Hexagenia Nymph
This Hexagenia nymph is a detailed, realistic imitation of the giant burrowing mayfly nymph, built mostly from pheasant materials with Swiss straw wing cases, phyllo-plume gills, and a segmented copper-ribbed cream body. It is tied on a curved size 8 hook with bead-chain eyes and is intended for trout and steelhead when fish are feeding on large hex nymphs, especially in the Great Lakes region. The pattern is more involved than a basic nymph but can be completed in about five minutes once the steps are practiced.
Source: Fish Wiz LLC
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Recipe
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Hook · Daiichi 1760 size 8 curved
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Eyes · 3.5 mm bead chain cut to two segments
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Thread · Danville 210
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Tail · Pheasant rump patch fibers, 8-10 fibers about body length
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Wing case · Swiss straw copper color
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Gills · Phyllo plume feathers from pheasant
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Rib · Copper wire 0.012 diameter Larvalize dead soft
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Body and thorax · Creamy guard-hair dubbing
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Legs · Pheasant body feathers with bi- or tri-color insect sheen
Tying Instructions
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1
Mount the size 8 Daiichi 1760 hook and secure two segments of 3.5 mm bead chain eyes with figure-eight wraps of Danville 210 thread.
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2
Tie in 8-10 pheasant rump fibers for the tail, measuring them about the length of the body.
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3
Tie in a strip of copper Swiss straw for the wing case and a phyllo plume by its stem for the gills.
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4
Tie in the 0.012 copper wire for the rib.
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5
Dub a creamy guard-hair body up about two-thirds of the shank.
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6
Fold the phyllo plume over the body and secure it with one tight wrap of copper wire, then make about three segmenting wraps while weaving through the fibers.
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7
Fold the Swiss straw back and dub a thicker thorax right up behind the eyes.
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8
Tie in a pheasant feather by the tip for the legs, make one wrap, stroke the fibers evenly to each side, then fold the wing case forward, secure it behind the eye, fold it back for a clean head, and whip finish.