Nymph Catalog

All flies are tied on Dai-Riki hooks with the barbs pinched down Nymphs with (BH) beside the fly name can be tied with bead heads. Custom orders are encouraged.

Nymphs

AP Turkey Tail Sizes: 12 - 16

The AP Turkey Tail uses the same wild turkey tail feather segment for the tail, abdomen, wingcase, and legs of the nymph. The use mottled feathers such as turkey tail creates a nice overall look and is a close match to many naturals.

Barr's Emerger (BH) Sizes: 16-22

Color:s: Olive, Pale Morning Dun

The Barr's Emerger is another pattern that can act as both a BWO and a PMD. The reason is due to the fact that these insects are available to the trout for extended periods of time throughout the season. This is one fly I wouldn't want to be without while fishing.

Barr's Pure Midge Larva Size: 18-22

Colors: Olive, Red, Black, Tan, Chartreuse

The Barr's Pure Midge is simple and effective. A great early season pattern. Works well in all tailwaters.

Biot Midge Sizes: 18-22

Colors: Olive, Brown, Black, White

A great midge pattern for tail-water trout.

Biot Midge Emerger Sizes: 18-22

Colors: Olive, Brown, Black, White

Emergers are designed to imitate the adult midge just as it pulls free of the pupal shuck.

Bitch Creek Sizes: 2-12

Colors: Orange, Yellow

The Bitch Creek Nymph is an old standby pattern for many anglers. Most say that it is a stonefly nymph imitation, but others use it as a searching or attractor pattern. I tie this pattern with the Tiger Weave, which I think makes it slightly different from flies the fish may have already seen.

Black Beauty Sizes: 18-22

Another great midge patern for difficult western tailwaters and spring creeks. This has become a standard pattern throughout the Rocky Mountains. Midge patterns can be particularly effective in the winter months, because they remain active in extremely cold temperatures while other insects are more dormant.

Mercury Black Beauty Sizes: 18-22

The Black Beauty Midge with a silver-lined bead added. This has become a standard pattern throughout the Rocky Mountains. Midge patterns can be particularly effective in the winter months, because they remain active in extremely cold temperatures while other insects are more dormant.

BLM (Beaded Little Mayfly) Sizes: 14-18

Colors: Olive, Peacock/Pearl, Black, Red, Gold

Developed by Tim Heng, manager of Taylor Creek Fly Shop, the BLM (Beaded Little Mayfly) is one of the most effective little mayfly/midge imitations ever. A thorax style bead with just the right amount of material - deadly. Great early and late in the season. The BLM was awarded the fly of the year in 2002 by Flyfisherman Magazine.

Brassie Sizes: 14-22

Colors: Copper, Amber, Black, Chartreuse, Copper Brown, Gold, Green, Olive, Red, and Wine

An old stand-by midge pattern which is a must have for anyone's fly box.

Mercury Brassie Sizes: 18-22

Colors: Copper, Amber, Black, Chartreuse, Copper Brown, Gold, Green, Olive, Red, and Wine

The old stand-by midge pattern with the silver-lined bead that just adds so much to this great fly.

Brian's Midge Emerger Sizes: 14-22

My friend, Brian, had me fishing this fly on the Green River and I have caught fish with it every where I have fished it.

Buckskin (BH)  Sizes: 14-22

Colorado angler, Ed Marsh invented the Buckskin in the early 1970's. The Buckskin imitates an assortment of larvae from maggots to midges. The Buckskin also imitates both cased and free living caddis in larger sizes. Use the Buckskin as an "attractor" and fish another small midge or mayfly behind it.

Caddis Larva Sizes: 10-16

Colors: Green, Tan

The Caddis Larva represents food sources trout in most rivers see 365 days of the year. Larva patterns mimic the early, free-living immature forms of the insect and are designed to be fished close to the bottom.

Caddis Pupa Sizes: 14-18

During a caddis hatch, pupa rise from the substrate to the surface. Some drift along the bottom for many yards before they rise. This is a productive pattern during the earliest stages of the hatch. It can be fished close to the bottom very much like caddis larva and other nymphs. These flies can be fished down and across the current, under light tension to simulate the pupa rising to the surface.

Copper John Sizes: 10-18

Colors: Copper, Amber, Black, Blue, Copper Brown, Green, Olive, Red, Silver, Wine, and Zebra 

One of my "Go-To" flies. The Copper John gets down quickly to where the fish are. Yet it also maintains an enticing profile that seems to imitate a wide variety of insects.  The only hard thing to do is choose which color Copper John to use.

Rubber-Legged Copper John Sizes: 10-18

Colors: Copper, Amber, Black, Blue, Copper Brown, Green, Olive, Red, Silver, Wine, and Zebra

The Copper John with added motion of the rubber legs to attact a trout's attention.

Tungsten Bead Copper John Sizes: 16 - 20

Colors: Copper, Amber, Black, Blue, Copper Brown, Green, Olive, Red, Silver, Wine, and Zebra

This is a smaller sized Copper John on a short-shank, curved hook that can hold onto larger fish than the standard hook most Copper John's are tied on.

Free Living Caddis Sizes: 14-16

The Caddis Larva represents food sources trout in most rivers see 365 days of the year. Larva patterns mimic the early, free-living immature forms of the insect and are designed to be fished close to the bottom.

Gabriel's Trumpet Sizes: 10-16

Colors: Gold, Black

The Gabriel's Trumpet is a Skip Morris pattern. Fish it below on indicator in rivers and lakes, or as a dropper below a large hopper pattern.

Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear (BH) Sizes: 10-16

Colors: Hare's Ear (Natural), Dark Hare's Ear, Rusty Orange, Insect Green, Black, Reddish Brown, Dark Olive, Tan, Chocolate Brown, Gold, Olive Brown, Olive Hare's Ear

The Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear is one of the best nymph patterns of all time. The GRHE is an impressionistic fly the imitates a number of different aquatic insects, so no matter what bugs are active it will usually produce fish. A must have for your fly box.

Flashback Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear (BH) Sizes: 10-16

Colors: Hare's Ear (Natural), Dark Hare's Ear, Rusty Orange, Insect Green, Black, Reddish Brown, Dark Olive, Tan, Chocolate Brown, Gold, Olive Brown, & Olive Hare's Ear

The GRHE with a Flash for the wing case to add some attraction to this great fly.

Graphic Caddis Sizes: 14-18

The Graphic Caddis was developed to mimic the emerging caddis pupae, as it swims from the river bottom to the surface. There has been a lot of talk about the air bubble carried by caddis pupae these days, and this fly has a tag of holographic flash at the back of this fly to show this.

Holo-Baetis Sizes: 14-22

Colors: Black, Blue/Black, Gold, Green, Red, Silver

This is a pattern that I came up with this last summer. It is a very good baetis fly. Black, Blue/Black, and Green work well for Baetis and a red is a good Red Quill nymph. Gold or silver are great attractor colors.

Holo-Stone Sizes: 12-16

Colors: Black, Gold

This is another fly that I came up with similar to the Holo-baetis. I tie this in black or gold. Fish it upstream close to the bottom or under a Stimulator as a dropper.

Hot Glue Egg Size: 10

Hot Glue eggs work magnificently for trout, especially in turbid or off-colored water. Many anglers who fish tail water fisheries turn to egg patterns when the dam is releasing water. Egg flies are also remarkably effective for timid trout in spring creeks. For many anglers, an egg is their “go to” pattern when the fishing is slow.

Ice Nymph Sizes: 14-22

Colors: Black, Blue/Black, Gold, Silver, Ruby, Plum, Emerald, Copper

Gold or silver are great attractor colors. Black and green works well for Baetis and a red is a good Red Quill nymph.

Jack's Emerger Sizes: 18-22

Fish this emerger with a greased leader so that the fly is just a few inches under the surface.

Loop Wing Pheasant Tail Sizes: 16-22

This is a variation of the classic Pheasant tail that is is an emerging mayfly.

March Brown Biot Bug Sizes: 14-20

A Baetis nymph imitation. A traditional dead-drift presentation is a good fishing technique, but a swing at the end of the drift can entice a fish into chasing the fly.

Mercury Baetis Sizes: 18-22

A nice little Baetis pattern with the silver-lined bead that just adds so much to this great fly.

Mercury Blood Midge Sizes: 18-22

A great midge pattern in the Mercury series of flies that keeps showing up in a lot of fishing reports as a fly to use.

Mercury Midge Sizes: 18-22

A fantastic Midge pattern that has taken a lot of fish on the South Platte. The addition of the silver-lined bead that looks like a drop of mercury adds so much to this fly. Trout love it.

Nuclear Egg Sizes: 10

Colors: Pink, Early Girl, Tangerine, Orange, Dark Orange, Dead Egg

A great attractor pattern to use with a dropper like Flashback Mercury Pheasant Tail, Top Secret Midge, or RS-2.

Pheasant Tail (BH) Sizes: 16-22

Originated by Frank Sawyer, the Pheasant Tail has been modified by Montana's Al troth to incorporate the deadly Peacock herl.  The Pheasant Tail represent beatis nymphs abundent in many river systems.

Flash Back Pheasant Tail (BH) Sizes: 16-22

The classic Pheasant Tail with Flash for the wing case.

Mercury Pheasant Tail Sizes: 18-22

The classic Pheasant Tail with the silver-lined bead.

Mercury Flashback Pheasant Tail Sizes: 18-22

The classic Pheasant Tail with the silver-lined bead and Flash for the wing case.

Pheasant Tail Midge Sizes: 16-22

A midge pattern tied from pheasant tail fibers.

Poundmeister Sizes: 6-10

A great pattern to fish wherever there are crane flies present.

Prince Nymph (BH) Sizes: 6-18

The Prince Nymph is a “Must Have” fly in any flyfisher’s flybox. The Prince Nymph was made popular by Doug Prince of Monterey, CA from whom it gets its’ name. It is a great searching pattern and can be used to imitate Stoneflies and Caddis nymphs. Peacock body flies have long been a favorite of flyfishers. Since Peacock herl is very fragile, I use a dubbing loop on the herl so that it becomes almost bullet-proof. I want my flies to last for more than one fish.

Rubber-Legged Prince Nymph (BH) Sizes: 6-18

This is a very buggy Prince Nymph that really comes alive in the water. The rubber legs add a lot of movement and attraction.

Rainbow Warrior Sizes: 14-20

The Rainbow Warrior is the creation from Lance Egan of Utah. This little non-descript bug came on the scene a few years ago and immediately caused a stir among anglers and fish alike. Lance used his rainbow Warrior pattern to place second in ESPN's 2003 Western Flyfishing Qualifiers earning the right to compete in the 2003 ESPN Great Outdoor Games.

Ray Charles Sizes: 14-18

Colors: Pink, Tan, Gray, White, And Olive

This pattern imitates freshwater scud and sow bugs, often found in Western tail-water fisheries and spring creeks. Imitating a Sowbug, the Ray Charles can be tied in a variety of colors. Pink, tan, gray, olive, and white are all good colors for the ostrich herl, while the pearl flashback and red thread remain a constant.

RS-2 Sizes: 16-18

Colors: Black, Gray, Tan, Brown, Cream, Olive

RS-2 is short for “Rim’s Semblance 2” It was invented by Rim Chung some 30 years ago, and while it has remained quietly in the background while more famous flies are used by legions of anglers, it has caught many, many fish. It is a great fly for heavily fished areas for just this reason.

Sparkle Wing RS-2 Sizes: 16-18

Colors: Black, Gray, Tan, Brown, Cream, Olive

The RS-2 with Flash for the wing instead of the webby part of a saddle hackle.

Mercury RS-2 Sizes 16-18

Colors: Black, Gray, Tan, Brown, Cream, Olive

The RS-2 with the silver-lined bead added for more attraction.

Mercury Sparkle Wing RS-2 Sizes: 16-18

Colors: Black, Gray, Tan, Brown, Cream, Olive

The RS-2 with the Flash for the wing and the silver-lined bead.

Rubber Boatman Sizes: 12-16

Most anglers ignore Water Boatman and Backswimmers. During the fall and winter months, these bugs are more abundent than some of the other food sources that most flyfishers focus on. Water Boatman are usually found within three to four feet of the surface and fairly close to shore. That's where you need to fish this fly.

San Juan Worm Sizes 12-16

Colors: Tan, Olive, Hot Pink, Red, Blood Red, Wine, Worm Brown, Orange, and Purple

Some people consider this a controversial fly, mostly because it has the word "worm" in its name. Rivers do have populations of aquatic worms. They are generally one inch to two inches long and live in the riverbed itself. They look very much like earthworms or miniature nightcrawlers.

Pregnant San Juan Worm Sizes: 12-16

Colors: Tan, Olive, Hot Pink, Red, Blood Red, Wine, Worm Brown, Orange, and Purple

The Pregnant San Juan Worm has a bead added the simulates the collar that earthworms have and it adds weight to get the fly down close to where the fish are.

Scud (BH) Sizes: 10-16

Colors: Olive Brown, Orange, Pale Olive, Pink, Shrimp Scud, Tan, Gray, Gray Olive, Gray Tan, Amber, Light Dun, and Olive

Scuds thrive in lake and pond weed beds and in moving waters that are slow enough for aquatic vegetation to take root. Scuds are crustaceans and are in the water year-round. Scuds, when alive, have the color of their habitat. They only turn bright colors after they die.

Serendipity (BH) Sizes: 14-20

Colors: Olive, Red, Brown, Black

Ross Marigold, guide on the Madison River, tied these for a Midge pupae. It also looks like a small caddis. Whatever it is, the trout eat it because it looks alive and like something good to eat.

Sparkle Caddis Pupa (BH) Sizes: 12-18

The Sparkle Caddis Pupae imitates the caddisfly pupa as it has just emerged from its puparium and is drifting along the river bed. This can be a very effective searching pattern any time of the spring and summer. This is usually fished dead drift; however, it can be deadly when fished with a Leisenring lift or when jigged through deep pockets.

String Thing Sizes: 18-22

Colors: Olive, Red, Brown, and Tan

The String Thing imitates the larva stage of a midge. The String Thing produces fish whenever midges of any color are the focus of trout. That's most of the time, winter or summer.

Top Secret Midge Sizes: 18-22

Mercury Top Secret Midge Sizes: 18-22

Another midge pattern the works well in all of Colorado's fisheries.

Tung Teaser Sizes: 8-18

The Tung Teaser has a lot of elements from other productive patterns. White biots and peacock coloring like the Prince Nymph. An exopy-back like the Copper John. It is a heavily-weighted attactor pattern that doesn't imitate any specific insect.

Uncased Caddis Sizes: 12 - 16

Colors: Green, Tan

This is another great caddis imitation. Fish it on a dead-drift with an occassional twitch being okay since the naturals will move and wiggle around as they try to reattach themselves to the bottom of the river.

WD-40 Sizes: 16-22

Colors: Black, Brown, Gray, Olive

A must-have mayfly and midge imitation. Don't go fishing your favorite tail-water without a bunch of these.

White Antron Emerger Sizes: 14-18

A simple fly that catches fish. Fish this one on an up-stream dead-drift under an indicator with lead weight if needed to get the fly down to the feeding zone.

Zebra Midge Sizes: 18-22

Colors: Black, Brown, Olive, Gray, Orange, Purple, Chartreuse, Red, Blue, Fuchsia

A Zebra Midge can be an absolutely devastatingly attractive nymph in slow and medium flow trout fisheries. The Zebra Midge is a nymph that imitates midge pupae and/or emerging midges and is most effective when fish are actively feeding on emerging midges. You will see the fish rolling in light current as they take midge pupae they catch struggling toward the surface.

All pictures provided by Bill Cronin of Cronin Photography