Bruce Berry ties up something called the flymph. Fish it however you want, it’s that versatile. I asked Bruce to give us a little history on the pattern and he had the following to say.
I was introduced to that fly from a buddy that lives on the East Coast and ran a small B & B/Guiding Service on the Salmon River in New York state. Flymph (it is a fly for down and across or a nymph) I think was a name that has been used before, but, who knows? I originally saw that fly used specifically for Steelhead on the Deschutes for Summer run Steelhead and the Clackamas, Sandy and Molalla for Steelhead in the winter.
The first time I saw the fly it was tied on a #4 Tiemco 200R. Since then I have seen the fly morphed into many different versions from tube flies to Euro style etc. etc.
The main thing I remember is asking my buddy to get rid of that fly. He took it personally saying, “I know you don’t like my flies bro…but it works”. That was not my point at all! We were chasing Steelhead and over the course of a few days, he was literally landing nice Trout every 4th to 7th cast and often times 1st or 2nd cast starting out each new run as we floated downstream. We were well into Steelhead season…generally when Redsides wise up and don’t really eat swung flies all that often. I figured, if you change flies, you will stop catching Trout as often which will give the Steelhead a chance to eat your fly.
After a few seasons of seeing Rainbow and Cutthroat continually eating that fly summer and winter, I decided to put it on a 60 degree Euro style hook. The fly can be used in Stillwater or rivers…stripped, classic swing presention, dead drifed, fished under a Chubby or properly Euro nymphed. A fly that good and that versatile deserved some attention in the Oregon Fly Fishing Blog.
Flymph Material List:
Bead: Slotted Tungsten – 4.6mm – Gold
Hook: Ahrex PR374 – Size 6 – 12
Thread: Uni – 6/0 in Black
Under Body: Dubbing – Olive
Rib: Ultra Wire – Medium, Copper
Wing: Pine Squirrel Zonkers
Body: Peacock
Hackle 1: American Hen Saddle – Brown
Hackle 2: Pintail Flank Feathers
The ”Flymph” generally refers to a class of soft hackle emergers. These flies were originally tied by Pete Hidy and were included in his Open Letter to the International Society of Flymph Fishermen in 1973. Several books have been published on tying flymps by noted fly tyers such as Dave Hughes (Wet Flies: Tying and Fishing Soft-Hackles, Flymphs, Winged Wets, and All-Fur Wet Flies) and Allen McGee (Tying & Fishing Soft-Hackled Nymphs; Fly-Fishing Soft-Hackles: Nymphs, Emergers, and Dry Flies).