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The term to indicate a more or less imitative fly tied with materials
that make it particularly attractive and capable to stimulate the trout to
attack it even at times when this does not seem to be willing to feed, is "fly
for searching fishing": a pattern that can arouse the fish curiosity, or to
foment its aggression in a way to cause a violent reaction. This is the kind of
fly that often determines our success in the dull hours of the day, because it
is able to allure also the most apathetic trout, inducing it to a vigorous
take.
Many enthusiastic fly ties built their fancy patterns with colorful and shiny materials and some of these lures became part of the fly fishing history, such as the Tup’s Indispensable, the Wickham’s Fancy and the Red Tag, but also the Alexandra, the Peter Ross and the Teal Blue & Silver, without forgetting the Gold-Head or the Butcher: the last very appreciated by me in the nymph version, because it is excellent for fishing both on rivers and reservoirs. Sometimes I use the Butcher Nymph on chalk streams to stimulate those lazy trout that are “sleeping” in a deep pool, proposing this fly to the fish with a leader with a dropper, on the tip of which I tie a well weighted Gold Head: the two nymphs fished together can became an irresistible duo for many trout.
Like many black colored flies, the Butcher Nymph shows a great alluring power if used on dark days and we can propose it to trout with a slow-sinking line, which lets the fly to swim at a middle level or close to the bottom while we perform a slow retrieving: this fishing strategy is really effective. As an alternative, we can fix a strike indicator on the leader, so the fly stays motionless into the water and manages to take it all those fish which do not like dynamic lures: this tactic must be put in practice with a floating line.
Many enthusiastic fly ties built their fancy patterns with colorful and shiny materials and some of these lures became part of the fly fishing history, such as the Tup’s Indispensable, the Wickham’s Fancy and the Red Tag, but also the Alexandra, the Peter Ross and the Teal Blue & Silver, without forgetting the Gold-Head or the Butcher: the last very appreciated by me in the nymph version, because it is excellent for fishing both on rivers and reservoirs. Sometimes I use the Butcher Nymph on chalk streams to stimulate those lazy trout that are “sleeping” in a deep pool, proposing this fly to the fish with a leader with a dropper, on the tip of which I tie a well weighted Gold Head: the two nymphs fished together can became an irresistible duo for many trout.
Like many black colored flies, the Butcher Nymph shows a great alluring power if used on dark days and we can propose it to trout with a slow-sinking line, which lets the fly to swim at a middle level or close to the bottom while we perform a slow retrieving: this fishing strategy is really effective. As an alternative, we can fix a strike indicator on the leader, so the fly stays motionless into the water and manages to take it all those fish which do not like dynamic lures: this tactic must be put in practice with a floating line.
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INSTRUCTIONS
I start the building process of the Butcher
Nymph by clamping the hook into the vice jaw and wind the black thread onto the
shank. I bind in close to the bend a tuft of fibers from a red dyed cock hackle:
these tails must be a little shorter than the hook shank
With some turns of thread, I tie in a piece of fine oval silver tinsel. I wax a
section of thread and apply on it a pinch of black seal’s fur (or substitute) to
make a compact dubbing rope
I wind the hairy rope along the rear two-thirds of the hook shank to create the
abdomen and then I complete the body with large turns of the silver tinsel
From a mallard shoulder feather I cut a large strip of fibers and secure it in
front of the abdomen, with its back side, which is that one with a duller color,
facing up
I wind a piece of fine lead wire along the front third of the hook shank to
realize the ballast structure. The lead is optional, but should be added if the
nymph will be used on deep or fast waters
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With the dubbing spinner I form a loop with the black thread and insert a pinch
of seal’s fur into it. I twist the spinner to realize a fluffy rope and I wrap
it along the hook section covered by the lead coils
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From the same cock neck which provided me the material for the tails I select a
small hackle and I tie in it for its tip just behind the hook eye. With the
hackle pliers and I wrap the hackle around a short stretch of hook just behind
the hook eye: in this way I compose a sparse collar
I push downwards and slightly backwards all the hackle fibers and I secure them
in this position with a few turns of black thread. I push forwards the strip of
mallard feather, placing it to cover the upper part of the thorax, and I secure
it just behind the hook eye
I make the head with a few turns of the black thread and then I finish it with a
whip-finish
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The Butcher Nymph is ready for the next fishing expedition: maybe it will attract a fish lazy and unwilling to take flies with sober colors |
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MATERIALS LIST
HOOK:
long shank size 16 to 12
THREAD: black
TAILS: fibers from a red dyed cock hackle
ABDOMEN E THORAX: black seal’s fur (or substitute)
RIBBING: fine oval silver tinsel
THROAT: red dyed cock hackle
ELYTRUMS: a strip of fibers from a mallard shoulder feather
THREAD: black
TAILS: fibers from a red dyed cock hackle
ABDOMEN E THORAX: black seal’s fur (or substitute)
RIBBING: fine oval silver tinsel
THROAT: red dyed cock hackle
ELYTRUMS: a strip of fibers from a mallard shoulder feather
