Red and Black

[DUBBN]

Local stream reports are saying that a Red Copper John is the fly to be using on most rivers in my area. I have terrible luck with a Copper John. I tyed this pattern to get around the bad luck.

Hook- Mustad 9672 size 14
Tail - Black Goose Biots Forked
Abdomen - Two Red Wires, and one Black
Thorax- 1/4 SLF Squirrel 1/4 Hares ear 1/2 Red Enhancer
Collar - Undersized Brown Hen Hackle

[crazy4oldcars]

Nice pattern! I've never seen that shape hook before. Mean looking barb, too.
Kirk

[DUBBN]

I didnt notice the deformity until I was photographing the fly. Darn Mustad hooks! I think I had an issue with another one a couple thousand hooks ago. Thats what I get for making a less expensive brand of hooks my favorite (sarcastic humor)

[tie2fish]

Yeah, that kinky bend will scare off the fish for sure .

[DUBBN]

I knew the bend of that hook looked familiar. I got the colors right aswell (dumb luck).



Da Bears!

[William Anderson]

Wayne it's an effective looking pattern in general, and the hook...well sometimes unique is cool on it's own, but it's that thorax that catches my eye. Sometimes with a blend like that it can go several ways, but this really comes of nicely and I will definitely be playing with that combination. It's one of my favorite things lately.

It's funny that I haven't fished a Cooper John in ages, but I had an amazing run with them when I first states and I do go anywhere without a few. I much prefer your take on the fly. Cool post.

[letumgo]

Wayne - When I was reading your recipe, a couple components caught my attention. I especially like the hook choice on this fly. The longer shank of the Mustad 9672 hook makes for a elongated body. Nice choice for stonefly nymph profile. I was also intrigued to read the hackle was called out as "Undersized". Obviously this was done for a reason. Can you explain why you undersized the hackle? What proportions were you targeting?

[DUBBN]

Ray, I have to admit the hackle is still, too long. I am trying to get the results others achieve with the Copper John Nymph. Just because I have very little luck with the CJ, I still realize that it is a consistent producer around the world. The secret to the CJ in my opinion is the wire abdomen, and it's drastic taper. I believe that had I tyed this pattern on a shorter shank hook, the hackle would have covered up the wire body. I had two choices. Make the collar sparse, or shorten the collar. I am trying the shorter choice. I wanted the hackle to only go half way down the abdomen.

I know the fashion for Soft Hackles and Flymphs can include short hooks with a huge gape . While they look classy to me, for fishing I prefer a smaller gape hook. The 9672 hook in size 14 is about the same length as a size 12 3906B, but a smaller bend/gape. I fear I am giving trout way too much credit.

I know, kinda rambling here. It's what happens when I miss a weekend fishing trip.

Wayne

P.S. Had I really wanted to mimic a CJ, I should have used peacock for the thorax.

[letumgo]

Thanks Wayne. Very interesting.

[Otter]

Reminds me that I have a beadless cj in one of my boxes, ultra short greenwells hackle - intended for use on real skinny water , now this season skinny water is as rare as hens teeth.

the CJ is a fascinating little fly, seems to work everywhere , during hatches of large Dark olives and large spurwings it performs incredibly well when tied with brass rather than the heavier tungsten beads, whats really interesting at least where I fish, it does seem more acceptable to better than average trout which would suggest that in the mimicry department it is more than your average beadhead - and that makes it well worth the effort in trying them out without beads. Bear in mind that where I fish , stoneflies do not exist in large numbers.