Damsel Nymph - The Wannabe Damsel!

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

All this damsel nymph tying of late - THANKS, Jedi Dick - led me to experiment.

Combining the usual materials with whatever was on hand, I came up with a raggedy looking damsel nymph simulation. Considering how shabby it turned out, I'm officially calling it the Wannabe Damsel.

Materials

Hook - #12 Nymph Hook

Thread - Olive, 210 Denier flat waxed nylon

Tail - Olive marabou

Body - Woven chenille, Leather brown and Medium Green

Eyes - Bead chain, small

Legs - Green feather quill fibers

Wing case - 1/4" strip cut from grey WalMart plastic bag

I attempted to break up the usual overall olive color seen on these simulations, to create some contrast. I'm a big proponent of the Contrast Concept. In Nature, damsel nymphs are seen in a range of colorings, from tan to nearly black. My attempt is towards a "generic color blend" that can fit a wide range of environments.

The tying was pretty straightforward for this pattern, so I wont go too far into it here. There are any number of similar ones you can model after on the internet, which is just what I did. The technique of weaving two different color chenille strands together has me a bit stumped, but I'll get it eventually.

Here's how the fly ended up:

The funky little 'Wannabe Damsel'

Pretty rough looking thing, aint it?

Angling Notes:

This was a simple presentation: Cast, count to three and strip retrieve one foot at a time. Rest for a second between each strip  The pond here is shallow and weedy, so you cannot let it sink too deeply. The hook rides up, but I still have to keep it within 18"-24" of the surface.

Fortunately, the fish aren't particular. I could count on a strike within this initial presentation, or not at all. All the strip retrieving in the world thereafter wouldn't change this. So it was cast, count 1-2-3, and three strips. If nothing happened, slowly lift the rod, back cast and do it over again, 2-3 feet further down the shoreline.

Apparently, the "Fly Anglers Theorem," i.e., 'Fish Will Take That Which *Looks* Like Food Under Most Circumstances,' holds true. Several fish took a swipe at the Wannabe, as rough as she is, and three fell to the hook. Here's one of them:

SO Im calling this a success in my stained, weedy waters. Adding legs to the fly seems unnecessary at this point; but, I'll keep using them since they are easy enough to tie on.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Sounds good!

Id do some things differetn on the Wannabe

1. Change the bead chain eyes to plastic and weight the nymph so it falls horizontally. The real thing is a poor swimmer, but wiggles seductively as it flails along. After a few feet, it stops to rest and just falls slowly. This sinking is flat and down, not head first like a jig.

2. Tie in the wing case farther back and finish it behind the eyes.

3. Make the body and tail sparse, not full and fluffy. The damsel is trim and slim, compared to more rotund dragon nymph.

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

David personally I don't weave . I just simply tie in two different chenille colors at the same time and twist em almost like ya would dubbing the thread . If it is a long body I always throw and half dozen have hitches in the center of the body to secure it real good ,(makes em super durable), then resume the tie forward leaving the center segmented like a real bug . Will post a pic of said twisting or the chenille......

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

THANKS BUDDY and can probably figure out how to tie em. The menu is all important that you so greatly laid out and that's the key to tying for me is the menu of materials used .....actually I think the feather quill legs would be very durable.......

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Well its stil lin the testing phase - one time success does not a Success make. If I can see them repeat and maybe even reliably, Ill be glad to send you a few AND show you how to tie em up!

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

HEY RICK if good ole David sends me one of these I'll need two , not one . One to try and one for a pattern to TIE .AS YOU KNOW DAVID IMITATION IS THE GREATEST FORM OF COMPLIMENT THERE IS , but I"m quite sure it will work .......

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Thanks guys. I have some more ideas for this thing, now that I know it at least has some appeal.

[Rick King]

And if Tooty cant make it work ,, he can send it to me and I will give  it to one of my friends......
They say Yuppers can make anything work. NOT! hehe

[Rick King]

AND if it don't catch fish send it to Tooty......... im sure he can make it work -- hehe

[Rick King]

Hey David - I can wanta be what ever it wants as long as it catches fish.

[Leo Nguyen]

Great job! A wannabe nymph that catches fishes will be a want-to-make nymph.