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 3                                                                    March  2003

 MURRAY'S STRYMPH

Fly and Text by Bob Ireton
Photography by Bob Kimsey and Bob Ireton

This pattern was developed by Harry Murray, owner of Murray's Fly Shop in Edinburg, Virginia, to fish for smallmouth bass in the Shenandoah River. Harry came up with the name 'strymph' because this fly can be fished as a streamer to imitate minnows, or fished as a nymph to imitate aquatic insects. Once it is wet, a strymph becomes a slender, slinky lure. The entire dressing, even the rabbit fur body, wriggles or pulsates as you swim the fly.

Although this pattern was originally developed by Harry Murray to fish for smallmouth bass in the Shenandoah river, fly fishermen across the country have found the strymph to be a first rate fly for trout. I think this fly will catch almost any fish.

MATERIALS

Hook - TMC5262, Mustad 9672, Dai-Riki 710, Daiichi 1720, Orvis 1526, Partridge SH3

Size 2-10

Thread - 6/0 Olive

Weight - Lead Wire

Tail - Olive Ostrich Herl

Body - Olive Dyed Rabbit Fur

Collar - Olive Dyed Speckled Indian Hen Saddle

TYING STEPS

1 - Secure the hook properly in the vice, and pinch down barb, if desired. Lay on a thread base of close wraps from one hook eye space behind the eye of hook, wrapping rearward to a point above the hook barb. Tie a half hitch. Now using lead wire approximately the diameter of the hook shank, add weight to about the mid 3/4 of the shank. With the thread, build a sloping ramp on each end of the lead, then over the lead. Tie a half hitch. Apply head cement to cover the lead and thread wraps.

 stry1.jpg (27409 bytes)

 

2 - Take 10 to 20 strands of ostrich herl, depending on the size of the hook, and tie in the tail, binding the butt ends along the shank. Clip the excess herl, and return the thread to the base of the tail. Tie a half hitch. Trim the tail so it is the length of the hook shank.

 stry2.jpg (32553 bytes)

3 - Form a dubbing loop, and carefully lay rabbit fur crosswise inside the loop. Spin the loop to form a fur chenille.

 stry3.jpg (37090 bytes)

4 - Wrap the fur chenille up the shank, stroking the fur rearward every turn. You will probably need to create several such dubbing loops to fill the body in. Secure each section with a half hitch. Leave enough space behind the hook eye for the hackle. At this point, the fly body will look like a big fur ball.

 stry4.jpg (35931 bytes)

5 - Brush the fur to remove any tangles, and to make all the fibers stand up. Trim the body to shape, smaller at the tail, and getting thicker as you go toward the eye.

 stry5.jpg (34026 bytes)

6 - Prepare and tie in the speckled hen hackle so the shiny side is toward the eye of the hook. Make several wraps of the hackle, and tie off. Form a head, half hitch, and tie a whip finish. Apply head cement to the thread.

 stry6.jpg (36162 bytes)

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