Mick Halls Patriot Nymph Freshwater Hook : Size 6 or 8 wet fly hook. Thread : Any colour to suit. Eyes : Metal chain-brass or chrome for weight. Head : Normal tie off using thread. Tail : Rabbit fur, golden olive, olive green, dark olive or black. Wings : Rabbit fur as above. Body : Either gold tinsel or mylar.
Tying Instructions 1. Bind on your thread to the hook shank, and glue it with super glue to aid stopping the body twisting. 2. Tie in a tail of rabbit fur, less than half a biro thickness is sufficient. Length about the same as the hook shank. Cover with super glue as you tie down the fur. 3. Starting at the bend, tie in an underbody of gold or mylar tinsel, for 2/3 rds of the hook shank. 4. Tie in bead chain eyes, about 2 eye lengths from the eye. Remember to tie them in on the correct side of the hook. On the bottom if you want the hook to ride right way up, or on the top for it to ride upside down. This depends on the weight of the hook also. 5. Next tie in more rabbit fur. Less than half a biro thickness. To each side of the hook at the 2/3 rd point on the shank. Binding down the fur roots towards the eye. Cover these fur roots with super glue to help stop the fur from pulling out. Allow the fur to cover the whole fly body, but let the underbody of tinsel to just show through. 5. Dub rabbit fur onto thread, and cover the thorax area of the fly. Figure 8 around the bead chain eyes. Build up to your satisfaction, and tie off at the eye of the fly. 6. Colour variations can be achieved by using more than one colour fur. i.e. golden olive tail and olive green sides.
Fly Notes I also use a heavier hook and use plastic eyes as a variation.
Fishing Notes If you use heavy eyes it can be a pest to cast. Work it at different depths, with slow short strips. Allow the rabbit fur to flare between strips. The main use for this fly has been to target damsel and dragonfly jumpers during hot weather. Find a fish taking adult flies in the air, Work your way to its area.When the trout lands in the water, quickly cast this fly to the rings of its reentery. Let it sink, then if no contact strip it in several 12 inch strips. Hopefully the fish will have taken it. Splashing it down seems to help. Guarantee that you will get a higher proportion of takes. Note that you will still have a few misses. It works well in Tasmania. I also use this fly for early season fishing when no fish were showing.
Location Notes Used in any water with mudeye populations.
Prey Notes This fly is a general representation of a mudeye.
Tier David Cock

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