Pheasant Tail Nymph 12/31/2025 Photo Album

For a materials table for this fly click on this link to one of my early posts, 01/11/2012. My pheasant tail and materials could vary somewhat from the classic original pattern. This post also provides a nice history of my experience with this famous fly.

A Row of Pheasant Tails in My Boat Box

This used to be one of my most used flies; however, its popularity with me has declined in recent history. The ascent of the salvation nymph and supernova PMD are the reason for the reduced usage of the beadhead pheasant tail nymph. There are occasions, however, where I continue to resort to my classic beadhead pheasant tails, and I always maintain a supply in my fleece wallet.

Old Reliable

Why have the other flies superseded the pheasant tail? In the case of the salvation nymph, I feel that it works as a pale morning dun imitation, but its flashiness also serves as an excellent all-season attractor. The supernova PMD looks very similar to a pheasant tail, but it is much easier to tie. Dealing with brittle pheasant tail fibers can be a frustrating experience.

Flashback Version

In my earlier fly fishing life in Colorado I approached each new season with at least eighty pheasant tail nymphs in my fly storage containers. As my usage waned, I have simply allowed the supply to dwindle. I counted my current inventory at thirty-eight, so I once again chose not to produce additional quantities. I am sure I will dip into my beadhead pheasant tail stock during the 2026 season.

Supernova PMD 12/31/2025 Photo Album

For my earliest information on the Supernova PMD, click on my 04/12/2020 post. It contains a materials table and some background information. This fly has grown in importance over the last five years, as I find it to be an effective substitute for a pheasant tail nymph. It displays the same color scheme with a brown tail, brown ribbed abdomen and peacock thorax. The supernova PMD is much faster to tie than a pheasant tail nymph and also more durable. What is not to like about those improvements?

Supernova

When I counted my supply, I realized that I only needed to tie three more to reach my target level. I did so, but I tied the three additions on a size 16 scud hook, and this yielded a body length comparable to a size 18. My remaining supply of pheasant tails are all size 18, thus, I tied supernovas to replace them.

Left Side

Obviously, given the name, I tie a supernova PMD to my line during pale morning dun hatches in the west. These hatches extend from June through October, if one visits both freestones and tailwaters. I look forward to using a supernova during a pale morning dun hatch in 2026.

Lots of Ice Dub

Emerald Caddis Pupa 12/21/2025 Photo Album

For the story of how I became enamored with the emerald caddis pupa, click on this link to my 01/01/2012 post. This post also contains a material table.

The emerald caddis pupa has been a reliable producer over many years, and I continue to utilize it on many fishing outings. I use it throughout the season, and it does not seem to be linked to an individual time frame for effectiveness. In fact, at times when my main workhorse flies are not producing, I default to the emerald caddis pupa, and it delivers results under difficult circumstances.

New Collar

I continue to believe that the magic of this fly is the emerald color. I examined many caddis larva, pupa and adults; and the emerald color seems to be fairly prevalent. The color serves as an attractor, and imparting fast action also seems to add to the allure. I like to swing this fly, jig it, and lift quickly at the end of the drift; and these moves seem to attract the attention of trout.

Three Flies Among Needed Materials

When I counted my inventory of this fly, I determined that two additional ties could bring my stock to target levels. I found three flies in my damaged container canister, and in each case the thread was unraveling at the head of the fly. I simply attached my thread behind the eye of the hook and secured it with several wraps, and then I dubbed a new gray collar and finished with a whip finish. Three refurbished flies were added to my storage box for the upcoming season.

Go2 Caddis Pupa 12/20/2025 Photo Album

My post of 01/11/2017 provides introductory information on the genesis of the go2 caddis pupa. This fly continues to be a favorite choice, when I encounter the grannom caddis hatch in the April and early May time period. I have not experienced as much success in recent years, but historically I enjoyed some hot action while fishing the sparkling green pupa pattern. Quite often clumsy mends and imparting a jigging action activate the caddis pupa, and the trout respond. I am often surprised with how fast I can strip the pupa, and the trout chase it vigorously.

Refurbished Go2 Caddis Pupa

I counted my caddis pupa patterns, and the go 2 version fell two short of my desired level of inventory. I found three damaged caddis pupa in my fleece wallet, so I stripped two down to the hook and tied new go2 versions. The other damaged fly was missing the dubbed collar, so I simply added a fresh coat of dubbing.

Angled Left

Once again I anxiously anticipate an encounter with a caddis hatch during 2026, and when I do, I will offer a go2 bright green caddis pupa. The fish will likely savor this fly.

Zoomed on Two New Pupa

Frenchie 12/20/2025 Photo Album

As I mentioned in my last post on the silver bullet, I attended the 21st anniversary open house at Charlie’s Fly Box, and I watched Lance Egan spin some of his favorite flies. The silver bullet was one, but another was the frenchie, which caught my attention as a solid fish attractor. Lance provided ample testimony to support my supposition.

Lots of Fibers

I produced five silver bullets that I plan to test during blue wing olive season, so I turned my attention to the frenchie. In order to refresh my memory, I reviewed Lance’s YouTube video on tying the frenchie, and then I gathered the materials. I did not have several, so I made substitutions. For gray pheasant tail I substituted some charcoal antron, and I replaced the cream/pink shrimp ice dubbing with some gold antron. The gold antron actually looked similar based on the YouTube image in spite of the fairly significant difference in names. I replaced the coq de leon tail fibers with a sparse clump from a grizzly spade hackle.

From the Top

I was rather pleased with my finished product. I suspect the key fish attracting features are the tungsten bead, slim profile and the contrasting colors of the red thread and gold color. I feel that my fly satisfies those needs; and, thus, will be a fish finder.

Materials and Flies

I tied five to begin my experiment. Lance said that he uses this fly instead of a pheasant tail, so I plan to follow the same strategy. This means it will be present on my line during pale morning dun activity time periods. If the frenchie produces, I will probably find myself at the vise during fishing season generating additional supply.

Silver Bullet 12/09/2025 Photo Album

As mentioned in my post of 11/08/2025. during the 2025 season I fell in love with the olive perdigon. I tied a bunch in November, and I added some versions with a brown body, but the thought crossed my mind, are there other perdigon style flies that generate similar results? I attribute much of the effectiveness of this style of fly to the tungsten bead and its ability to sink the fly rapidly to the trout’s level. Surely other patterns with a tungsten bead could be similarly effective.

On Saturday, December 6 I decided to attend the 21st anniversary function at Charlie’s Fly Box. Upon my arrival, I quickly browsed around the shop and purchased a couple items to replenish my fly tying supplies. The parking lot was nearly full, and the shop floor was buzzing with shoppers. I wandered around the store, until I found a fly tying session in a small room arrayed with chairs. I was fortunate to learn that the fly tying session, featuring tier Lance Egan, was on the verge of beginning.

Lance asked for suggestions from the audience on what he should tie, and the first request was a poacher. I was not familiar with this fly, but I watched, as Lance produced a leech style fly on a jig hook with a pine squirrel tail. More requests were sought, and someone asked for an iron lotus. The iron lotus was a perdigon style fly that was very simple to tie, and I logged it in my notes for future consideration.

Next someone raised their hand and suggested a silver bullet. This fly caught my attention.  Lance tied it on a size 16 jig hook with a silver tungsten bead. I noted this fly and vowed to make some. The final fly that I observed was a Frenchie, and I was somewhat familiar with the fly; essentially its reputation.

Left Side Look

Once I completed tying my prince nymphs, I was set to advance to the next fly, but I was so intrigued with the flies that Lance Egan tied, that I decided to insert a few new patterns. Because it was designed to primarily imitate a baetis nymph, I began with the silver bullet. I shrank the hook size from16 to 18; the smallest jig hook size in my drawer. I had some tungsten beads that were given to me by a friend who stopped tying, and they were smaller than my copper beads, so I decided to use them on the smaller size 18 hook. They were not silver, but instead a dull gold color.

Right Side Look

I found the fly tying instructions on the Fly Fish Food website owned by Lance Egan and his partner and refreshed my memory and churned out five new imitations. I plan to use these flies during baetis hatch season. They are smaller than the olive perdigon, so I am hopeful that they will more closely replicate the baetis nymphs, but they will possess the rapid sinking quality of the perdigon with a tungsten bead.

Five and Materials

Tying these is a breeze. I recommend viewing the YouTube video, but there are only seven steps including threading the bead and applying the UV resin. It is a very streamlined and simple fly. I am anxious to give them a try and possibly pair with an olive perdigon.

Prince Nymph 12/07/2025 Photo Album

My usage of the prince nymph has declined a bit, and this is probably due to the ascent of the 20 incher as a very trusted fly in my repertoire. My post of 12/03/2011 provides a bit of background and a materials table for this fly.

Right Flank

I tie prince nymphs in two sizes; size 12 2XL and size 14 2XL. The larger size nymphs are very similar to a 20 incher with the white goose biot wings replacing the more conventional thorax of the 20 incher.

Left Side

I use the size 14 2XL version, however, as more of a wet fly, and historically I found them to be a solid representation of egg laying grannom caddis. When I was younger, I possessed more endurance, and I remained on the stream until late afternoon, when the egg laying activity commenced. A swinging size 14 prince nymph was a very productive offering that scored quite a few fish. At some point I began tying the ultra zug bug, and it also imitates an egg laying caddis, although I suspect the prince is a better imitation. The ultra zug bug, however, is a far easier fly to tie, and I can afford to lose more to the stream bottom.

Five Plus Materials

I took inventory of my prince nymphs, and I concluded that I needed to tie three size 12’s and two size 14’s to keep my stock at targeted levels. Prince nymphs provide excellent practice at mounting goose biot tails and goose biot wings. Of course these steps also slow down the tying process. I feel adequately prepared for drifting prince nymphs in 2026.

20 Incher 12/05/2025 Photo Album

If you are interested in reading my first post regarding the 20 incher click on this link, 02/06/2014. I have gained confidence in this fly to the point, where it climbed into the upper echelon of my fly choices. The 20 incher is right there among the titans of the fly box.

I began tying this fly after Taylor Edrington of Royal Gorge Anglers introduced me to it on a guided wading trip. In recent years I discovered that it is a great fly to use in a dry/dropper configuration, when getting the fly down and deep quickly is one’s objective. If I am covering promising water, and I am convinced I have the right flies, yet the fish are not responding, I frequently add a 20 incher to my line as the top nymph. The weighted 20 incher sinks rapidly, and it is a solid fish attractor in its own right.

Angled Side View

The 20 incher combined with a blue winged olive seems to be particularly effective in the early season, but I have also experienced success during other times, especially when flows are abundant. During 2025 the 20 incher and olive perdigon were workhorse flies that yielded many trout. Talk about weight! A weighted 20 incher and tungsten bead olive perdigon generate very deep drifts, and this technique is effective in deep pockets behind large boulders and along fast seams. Getting the fly deep and at the level of the trout in these conditions is imperative.

Materials and Seventeen 20 Inchers

Because I used the 20 incher more in 2025 than previously, I registered quite a bit of shrinkage. I found seven damaged nymphs in my restoration canister, and I recovered them to reuse. For the most part I needed to strip them down, but I at least recovered the hook and bead. I approached my vise and tied an additional ten to bring my inventory total to in excess of thirty. Because I fish this weighted fly along the bottom of the stream, I inevitably lose quite a few. Hopefully I am prepared for such losses in the new year.