Fly of the Month

Bob Ireton brings together his experience in fly fishing, aquatic entomology, and knowledge of fly tying techniques and materials, to design and tie durable and effective flies.


  Volume 4,  Issue 7                                                                          July 2003

 DRAGONFLY NYMPH
       Fly, Text, and Photography by Bob Ireton

The larval stage of the dragonfly is an extremely important food source for fish living in slow-moving, weed-rich streams, ponds, sloughs, and lakes. The nymph cycle typically lasts from two to four years, which means they are present and available to fish all year. And since the dragonfly nymph is very predacious, it moves around enough to attract the fish. At 3/4" to 2" long, they make a nice meal.

Dragonfly nymphs are capable of crawing, darting, and free swimming. They typically live and hunt around aquatic plants, rough rubble, heavily sedimented bottoms, or submerged tree limbs or roots. If you fish water with this type of habitat, this is a 'must have' pattern. Fish this fly with a slow retrieve deep in this structure, and you should have good results.

MATERIAL LIST

Hook - Mustad AC3906B, Dai-Riki 060, Daiichi 1560, Orvis 167T. Size - 12
Thread - Black 6/0 & 3/0
Eyes - Black bead chain, size medium.
Weight - .025 lead wire.
Body - Fine black pearl chenille estaz.
Legs - Black flex- floss, or equivalent.

TYING STEPS - click on pictures for larger view

1 - Place the hook properly in the vice, and pinch down or roll over the barb, if desired. Attach the 3/0 thread behind the hook eye, and lay on a thread base rearward, stopping at the hook barb. Dragon1.jpg (16292 bytes)
2 - Bring the thread back to just behind the hook eye using well-spaced wraps. Place a pair of bead chain eyes on the top of the hook shank, and secure with figure eight wraps. Bring the thread back to the hook point, or slightly further. Tie a half hitch. Dragon2.jpg (18429 bytes)
3 - Start the lead wire at the working thread, and wrap it to the eyes, then bring it back almost to the starting point, and remove tag end of lead. Dragon3.jpg (16653 bytes)
4 - With the 3/0 working thread, cover the entire wraps of lead, with a thread ramp on both ends of the lead. Tie a couple of half hitches, then a whip finish. Now cut the working thread and lay the bobbin aside. With flat blade pliers, carefully flatten the lead to form a horizontal body. Go easy on the end near the hook bend. Dragon4.jpg (26777 bytes)

5 - Top view of the body.

 Dragon5.jpg (19037 bytes)
6 - Using Dave's Flexament, cover the thread wraps and thread holding the eyes. Dragon6.jpg (17560 bytes)
7 - Attach the 6/0 working thread on the rear area of the fly, then attach the body material. Bring the thread forward to behind the eyes, and tie a half hitch. Dragon7.jpg (26864 bytes)
8 - Palmer the body material forward to behind the eyes, and tie off. Trim the tag end of the estaz, and tie a couple half hitches. Dragon8.jpg (20900 bytes)
9 - Attach a pair of legs on each side of the body behind the eyes. Bring the thread under the eyes, and wrap several times around the hook behind the hook eye. Tie a couple of half hitches, and a whip finish. Clip off working thread, and apply head cement. Dragon9.jpg (25276 bytes)

The Buckeye United Fly Fishers, Inc is a non-profit corporation organized under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, incorporated in the State of Ohio for the preservation, conservation and wise use of our fishing waters and game fish; and to assist in the protection and improvement of our natural resources