Whitlock's red fox squirrel nymph and variants

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ronr
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Location: Central Oregon/Texas Transplant

Whitlock's red fox squirrel nymph and variants

Post by ronr » Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:07 pm

Back in my Texas days, a friend was doing quite well on the Guadalupe during the winter trout season. The Guad was the only Texas river with water cold enough to support rainbows. The Texas TU chapter ( yes there was only one TX chapter) would buy 30000 or so hatchery trout and plant them in the tailwater below Canyon Lake Dam. When asked what fly he was using he always said "a girdle bug". One day I asked to see his fly and it was certainly no girdle bug...he told me he didn't want any of the the other guys in our club knowing what he was using. Just the way he was.

It turns out he was using a variant of Dave Whitlock's squirrel nymph. In the 2012 Fall edition of Hatches Magazine you'll find an article on a fly called "the only". It was the only fly he fished that year and I used it quite a bit in Colorado and on the San Juan, and Cimarron in New Mexico.

In a fit of nostalgia this week, I decided to dig out that article and tie up a few "only" and a few of Whitlock's red fox squirrel and variants. I haven't fished them here in Oregon yet, but they will get a workout next week when I can return to the water.
The two flies on top are size 14 and 16 Whitlock's and the ones on the right are the "only" the others are variations of Whitlock's as described in an article I found written by Whitlock on the origin of the fly.
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Roadkill
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Re: Whitlock's red fox squirrel nymph and variants

Post by Roadkill » Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:23 pm

8-) 8-) :D Should tie them with Gray Squirrel as well! ;)
DOUGSDEN
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Re: Whitlock's red fox squirrel nymph and variants

Post by DOUGSDEN » Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:45 am

Ronr,
Do you also have his video....or DVD on Red Fox Squirrel Hair Nymphs? It is awesome!
Your patterns look pretty stinking awesome too! Talk about fish getters! Please take lots of pictures and report back when you can! I'm anxious to hear!
A great fan of Dave Whitlock's creations and yours,
Dougsden
Fish when you can, not when you should! Anything short of this is just a disaster.
DUBBN
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Re: Whitlock's red fox squirrel nymph and variants

Post by DUBBN » Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:22 am

I will beusing your bead head nymph as sort of template for a Stone Nymph this Spring.

Thank you for the inspiration.
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ronr
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Location: Central Oregon/Texas Transplant

Re: Whitlock's red fox squirrel nymph and variants

Post by ronr » Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:44 am

DOUGSDEN wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:45 am Ronr,
Do you also have his video....or DVD on Red Fox Squirrel Hair Nymphs? It is awesome!
Your patterns look pretty stinking awesome too! Talk about fish getters! Please take lots of pictures and report back when you can! I'm anxious to hear!
A great fan of Dave Whitlock's creations and yours,
Dougsden
Doug... i have neither I''d like to find that video if you have a link. I like Whitlock's stuff whenever I can find it.
DOUGSDEN
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Location: Sardis, Ohio

Re: Whitlock's red fox squirrel nymph and variants

Post by DOUGSDEN » Wed Jan 19, 2022 9:11 pm

Ron,
I've sent you a PM!
Doug
Fish when you can, not when you should! Anything short of this is just a disaster.
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