Friday Fly Day - Unweighted Flies

How many of you carry unweighted versions of your nymphs? Trout can be found in super shallow water or feeding inches below the film and if you only carry your nymph patterns weighted, you’re missing out. This past week following fuller flows we have found many fish cruising the backwaters, and with cooler water temps in the AM few will look to the surface, and a weighted nymph will more likely than not snag on the streambed debris.

Hares Ear Flashback

Chan's PT Chironomid

Hares ears, glister nymphs, caddis chironomids, corixa and snails to name a few, all have a place as an unweighted tie in my flybox.

Also consider a few bulkier, well picked out dubbed ties. These will often sink slower than their slender counterparts, suspend better throughout the water column and offer additional movement / suggestion of life from longer, softer fibres. A sparse turn of soft hackle or cdc can add more life to often well scrutinised, backwater or soft edgewater patterns.

Silverman's Caddis Larvae

Possum Nymph

Korbay's Czech Nymph

Present them static in ambush of cruising fish, twitch them upon approach, slow retrieve or drop ahead of cruisers. Pick a tactic according to the situation at hand and make the most of the final week of the season.

CHECK OUT THE FULL MANIC FLY COLLECTION HERE