Prince Nymph Tute

Bead Head Prince Nymph

 

 

       One of my least favorite flies to tie is the Prince Nymph. It takes quite a bit of patients to tie the steps while making sure the biots are where I want them to be. Making sure the biots are even and hoping the peacock herl wraps nicely without tearing. Whether it’s with a bead head or not, they work.

Bead Head Prince Nymph

Hook: Nymph hook #8 thru #16. I use a 3x long hook when tying these with a bead.
Thread: Black
Tail: Brown goose biots split
Rib: Fine gold tinsel
Body: Peacock herl
Legs: Drk Ginger Hackle
Wing: Two white goose biots split.

 

1. Install bead on hook and thread base hook shank to bend.
   
   
   
   
    
   2. Tail: Tie in two brown goose biots to hook shank at bend as so. Unlike tying in biots on a stonefly, flat on the hook shank, these biots are tied flat against the side of the shank.
   
    
   3. Tie in tinsel at hook bend.
    
   
   
    
   4. Secure in 3 to 4 strands of peacock herl by the tips at bend. Make sure you trim off some of the fragile herl tips before tying down herl. Thread over the ends of the herl towards the bead.
   
   
   

5. Body; Wrap the herl forward towards bead and tie down behind bead leaving adequate space behind bead for hackle and wing.

6. Rib: Counter wrap tinsel over herl in open spirals.

 

7. Legs: Tie in the hackle in front of herl. Wind hackle about two turns and tie down.

 

 

 

8. Pull back hackle over herl and wind thread over some of the hackle to flair it backwards.

 

 

 

9. Wings. Tie in two white biots behind bead and through hackle. I like to keep the biots flaring upward.

 

10. Trim biot ends, secure with thread wraps, and whip finish.

11. I dab clear nail polish on the finished thread behind bead.

  The only thing worse than me tying a #14 or #12 Prince Nymph is when someone wants a #16! I found they don’t have to be perfect for the trout to bite.

~doubletaper