In this week’s “How to Tie” video feature, Hopper Juan Ramirez ties one of Devin Olsen’s highly productive attractor flies for this Spring, the Space X.
Learn About This Fly:
Difficulty: Easy
The trout fever is officially on for the season. Spring weather has returned to New England, leading to high spirited fish and anglers alike. There is nothing more satisfying than watching life come back as Winter dissipates, trading the cold and gray landscape for green and lush vegetation. What better way to celebrate the end of seasonal depression and multiple layers than a good day on the water, and the Space X is the perfect fly to accompany you on that adventure.
This pattern is great for beginner tyers as it will test new skills while staying within attainable standards. CDC is a delicate material and it is important to be careful when wrapping as to not to break the feather or secure properly at the end. Adding a small amount of super glue to the finishing wraps will set the stem and create additional durability with ease, allowing you to keep fishing the fly even after being eaten by several fish. Tie the Space X at your own pace to ensure its buggy profile is accurate, which is crucial to the productivity of this pattern.
Originally designed as a euro nymphing fly, you’ll also easily find success when pairing this with a larger hopper or dry fly such as the Chubby Chernobyl. If you prefer fishing nymphs under a strike indicator, tying this pattern in larger sizes will make this a fantastic point fly. As temperatures rise and fish become more active, using a highly visible nymph can be the ticket for creating productivity on the water while others struggle. Fish the Space X with confidence this Spring and enjoy the warmer weather and wading conditions as they become more frequent.
Ingredients:
- Hook: Fulling Mill 5125, Size 18
- Bead: Tungsten, 2.8mm
- Thread: Veevus, Black 14/0
- Tail: GloBrite #2, Hot Pink
- Body: Semperfli Perdition Body, Iridescent Purple
- Ribbing: Small Silver Wire
- Thorax: Fulling Mill Euro Nymph Flash Dub, Black Bronze Peacock Dubbing
- Hackle: Natural Dun CDC
Now you know how to tie the Space X!
Video and ingredients courtesy of Hopper Juan Ramirez.
