In this week’s “How to Tie” feature, Trident Fly Fishing ties a classic Dave Whitlock nymph perfect for the fall, the Red Fox Squirrel Nymph.
Learn How to Tie This Fly:
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fall fishing is here and it’s time to gear up on subsurface flies that will produce in any condition. Starting that list is the Red Fox Squirrel Nymph: a buggy, weightless fly that mimics a variety of aquatic insects. Its reddish-brown dubbing made of Red Fox Squirrel fur and synthetic sparkle material gives it a lifelike appearance that fish can’t resist. Trident Fly Fishing does a phenomenal job of walking through how to tie this versatile nymph that should be in every nymph box this fall.
When tying the Red Fox Squirrel Nymph, keeping your dubbing loose will amplify its buggy profile in the water. Use minimal thread wraps to avoid bulk and to maintain a natural taper from the tail through its body. Be sure to counter-wrap the gold ribbing tightly to secure the dubbing and add the necessary flash without overpowering the fly. Lastly, take your time when wrapping the partridge hackle as finicky material can break very quickly.
Fall fishing looks different for folks all depending on where they are. For those that swing flies for trout, fish this pattern behind a larger streamer such as a Woolly Bugger. If you nymph, you can tie this onto a tag end, or as a dropper behind a heavier nymph. There are far more applications where the Red Fox Squirrel Nymph will be productive, so it’s best to tie up a batch and ask questions later.
Ingredients:
- Hook: Tiemco TMC 5262 Heavy Nymph & Streamer Hooks – #12
- Thread: Danville 6/0 (70 Denier) Flymaster Thread – Orange #271
- Tail: Hareline Red Fox Squirrel Tail
- Abdomen: Whitlock’s Red Fox Squirrel Abdomen Dubbing
- Thorax: Hareline Squirrel Hair Dubbing – Fox
- Rib: UNI-French Oval Tinsel Small Gold
- Collar: Hareline Premium Hungarian Partridge Feathers – Natural
- Weight: Danville Spooled Lead Wire .015 Silver
Now you know how to tie the Red Fox Squirrel Nymph!
Video courtesy of Trident Fly Fishing.
