CROFTS & CALVERT CZECH NYMPH STYLE DRESSINGS

Source: Fly Fishing and Fly Tying November 2003 (pp. 32-34)

Hare & Pink Bug Hook: Shrimp or grub type Weight: Lead wire Thread: Red Uni-Thread 6/0 Body: Hare's mask Shellbaek: Pink Flexibody Under rib: Fine pink holodraphic Over-rib: Fine gold wire
Black, Orange & Green Bug Hook: Shrimp or grub type Weight: Lead wire Thread: Primrose Uni-Thread 6/0 Body: Back half green dubbing, then orange, then black Shellback: Light green Flexibody Under rib: Fine gold holographic Over-rib: Nylon mono NOTE: this pattern is very similar to the Oliver Edwards' high viz Czech Nymph, but it was developed independently by us on our local rivers, a good example of certain colour themes working well in different areas.
Black & Olive Bug Hook: Shrimp or grub type Weight: Lead wire Thread: Light Cahill Uni-thread 6/0 Body: Rear 2/3rds pale watery Fly-Rite (No. 38), front third black Fly-Rite Shellback: Dark olive Flexibody Rib: 6lb Nylon mono

Leading hooks

To prepare a batch of weighted hooks you need:

Medium or heavyweight grub/shrimp hooks, size 4 to 16. Round lead wire - fine, medium and heavy. Superglue With a hook in the vice - run a bead of super glue from just around the bend to just behind the eye. Wind a length of lead wire on to the hook (the bigger the hook the thicker and heavier the wire.) Remember to leave a gap at the bend end and eye end of the hook, this gives room to tie in and tie off without creating bulk. Nip off the waste ends of the wire with your finger and thumb. Remove the weighted hook from vice and leave to dry.

Tying method

The style of tying is almost the same whichever Bug you are tying.

1. Start the tying thread behind the eye and wind down to just beyond the lead wire at the bend
2. Cut a strip from a piece of Flexibody to form a shellback. Taper both ends and tie in.
3. Apply a small amount of dubbing and wind forward a couple of turns
4. Tie in rib(s), your thread at this point should be just behind the start of the lead wire
5. Twist dubbing to the thread or use a dubbing loop and cover the rest of the body - beware of crowding the eye
6. If using an under-rib - wind over the body and tie off just after the lead wire at the eye of fly
7. Pull the. shellback over and over-rib tightly to give a segmented look to the shellback
8. Tie off the shellback and the rib (Be careful tying off slippery nylon ribs.) Form a neat head, whip finish and varnish

Tail piece

Don't forget that each day is a like a book with several chapters and just because the day starts off with no winged insects it may very well change as the day unfolds. Stay alert, and if the fish start to rise then change to a dry-fly. Surface activity is often very short-lived on these cooler, shorter days but an accurately cast, well presented, and dragfree Midge is likely to be taken with gusto. And the memory of one or two on a dry-fly gives an extra glow of satisfaction with a dram (or two) after a successful winter day.