FLYMPH FORUM

newriverspey wrote:It is tied on a #16 D102BL

I wondered how many others are using Allen hooks. I have purchased more than a few of them after the earlier issues were worked out. Good hooks.

Very nice PT nymph. I am curious as to why you braid (twist?) the copper wire as opposed to using a heavier gauge wire. However, the mole fur thorax is what really caught my eye after having seen other's pictures of and tying up a few Half Stone Nymphs. I really like the mole on the Half Stone and seeing your PT has opened my eyes as to its use on other flies as well. Thanks for the pictures and recipe.

Wow, you got the photos dialed in quickly. Beautiful fly.

I really don't have a great answer as to why I twist the wire but my thought process was focused on trying to keep the proportions of the fly correct (with large diameter wire) but still get a heavy fly that would quickly sink. I was also trying to avoid the use of a bead head. You could double the weight of the wire in a shorter length by twisting the wire. I have a grain scale and did some experimentation. The picture below shows a normal strand of wire compared to twisting the wire together. Most importantly and probably least important to the fish, I think it just looks good. I hope this makes sense. Also, you can add mole dubbing or any other type of dubbing material and make a dubbing brush as well.

Cool series of photos.
Twisting the wire from two smaller rather than one bigger does lend itself to the rib catching more light, or rather catching the light differently, thus giving differing angles of "flash" compared to a straight wire.
Of course if you are fishing deeper than the sunlight is penetrating,....... well. it looks nice to us as well as any funny things it does with light!

Just as an FYI.
If you double the diameter of a material, for instance, from .010 to .020, you treble the weight. It's that nasty little pi in there. Doubling and twisting will add more than double the weight because the twist increases the cross section. The tighter the twist, the bigger the cross section.
Sorry to interrupt, it's just that nasty mechanical design background rearing its head.

I really like this fly. It has a lot of elements that trip my "fish me" trigger. I'll just have to see if the fish agree with me.

Kirk