Red Fox Squirrel Nymph - Bead Head & Rubber Legs

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History of the Pattern

Credited to Dave Whitlock, the Red Fox Squirrel Nymph (with bead head and rubber legs) is a great late season and winter trout fly. Excellent on smallmouth too, and of course, it’s also a great carp fly!

Materials

  • Hook: Down eye, 2X long shank, 2X heavy, nymph hook (e.g., TMC 5262) or equivalent; sizes 10-16

  • Bead: Brass or Tungsten, to hook size

  • Thread: Brown or Orange (example: Uni 6/0, UTC 140D)

  • Body: Fox Squirrel Belly Fur Dubbing

  • Ribbing: Thin pearl mylar.

  • Thorax: Fox Squirrel back fur dubbing

  • Legs: Sili Legs - Orange Barred

  • Soft Hackle: Hungarian Partridge or Brahma Hen Saddle

  • Tail: Guard Hairs from Fox Squirrel back

Tying Instructions

  1. Mount the bead on the hook

  2. Place the hook in the vise and start the thread behind the bead. Lay a thread base down the shank and half way down the bend

  3. From the back of a fox squirrel cut off a tuft of fur. Clean out the under fur leaving the guard hairs. Tie the guard hair in at the bend of the hook and along the shank

  4. Tie in the mylar (for the ribbing) at the end of the fly

  5. Dub fox squirrel belly fur two-thirds of the way back towards the bead

  6. Wind the mylar ribbing forward and tie off

  7. Tie in the Sili Legs on both sides of the thorax (between the body and bead)

  8. (Optional)Tie on a soft hackle in front of the rear legs

  9. Using fox squirrel back fur, or dubbing dub a thorax between the legs

  10. Wind the soft-hackle forward and tie off behind the front legs

  11. Tie off and whip finish behind the bead