The prince nymph is another favorite fly of western fly fishers. This classic has great fish attracting features including a bead, iridescent peacock herl, and contrasting white wings. I always want to enter a new season with an adequate supply of beadhead prince nymphs.
In addition, I’ve discovered that a prince nymph is highly effective during the caddis hatches on Colorado Rivers. I’m guessing they are a reasonable imitation of egg laying caddis that dive into the river and swim to the stream bottom to lay their eggs. I’ve had some great success with prince nymphs late in the afternoon after the adult caddis have already hatched.
A Prince Nymph
| Component | Material |
|---|---|
| Hook | Size 14 nymph or wet fly hook |
| Bead | Gold |
| Thread | Black 6/0 |
| Tail | Black or brown goose biots |
| Rib | Fine gold wire |
| Abdomen/Thorax | Peacock herl |
| Legs | Brown hen hackle |
| Wings | White goose biots |
I was prepared to begin tying damsel nymphs, but discovered I didn’t have light olive marabou, so I moved on to tying beadhead prince nymphs over the weekend. The first five were weighted with wire, and the next five were unweighted. Hopefully I now have an adequate stock of this reliable producer.