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.