Been doing a little tying and thought I'd share. Changed color based on photos I took of the naturals.

Dave R.

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Dave,
Glad to hear you are doing better, I didn't know you had placed a bead on this pattern, i bet it helps with the jiggy swimming movement. I will be up yer way soon Ill stop in.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace

Dave - Your nymph patterns are the "gold standard" of nymph patterns, IMHO.

I learned a long time ago that they're simple, durable, and deadly effective. This one is no exception. Those people that think a generic pattern is just as effective as a specific match have yet to experience the difference these ties can make. It can really be a game changer!

The fish will hate you for this.

H.A.

Would you mind sharing the recipe?

Thanks for the positive comments.

Recipe as follows:

Hook: Daiichi or Orvis Swimming Nymph hook of size desired for standard pattern. I use #12 or14. For bead head I use #10 2xl nymph hook since I don't consider the bead in determining the size of the fly.

Thread: Camel Brown 8/0 uni thread

Tails: Three brown ostrich herl tips

Legs: Brown mottled hen back fibers

Rib: Medium Brown thread. I use sewing thread.

Median Stripe: White trhread

Abdomen: Hareline Dubbin Brown, Seal Brown and Chocolate Brown mixed to match natural

Wing Case: Black Poly Yarn or Black Glo Bug yarn

Thorax: same dubbing as abdomen

I listed the materials in the order I place them. Yes, I attach my legs as the second step in my tying process.

Bead can be varied based on the desire of the tyer. I would consider using gold, copper or black.

I don't weight this pattern except for the beadhead pattern.

Thanks for the recipe Lefty, I really appreciate it. It looks like what I'll be needing for the WB of the D. It's a nice Iso imitation, better than what I've seen in catalogs.

very nice Dave..

thanks for sharing dave, hope your doing well with your injury. hope to try the iso next trip to penns.

Looks great Dave. The bushy gills and tails really set it apart. Looks like the real thing.

Dave,

That looks like a killer pattern, cant wait to tye up a few. You had an article awhile back in Flyfisherman about fishing micro nymphs with multi-colored line to better detect strikes that was way ahead of Euro-nymphing craze. That article really changed the way I thought about flyfishing and I noticed that in George Daniels new book he credits you with this and lists one of your leader formulas. I notice you use 30lb Blue Stren for your butt section. Is that the main nymphing leader you use the most? and with what length rod? Or do you taylor it to fit the size stream and rod length you are fishing?

Thanks, Twofly. It is true that I, and a few of the folks I used to fish with, used "sighters" long before I'd ever heard of Euro-nymphing or the term "sighter" For years I just called them strike indicators. Like I said in the article, the credit for the idea goes to others, not me.

For the most part, I use one leader formula for most of my fishing with the leader. Formula starts with 20 lb. test fluroescent blue stren which mics out to .018", not 30 lb. test. I do alter the formula at times especially when I go to fish small mountain streams. This is easily accomplished by using the 60-20-20 rule for leader construction.

quick question can the color of naturals vary or are all iso's that color? its a very nice tie also glad to see your doing well

flippy - bring your tying stuff to the Jam. Our roomie will be tying with us.

Thanks for posting the recipe Dave. I would have never guessed that you used a swimming nymph hook on the beadless fly.

flipnfly, the color and vary widely. I have photos of specimens ranging from blackish-brown to the color depicted in this pattern.

o.k., it's confession time. Both patterns are samples to see if they can be produced to be offered by a shop. I haven't yet fished a beadhead Isonychia. Personally, I prefer to fish a beadless pattern.

I didn't tie the beadhead on a swimming nymph hook because the size of the beadhead I used slipps right over the eye of the swimming nymph hook. I would have had to use a much smaller beadhead. I thought about it and decided against it.