Redford - Fly Fishers Playbook

• BIG NASTY SAN JUAN WORM
  Originator: Variation of Paul Pacheco original
  Tier: Duane Redford

  Hook: #14-16 Tiemco 9300

  Thread: Pink 6/0 UNI-Thread

  Under body: Dark olive Ice Dub UV

  Abdomen: Worm brown Ultra Chenille

• BEADHEAD SOFT-HACKLE PHEASANT TAIL
  Originator: Pacific Fly Company
  Tier: Duane Redford

  Hook: #16-18 Mustad 3906

  Bead: Gold, brass, or tungsten to match

  Thread: Black 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Tail: Pheasant tail fibers

  Abdomen: Pheasant tail fibers

  Rib: Gold Ultra Wire, reverse wrapped

  Collar: Partridge

  Thorax: Peacock herl

• BRACHY PUPA (CADDIS)
  Originator: Duane Redford
  Tier: Duane Redford

  Hook: #14-18 Tiemco 2488

  Thread: Olive 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Tail: RSII wing material

  Abdomen: Light olive Ice Dub UV with RSII bubble

  Wing: White Antron

  Thorax: Peacock herl

• GIRL SCOUT
  Originator: Duane Redford
  Tier: Duane Redford

  Hook: #18-22 Tiemco 2487

  Thread: Dark brown 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Tail: Dun microfibbets

  Abdomen: Dark brown 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Rib: Olive 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Wing: Pearl Flashabou

  Head: Thread, wrapped, with head cement

• PERIWINKLE
  Originator: Unknown
  Tier: Duane Redford

  Hook: #18-22 Tiemco 2487

  Bead: Gunmetal (x-small)

  Thread: Olive UTC 70

  Abdomen: Olive UTC 70

  Rib: Black Brassie, reverse wrapped

  Collar: Olive Ice Dub UV

• BROWN RSII (CHOCOLATE THUNDER)
  Originator: Solitude Fly Company
  Tier: Duane Redford

  Hook: #18-20 Tiemco 2487

  Thread: Brown 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Tail: Hen hackle fibers

  Abdomen: Brown 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Rib: Gold Ultra Wire, reverse wrapped

  Wing: White Razor Foam

  Head: Thread, wrapped, with head cement

• SPLIT CASE PMD
  Originator: Unknown
  Tier: Solitude Fly Company

  Hook: #14-18 Daiichi 1710 or Tiemco 3761

  Thread: Black 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Tail: Coq de Leon fibers

  Abdomen: Nature's Spirit Fine Natural Dub

  Rib: Ginger Ultra Wire

  Wing: Black goose biots

  Wing Case: Yellow Razor Foam

  Legs: Coq de Leon fibers

• BLACK BEAUTY
  Originator: Pat Dorsey
  Tier: Duane Redford

  Hook: #18-22 Tiemco 2487, 2488, or 101

  Thread: Black 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Abdomen: 8/0 UNI-Thread, wrapped

  Rib: Gold Ultra Wire, reverse wrapped

  Thorax: Black beaver, rabbit fur, or fine dry dub

• MAMBA MIDGE PUPA
  Originator: Duane Redford
  Tier: Duane Redford

  Hook: #20-24 Tiemco 2487

  Thread: Black 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Abdomen: Black 8/0 UNI-Thread

  Rib: Gold Ultra Wire, reverse wrapped

  Wing: Pearl Flashabou

  Head: Black 8/0 thread, wrapped, with head cement

• SOUTH PLATTE SHIMMER MIDGE
  Originator: Tom Uba
  Tier: Tom Uba

  Hook: #20-22 Tiemco 2488

  Thread: Black 70-denier Ultra Thread

  Abdomen: Black 70-denier Ultra Thread and Rio UV Knot Sealer

  Rib: Blue Sulky Metallic Thread

  Wing: Johnson & Johnson unwaxed dental floss

  Head: Black Superfine Dry-Fly Hareline Dubbin

• GRAPHIC CADDIS
  Originator: John Barr
  Tier: Duane Redford

  Hook: #14-18 Tiemco 2499SPBL

  Thread: Brown 8/0 UNI-Thread (for thorax) and white 8/0 UNI-Thread (for abdomen)

  Abdomen: Silver Holographic Flashabou

  Legs: Tan or olive microtubing

  Head: Natural gray ostrich herl

• MERCER'S BEADHEAD GOLDEN BIOT EPOXY STONEFLY
  Originator: Mike Mercer
  Tier: Duane Redford

  Hook: #8-18 Tiemco 2302

  Bead: Gold tungsten

  Thread: Wood duck 70-denier Ultra Thread

  Tail: Sulphur orange turkey biots

  Rib: Gold Ultra Wire, reverse wrapped

  Wing Case: Mottled turkey tail quill under 5 Minute Epoxy

  Thorax: Mercer's Buggy Nymph Dubbing (Golden Stone)

  Legs: Mottled brown hen

T he gear you choose for nymphing can be a liability or weakness in your playbook. What gear you buy is a personal decision, but selecting the wrong gear can make for long days on the water. Just like you wouldn't use a 6-foot stepladder to replace a lightbulb 10 feet off the ground, you should try to select gear suited for the job. You may be able to change that lightbulb, but not comfortably and certainly not safely.

I always advise people to try everything out before they buy. Fly shops are great about letting you try everything from waders and boots to fly rods. If you don't have a shop near you, try to find people you know who will let you try their gear. Nymphing gear is like anything else you are considering purchasing and usingpick what fits your price and you the best. But remember, you must have the proper tools for the job at hand, so select prudently within the guidelines below.

Which Stick?

Typically, nymphing is easiest to perform with at least a 9-foot fly rod. Anything shorter than that can hamper the cast and drift. A 10-foot fly rod for nymphing can be a great advantage. Too short a fly rod makes it tough to high-stick in many spots and also makes it difficult to perform long-line mending. Advanced anglers can get away with an 8-foot fast-action rod, but most opt for simplicity and use the extra foot. I also recommend a 5-weight rod with medium action. Again, advanced anglers like to fish the faster action rods and lighter weight rods (3-weight or 4-weight), but for nymphing I have found it best to use a 9-foot, 5-weight, medium-action rod. I like the medium- or mid-action rods because they are softer on the set, easy on light tippets, and load perfectly with multiple flies, split shot, and various indicators.

A 9-foot, 5-weight nymphing rod performing under fish load.

Rods come in a wide range of values and prices. Find a rod in your price range, put some quality floating line on it, and you will be able to be efficient. I prefer a floating line for nymphing with an indicator, because it allows you to form a hinge point below the indicator, thus giving you the ability to dial in your depth, which directly affects your drift efficiency. Anything that comes between you and a good nymph drift hampers your ability to hook fish, which makes you less efficient as a nymph fly fisher. In other words, if you have to overcome a mismatched fly rod to line combo, or fly line that sinks where it's not supposed to, then you're impeding success from the get-go because you have to work harder than you should. In fly fishing, economy of motion, or the ability to fish without wasted motion, is paramount if you want to be on the river all day.