Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails – Natural
  
• Body/Wingcase: Pearl Tinsel – Large
  
• Thorax: Wapsi Sow Scud Dubbing – Rainbow

Now you know how to tie the Rainbow Warrior!

Video and Ingredients courtesy of Fly Fish Food 

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