Wiggle Nymph

There was a request for a tute on wiggle nymphs and I posted that I'd be able to do one on Sunday, but since I was at the bench tonight, I thought I'd put this together. Kind of runnin out of stuff to tie since on these cold nights - what better way to spend the time than at the bench. D-nymph also mentioned he'd be able to put one together so perhaps if he can - we can make something of this.  
Anyway - here's a pattern I like to tie and it works pretty well. Kind of following the tie of Arve Tangdon. He has a video on youtube of how he ties it which I saw some time ago and liked the pattern. The only thing I don't normally do is tie in turkey tail for a wing case. Personal preference I guess. Anyway here it is:

Materials:
 


1. Start the thread on a standard nymph hook - Here I used a mustad 3906 - size 8
 


2. Tie in 3 or 4 ostrich herls at the bend and wrap the thread forward over the material.
 




3. Bring the thread back to the rear and tie in some blood marabou - color of choice.
 


4. Wrap marabou forward and trim off any long fibers that remain.
 


5. Twist the ostrich herl and wrap this around the shank just in front of the eye. Whip finish off and remove this from the vise. Cut the hook with a pair of side cutters just below the tail or body - at the start of the bend. Warning - I've seen some guys remount the hook in the vise close to the body and just twist it back and forth on the jaws of the vise till the hook breaks off - don't recommend this as it's hard on the jaws. Believe me - I learned the hard way.
 


6. Start the thread on a short shank hook of choice. Here I used the Daiichi 1650 egg hook - size 10.
 


7. Tie in a piece of 4x tippet on top of the hook shank, insert the tippet end into the eye of the body on the fly you just tied and tie the loop on top once again of the hook shank.
 




8. Take some more marabou blood and tie this in covering the eye of the hook body.
 




9. Form a dubbing loop with your fingers and tie in the loop of thread.
 
If you want, this would be the point where you would tie in some turkey tail for the wing case. For this nymph though I really don't usually do it though but once again I guess it's personal preference.



10. Load the loop with muskrat, spin the loop and wrap this loop around the shank - working forward and with each wrap - fold the fur to the rear with your fingers.
 






11. Tie in three or four strands of ostrich herl, spin them together and wrap just behind the eye to form the head.
 





Now I know this fly doesn't look like much when dry but when it's wet I always thought that with the natural materials it all blends together. I've tied these with the plastic nymph eyes and also with turkey for the wing case. It's all good and again - fishes pretty well.

Nice work! thanks

If I was a fish I'd eat it...