Today’s Tying Tuesday includes a huge attractor dry, a deep-diving nymph, and a big saltwater baitfish replica. We kick things off with a video from McFly Angler, who recently revealed us how to connect the Madam X and now follows up with a parachute variation called the PMX. This is my go-to pattern for hopper-dropper setups on the mountain streams near my home in Vermont. It drifts well, is simple to see, and trout will take it for a stonefly, caddisfly, or insect.
PMX
Hook: 2X-long nymph hook (here a Increased 9231), size 12
Thread: Brown, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Post: White Polypro Yarn.
Tail: Natural deer hair.
Rear Body: Peacock herl.
Body Accent: Red floss.
Wing: Natural deer hair, cleaned up and stacked.
Hackle: Golden badger, grizzly, or brown hackle
Legs: Speckled tan MFC Centipede Legs, medium
Adhesive # 1: UV-cure resin (here Solarez Ultra Thin)
Thorax: Peacock herl.
Adhesive # 2: UV-cure resin (here Solarez Ultra Thin)
Next, Simon from the Caddis Fly Fishing Store in Eugene, Oregon, connects a wonderful Jigged March Brown Nymph. March Browns remain in the clinger household of mayflies, and they have a large, flat body shape. Their legs are likewise really noticable, so Simon utilizes a mix of Pheasant and Partridge to accomplish legs that seriously extend from the nymph. The outcome is a fly with a particular shape that trout will acknowledge.
Jigged March Brown Nymph
Hook: Jig nymph hook (here an Ahrex 555), size 14
Bead: Copper Slotted Tungsten Bead, 5/32-inch or 3.8 mm.
Thread: Black, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Tail: Pheasant tail fibers.
Underbody: Copper Uni Medium Soft Wire
Rib: Copper Uni Medium Soft Wire
Abdominal Area: Pheasant tail.
Wing case: Cinnamon tipped turkey tail.
Legs # 1: Hungarian Partridge fibers.
Thorax: Peacock herl
Legs # 2: Pheasant tail fibers.
Adhesive: UV-cure resin (here Solarez Bone Dry)
Lastly, widely known New England saltwater tier Joe Calcavecchia shows how he connects The Streaker, a old pattern from the 1979 book Streamers & Bucktails the Big Wheel Flies by Joseph D. Bates Jr. This pattern will operate in both fresh and seawater, for any types of predatory fish: stripers, bluefish, bonito, bluefin tuna, incorrect albacore and a lot more. This is an older pattern that you simply do not see any longer however Joe still connects a great deal of them, and the fish likes them!
The Streaker
Hook: Ahrex SA270 Bluewater, size 4/0
Thread # 1: Clear white Monofilament thread,.2 mm.
Tail: White bucktail
Body: Pearl Bill’s Bodi Braid.
Adhesive # 1: Solarez UV Flex.
Flash # 1: Silver Flashabou.
Wing: P aired peacock sword plumes.
Stomach: White bucktail
Flash # 1: Pearl Flashabou.
Thread # 1: Black monofilament,.2 mm.
Throat: Red Flashabou.
Head: Black thread.
Eyes: Holographic Silver Tabbed Eyes, 10mm.
Adhesive # 2: Loctite Stik ‘N Seal.
Adhesive # 3: UV-cure resin, thick.
