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The copper John really does not mimic many species of aquatic bugs. In fact, it doesn't really resemble any of them. I guess one could say it somewhat looks like a dragonfly nymph, maybe even a stonefly. But that is a very abstract representation. However, even though its not an identical representation of any specific food that trout or other fish target in a river or lake, that doesn't mean it won't catch fish. In fact, despite it looking like no organic life, it catches fish very well, in fact sometimes better than hyper realistic flies. Part of this could be due to the curiosity of trout, sunfish, or bass, but another part could be to how this thing fishes. It is very heavy, and possibly catches more fish because it can get down quicker to where the fish are. Another reason is that it is very visible in the water, with its bright copper abdomen, and flash back thorax. Especially helpful when fishing stained water. No matter the reason of why this fly is effective though, because it just is. That being said, it is not the easiest fly in the world to tie, but once you get the hang of it, they can be tied rather easily and quickly. And no one can argue the fact that it is fun to tie.