Yet another in the series of the very successful sedge larvae patterns. This time it is a famous "Z-Wing Caddis".
Author of this nymph is american flyfisherman Mike Mercer, author of the Creative Fly Tying (Masters of the Fly series) book.
If you choose to tie it on small hooks in the sizes #16 #18 or even #20, "Z-wing" will do perfectly in slowly flowing chalk streams, but also in the faster Alpine streams.
With this pattern I caught several hybrid and marble trouts at the Idrijca river so I recommend it to all of you who plan to fish there
It is easy to tie, so it may also be a beginner´s choice.
You may experiment with colors, but in my opinion olive, beige and redish brown will be the most fishable ones.
Tight lines!
Materials needed? Hook: TMC 2457 or 2487 size #14-20 (or any other similar hook in sizes #14-#20 for nymphs) Bead: tungsten bead (golden, copper, silver or nickel), if you don´t need a fast sinking fly, you may choose ordinary copper bead Thread: Uni Thread 6/0 in black, olive or brown color Rib: x-small copper thread Dubbing: antron dubbing or other adequate dubbing material in redish brown, beige or olive color Shellback: few fibers of the phaesant tail feather Wingstubs: "Z-lon" or similar synthetic material in pearl color
Thorax: few peacock tail fibers
Before you start tying press off the barb and add tungsten bead on the hook.Hook should be inserted firmly in the vice if we want not to have troubles later on.
Add a drop of glue or tying varnish on the back of the hook to ensure firm base. Wrap a thread base form the bead towards the bend of the hook.
Tie in a few inch length of wire for the rib at the 75% point on the far side of the hook... and than tie in also a few fibers of the phaesant tail, which will be bend over the dubbed body of our fly.
Dub a tapered abdomen with the antron dubbing from the bend of the hook to the seventy-five percent point.
We should not add to much dubbing if we want our Z wing to sink fast. But if we want a slow sinker, more dubbing material should be added.
We stop with dubbed thread at the 75 percent point in order to leave some space for the thorax of the fly.
When we have fnished with dubbing, we leave the thread a few mm behind the bead. Now we bend phaesant tail fibers over the dubbed body and fix them at the 75 percent point.
Now we start wraping copper tinsel towards the head of the fly. Our creation will be much durable after that.
Detailed view of the copper tinsel finish. The rest of the tinsel should be cut off.
Separate a strand of Z-Lon so you have about two thirds of a strand that is about two inches long. Tie the Z-Lon in at the front of the body at the center of its length, with one side of the strand pointing back along the body on the far side.
Cut the short bundle of fibers and attach them few mm after the bead..
They should be attached with a few cross wraps of the thread so we achieve a 45-60 degree angle from the body.
After the fibers are attached, we shorten them a bit. Peacock hearl is to be added. We pick two or three and tie them in.
We wrap them towards the bead.
Now our Z wing gets a very shiny little thorax which will be a true magnet for fish
We end our fly with the final knot, add a drop of glue or other tying varnish. Our Z-wing is prepared for action
A fleet of Z-wings waiting for the action. They are dressed in various color combinations, dependant on colors of nymphs in your river. I wish you a handful of fun with the Z-wing. I will be glad to hear some positive feedback on how you are satisfied with this little hero. Please feel free to post it at our forum board. Pa dober prijem!