Solar Panel Nymph

This pattern is a culmination of some experiments with materials I had never put on the same hook before, vinyl nymph rib and speckled flashabou. In the mess of my fly tying dungeon I have had several spools of half round nymph rib sitting in a drawer for over 10 years, but I had never really played with the small stuff on a mayfly nymph with it. I had just finished using the speckled flashabou on a streamer pattern, so it was on the desk taking up space when I decided to tie a vinyl rib mayfly. The Solar Panel Nymph was the result and it has been a great producer on the river ever since. It can be tied in a wide array of colors due to the translucent nature of the vinyl ribbing, and many colors of flashabou could be added. Overall, this is a pattern that is perhaps a bit more realistic than a pheasant tail or a hare's ear, and it's not difficult to tie at all. The tip with the lighter was a modification of a technique I saw from Mak-Flies on YouTube. It's a pretty slick way of tying it in with no bulk at the back of the fly.

~ Cheech