The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

Other

Sparrow

Insect Species Icon None
Difficulty Icon Easy - 5-7 Min
Water Category Icon Coldwater

Tying Video

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Tying Recipe
  • Hook: Straight shank streamer hook
  • Hook: Chickabou
  • Wire: Brassie
  • Body: Grey squirrel dubbing
  • Collar 1: Soft hackle
  • Collar 2: Bottom of the soft hackle feather or chickabou
  • You can use wooly bugger marabou instead of chickabou
  • Use any wire you like
  • You can use hare’s ear dubbing if you dont have squirrel
  • This fly works great with a gold bead head if you need to get it deeper
  • Wrap with .020 non-toxic wire wrap to get it deep
  • Add some flash in the tail or collar if you need it

This little streamer is a great intro to tying nymphs. I recommend trying this before moving into tying more complicated nymphs!
The chickabou is finer than marabou so it flows even better. The tail and collar create lifelike movement. The buggy body of the fly can imitate large aquatic insects too like stoneflies or larval caddis. The soft hackle wrap before the chickabou collar keeps the chickabou sticking out to give the fly some “shoulders” which increases the profile.
This is a fantastic searching pattern. When you’re not sure what’s working this is a must have. If there are not hatches or fish are just being picky on nymphs this is fly can save your day.

Cast upstream and strip it back towards you. This fly is going to represent something injured in the river or a large larval insect, it won’t be swimming upstream. Cast from down river to spots like rocks, cut banks, logs, and current and let it drift with the current while keeping your line tight. Watch the tip of your line, when it goes tight set the hook.

This is also a great streamer to double duty as a nymph. Fish it under an indicator along the bottom or along structure and wait for big strikes. Very few people use small streamers as nymphs, this makes it a lethal tactic on heavily pressured water.

None

No hatch chart data available for this selection.

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