The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

Nymph

Double Standard

Insect Species Icon Quill Gordon, Blue Wing Olive, Callibaetis and 9 others
Difficulty Icon Easy - 5-7 Min
Water Category Icon Coldwater

Tying Video

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Tying Recipe
  • Hook: Straight Eye, Standard Wire, 3X Long, Semi-Dropped Point
  • Bead: Brass or Tungsten, Sized to Hook
  • Weight: .010 Lead Free Wire
  • Thread: UTC 70 Denier, Rusty Brown
  • Rib: Small Ultra Wire, Copper
  • Tail: Pheasant Tail, Natural
  • Body: Pheasant Tail, Natural
  • Thorax: Hare’s Ear Dubbing, Natural
  • Wing Case: Pheasant Tail, Natural

A mix between the fabled pheasant tail and hare’s ear, the double standard has the best of both worlds. Unfortunately this fly fishing love child doesn’t have any super favorable substitutions. This fly is bound to catch fish just the way it’s tied, so staying on track with the recipe is the best idea for this fly.

Using different colors of pheasant tail for the various areas where it’s utilized on this bug can be a great way to vary the looks on this pattern. Purple is always a hit with the trout, as is olive. If you want to add some flash to the fly, go ahead and replace the hare’s ear dubbing with ice dub dubbing in your choice of color. UV Tan is always a solid choice.Having plenty of colors in varying weights, and multiple sizes of each variation should keep you covered for any situation.

Having trouble deciding between a pheasant tail and hare’s ear? Look no further than the Double Standard! Combining the best of each pattern, this fly is a no brainer when you open that fly box out on the water. This fly has such a buggy appearance, it would be a punishable crime for a fish not to eat it. It is also easy to tie for any skill level, and utilizes very common materials. Not, it may not have any great substitutions, but you can tie different variations of this fly until the cows come home.

This fly is meant to be fished anytime, anywhere, and be ultra successful. Whether you know what bugs are in the water, and they look somewhat like this pattern, or you have no earthly idea what’s below the surface; this fly deserves some river time. Being a combination of two of the most well known nymphs of all time, the Double Standard should be a staple in your box. Fish it in a nymph rig as the point fly in heavier variations, and one of the lower flies in lighter variation. It can also be a wonderful dropper in a dry dropper rig. When the fish are keyed in on dries, and you just want to increase your chances of hooking up, tie one of these guys on the back of that dry. It’s a perfect general pattern that is sure to scrape up at least a few eats.

Blue Wing Olive

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: Northwest
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: East
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: Southeast
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24
Region: Midwest
Blue Wing Olive
Sizes: #16 - #24

Brown Drake

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Northwest
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: East
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Midwest
Brown Drake
Sizes: #10 - #14

Callibaetis

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West
Callibaetis
Sizes: #12 - #18
Region: Northwest
Callibaetis
Sizes: #12 - #18
Region: East
Callibaetis
Sizes: #12 - #18
Region: Midwest
Callibaetis
Sizes: #12 - #18

Green Drake

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest, Midwest
Green Drake
Sizes: #8 - #14
Region: East
Green Drake
Sizes: #8 - #14

Hendrickson

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East, Midwest
Hendrickson
Sizes: #10 - #16

Hexegenia

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest, East, Southeast, Midwest
Hexegenia
Sizes: #6 - #12

Isonychia

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East
Isonychia
Sizes: #12 - #18
Region: Southeast
Isonychia
Sizes: #12 - #18
Region: Midwest
Isonychia
Sizes: #12 - #18

Light Cahill

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East
Light Cahill
Sizes: #12 - #20
Region: Midwest
Light Cahill
Sizes: #12 - #20
Region: Northwest
Light Cahill
Sizes: #12 - #20

Mahogany Dun

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest
Mahogany Dun
Sizes: #14 - #20
Region: East, Midwest
Mahogany Dun
Sizes: #14 - #20

March Brown

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, East
March Brown
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Northwest
March Brown
Sizes: #10 - #14
Region: Midwest
March Brown
Sizes: #10 - #14

PMD

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: West, Northwest, East, Southeast, Midwest
PMD
Sizes: #14 - #20

Quill Gordon

Regional Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Region: East, Southeast
Quill Gordon
Sizes: #12 - #16

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