The Heather Nymph

Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
Forum Supporter
I've been fishing this fly for over 40 years. I got the Inland Empire Fly Fishing Clubs' Flies of the Northwest around bicentennial time and I've been fishing it ever since. It's one of my confidence flies.
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Dave Hughes writes about fishing in front of the hatch. Much of my fishing is based around that.I know damsels don't emerge for a while yet, but it's not far off really. I think there is movement around this time of year (also turn over time, coincidence?) when these guys head from deeper environs to positions closer to shore. I find this fly works best fished from shore, on a floater or sink tip. Cast, let it sink, then retrieve it back, right up to the shoreline vegetation they will eventually crawl out on.
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It just works for me.
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Kept a couple at the end of a great morning from a put-n-take for dinner.
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It works in the summer too, and is good for panfish.
 
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TicTokCroc

Sunkist and Sudafed
I'm not seeing the Heather nymph or TDC in the IEFFC flies of the northwest book. Do the different additions have different patterns?
 

Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
Forum Supporter
I'm not seeing the Heather nymph or TDC in the IEFFC flies of the northwest book. Do the different additions have different patterns?
The date on mine is '74, I'm not sure of the contents of other versions.
I tied and fished the “TDC” from that book this winter sight casting to trout in a south end lake!
I have a bunch tied up.
 

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