HOW TO TIE THE FLASHBACK DAMSEL NYMPH

As the nymph’s length needs to be close to the real thing, a size 8 or 10 standard wet fly hook is a good choice. The tail can still be long enough to create plenty of movement without making the fly too big.

HOOK: Size 8-10 medium weight wet fly

THREAD: Olive 6/0

EYES: Small green Damsel Eyes

TAIL: Olive marabou – various shades

RIB: Fine gold wire

BACK: Olive holographic tinsel

BODY: Olive marabou – as tail

THORAX COVER: Dyed olive pheasant tail

THORAX: Olive or green dubbing

HACKLE: Dyed olive partridge

1. Run thread on at the eye and attach the damsel eye with figure-8 thread turns. Take thread to bend and catch in a pinch of olive marabou.

2. At the tail base catch in a length of fine gold wire and a length of olive holographic tinsel plus a few slim fibres of dyed olive marabou.

3. Wind thread along shank to cover waste ends of the materials. Stop thread just short of the eyes then apply close turns of the marabou.

4. Tie in loose ends of marabou then trim off waste. Draw holographic tinsel over body and secure then rib with even turns of gold wire.

5. Secure loose end of wire then remove waste end along with that of tinsel. Add olive pheasant tail fibres so tips project over eye.

6. Position thread just behind eyes then strip fibres from base of olive partridge feather. Catch in feather upside down by its bare stem.

7. Apply pinch of dubbing to thread and use to form small thorax. Draw partridge feather over top of thorax and secure its tip with thread.

8. Trim off tip of partridge feather then pull pheasant tail fibres over top of eyes and thorax then secure them with a few thread turns.

9. Cast off with a whip finish then reapply it winding a few turns just behind eyes. Cast off again then trim ends of pheasant tail.