B.H.R.L.F.B.P.T. Nymph

(And for those who don’t do acronyms:)

Bead Head Rubber-Legged Flash Back Pheasant Tail Nymph

 

This is a nymph everybody should have in their box.  In lots of sizes and colors, it imitates a wide range of nymphs.  If you are fishing in unfamiliar water, it will look close enough to something that lives there.  My extended family went camping on the 4^th of July a few years ago to the Trinity River.  I had never been there so I tied some “old standards”, stuck them in the box, bought a map, and went.  As soon as camp was set, I was off to the water.  Tried lots of flies, but didn’t have much luck.  The next morning, Michael and I went to the fly-fishing only section just down stream from the dam.  I put on a B.H.R.L.F.B.P.T. and got in to fish.  I lost count, but we caught at least 15 before we went back for lunch.  We spent the rest of the day with the family.  We fished a few more times that weekend and the top producing fly was the B.H.R.L.F.B.P.T.

 

Materials (for size 12):

 

Hook:              TMC 5262, size 4-20 (size 12 pictured)

Bead:              Gold, 5/16

Lead:              .025 lead wire

Thread:           Black UNI-6/0 or Danvill Flymaster

Tail:                 Pheasant tail fibers

Rib:                 Small (fine) copper wire

Flash:              UTC medium opal mirage tinsel

Thorax:           Pheasant Tail Fibers

Legs:               Small black round rubber

Abdomen:       Peacock Hurl

 

Instructions:

 

1.    Smash barb and place in vise.

2.    Place bead on hook, small hole first.

3.    Lead the fly with 8 wraps.

4.    Push lead into bead, and attach thread behind lead. Secure and glue.

5.    Tie in 6-9 PT, tips point back for a tail.

6.    Attach a strip of opal tinsel directly on top of the hook shank, pointing back over the tail.

7.    Tie in piece of copper wire.

8.    Wrap the PT fibers forward to the rear of the thread and tie off. DO NOT CUT THE BUTTS.

9.    Pull the tinsel forward directly over the hook shank, tie in keeping tension on it.  Do not cut the tag end.

10.  Reverse wrap the copper wire.  This will cross the PT fibers and secure them if they break.  Tie off and cut.

11.  Pull the PT fiber butts to the rear of the hook and tie down.  This will be the wing case.

12.  Tie in 3 peacock hurls.

13.  Wrap thread forward mid-way between the bead and where the peacock was tied in.

14.  Tie in a piece of round rubber on each side of the hook shank.

15.  Wrap thread to bead.

16.  Wrap peacock to bead, position legs as you go.

17.  Pull PT fiber butts forward and tie down for wing case.

18.  Pull tinsel forward and tie down.

19.  Trim butt ends, whip finish and glue.