Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Paul's April 2017 Fly of the Month


Blowtorch Tag Nymph

Hook:  Favorite jig, nymph, or wet fly hook.  I prefer to tie mine on a jig hook such as an Allen Size #10 -#16.
Thread:  Veevus 8/0 fluorescent orange.
Bead:  Copper slotted tungsten bead to match hook size, or bead & color of choice.
Tag:  Glo Brite fluorescent orange floss.  Three to four strands.
Weight (optional):  3-10 lead wraps of 0.015” for size 16 & 14, 0.020” lead for size 12, and 0.025” lead for size 10.
 Hackle:  Mottled India brown hen  hackle or CDC feather.
Ribbing:  Opal or pearl mirage micro-flashabou or krystal flash.
Counter-ribbing:  5x tippet.
Dubbing:  Hareline peacock black ice dub.

This is a nymph that produced a lot of fish for me last year.  It was “designed” by a fly fisher by the name of Devin Olsen.  He is a member of Fly Fishing Team USA.  On a trip to the Czech Republic, a similar soft hackle fly was being used by fly fishermen there.   He modified the fly design/materials slightly and the “blowtorch” was born.  In the past I’ve tied all of my blowtorches on a size #14 hook.  This year I’m also going to fish them on a smaller size #16.

To tie this fly begin by placing the bead on your hook.  Next, make your wraps of lead around the hook shank.  Push it forward tight against the bead.  Lock it in place with thread wraps behind and over the lead wraps.  Now wrap your thread down to the bend of the hook.  Take 3 strands of your fluorescent orange floss and pinch tie it in behind the lead.  Wrap your thread down the hook shank to the bend. Next, cut your floss (tag) just slightly longer than the bend of the hook.  Tie in your 5x tippet on the far side of the hook.  Tie in your opel/pearl flashabou on the near side of the fly.  Now, dub a body with your peacock black ice dub.   Leave a small gap behind the bead for your hackle.  Rib the fly first with the opel/pearl flashabou.  Tie and cut it off.  Counter-rib the fly with the 5x tippet.   Cut the tag end.  Take a prepared mottled brown India hen feather for your hackle fibers.  The feather is not tied on the hook shank and wrapped.  Instead, the center is cut out of the feather, creating a V wedge of fibers.  The fibers are then splayed over the hook shank, tied in, and pressed around the hook shank.  Cut off the butt ends of the fibers and create a hot spot collar with your thread.  Tie it off and apply some head cement.

Devin Olsen has a great video on how to tie this fly below:




He also has a great website at http://www.tacticalflyfisher.com/ .

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a pattern of the month I can be reached at 203 305-3850 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .