WOODCHUCK NYMPH

WOODCHUCK NYMPH

Hook : Daiichi 1710 # 12 - 16

Thread : Danville 6/0 Orange

Weight : Lead Wire .015

Tail : Woodchuck Guard Hair's

Body : Woodchuck

Collar : Woodchuck

Fly Tier: Peter Frailey

Tying Instruction :

1) Cover the hook shank with thread in the usual manner.
2) Wrap 8-10 turns of lead wire over the thorax area of the hook and cover with thread.
3) Tie in a few groundhog guard hairs for the tail.
4) With a dubbing loop, form a body of groundhog dubbing. Start at the rear and wrap forward.
5) Tie the loop off, leaving enough room for the collar.
6) Prepare a second dubbing loop for the collar.
7) Place uncut underfur in the dubbing loop at right angles to the thread.
8) Spin the loop to create a bushy rope.
9) Create a collar with a few wraps of the rope. After each wrap, stroke the fur toward the back of the hook.
10) Form a small thread head.
11) Whip-finish.

Note :

1) Because it is not commercially available, I use a kitchen Mini-Chopper to make my dubbing from ź-inch pieces of groundhog underfur.
2) I use dubbing-loops because groundhog fur is so tough and course.
3) Groundhog guard hair makes excellent tailing material for dry flies. It is my favorite on sizes down to 16.

ABOUT THE FLY TIER

E-mail : frailey@fiam.net

After spending his childhood as an avid warmwater fisherman, Peter was coaxed back into the sport by his older son, who wanted to attend a local United Fly Tyers meeting. Now, fly-fishing and fly-tying are year-round activities. During the three cold seasons Peter fishes for trout in the streams and rivers of Eastern and Central Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. But he still enjoys lazy days as a warmwater fly-fisher, float-tubing during the summer months on local farm ponds near his home in Eastern Massachusetts. Peter especially enjoys fooling fish with simple flies, tied with just one or two ingredients.