Fly Tying Inventory
Montana Nymph
The Montana Nymph is a classic nymph that dates to the 1950s. Nobody agrees on what it imitates: some tyers call it a stonefly, others treat it as an attractor. It has a black hackle-fiber tail, a black chenille abdomen, and a yellow chenille thorax under a black chenille wing case, with black hackle legs and a red thread head. Trout anglers still carry it, and it also takes bluegill, small bass and crappie. Tie it in sizes 10 to 16.
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Materials
Lead or lead-free wire, wrapped over the front half of the shank
Black strung saddle hackle fibers
Black
Fine chenille, black
Black · Fine
Medium chenille, black, for the wing case
Black · Medium
Whiting High and Dry Hackle Cape, black rooster hackle palmered through the thorax
Black
Fine chenille, yellow
Yellow · Fine
Red thread for the head
Red
How to Tie the Montana Nymph
- 1
Step 1
Wrap a layer of wire over the front half of the shank if you want a weighted fly.
- 2
Step 2
Start the black thread, bind the wire in place and run the thread back to the bend.
- 3
Step 3
Tie in a small bunch of black saddle hackle fibers at the bend for the tail. Bind the butts along the shank and trim the excess.
- 4
Step 4
Tie in the fine black chenille at the bend and wrap it forward over the rear half of the shank to form the abdomen. Tie it off and trim.
- 5
Step 5
Tie in a black rooster hackle feather at the front of the abdomen for the legs.
- 6
Step 6
At the same point, tie in the medium black chenille so it extends back over the abdomen. It will be pulled forward later as the wing case.
- 7
Step 7
Tie in the fine yellow chenille and wrap it forward to just behind the eye to form the thorax. Tie it off and trim.
- 8
Step 8
Palmer the black hackle forward through the yellow thorax in open turns. Tie it off behind the eye and trim the tip.
- 9
Step 9
Pull the medium black chenille forward over the top of the thorax and tie it down behind the eye. Trim the excess.
- 10
Step 10
Whip finish the black thread and cut it away.
- 11
Step 11
Attach red thread behind the eye, build a small red head, whip finish and trim.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNGHvZ_0TCI
Credit: InTheRiffle