#24 Muskrat Nymph

[Red Owl 0]

Hi. I am in the east but headed out to Colorado and will hit a variety of streams. I read that a #24 muskrat nymph is sometimes a good choice on the S. Platte. I'm not sure whether muskrat fur is essential on this fly. Would any other substitutes be okay?

[utyer 0]

When I go that small, I tie them with a gray thread body, and just a bit of muskrat fur at the thorax.

[mikechell 0]

I fished the Platte back in the 80's, with my father. We caught a bunch of trout, Rainbows and Browns, on a white Vibrax Spinner. I am sure the pressure has increased the fish's wariness of unnatural bugs, but I would take plenty of larger versions of your flies. Tying small might get you some hits, but I am not sure they'll get you the big fish. It's Spring/Summer, and the fish will be hungry.

 

Sorry, back to your question ... what Utyer said.

[flytire 0]

i'd use the following on the s platte in the deckers area. size 18 and smaller

pheasant tails

black beauties

tan thread midge

http://www.flytierspage.com/nfrechette/tan_thread_midge.htm

 

brassies

http://www.flytierspage.com/nfrechette/brassie.htm

http://www.flytierspage.com/nfrechette/white_winged_brassie.htm

miracle nymph

rs2

bead head hares ear

zebra midge

 

san juan midges

http://www.flytierspage.com/nfrechette/san_juan_midge_gray.htm

http://www.flytierspage.com/nfrechette/san_juan_midge_pheasant_tail.htm

http://www.flytierspage.com/nfrechette/san_juan_midge_turkey.htm

contrary to whats posted, small flies catch big fish

[utyer 0]

Small midges are always on the menu for trout of any size, I have caught plenty of trout in the 20 to 24 inch range on size 20 to 24 midges. Great fun.

[atxdiscgolfer 0]

Hares Ear Dubbing dark should be a good substitute for muskrat and small flies do catch big fish

[SILKHDH 0]

I know I'm straying from the main question here, but when I googled "muskrat nymph" I got so many different images I couldn't tell what the fly looked like. Some were like a hare's hair, others like a wet fly, some like a brassie some had a peacock some not, some with a collar, some had a throat. "WHAT THE HELL" I would be very interested to see pics of every ones version of this fly.

It might be interesting if they do or don't all match.

Thanks, sikhdh

 

As to the question, I wouldn't know why a gray beaver dubbing wouldn't work for muskrat sub.

[SILKHDH 0]

One more thing. I have a picture my mother took when she was a teenager of Dewight D. Eisenhower fishing on the Platte. Cool as heck. He is wearing the white flat golfers hat you see him wear a lot.

 

Yea, I know, has nothing to do with the question. LOL

[flytire 0]

put 10 tyers in a room and youll get 10 different flies. not really a big deal

 

with all of the choices afforded by searching the internet, theres has to be one thats right for you

 

i can tell you from 11 years experience of fishing the s platte in the deckers ares that the flies i posted above will catch them fish in that river

[Red Owl 0]

Interesting on the white vibrax. Most of us probably started fishing with tackle other than fly. Sometimes when things get technical and a guy comes along with a spinner and catches fish that won't take a fly- makes you confused. Well, thanks for the fly recommendations. One reason I asked about the #24 muskrat nymph is I read in one book that ON OCCASION it might be just the thing so I want a few JUST IN CASE. I've never used muskrat fur and for just a couple of flies I was thinking maybe any similar fur would work. I have a hare's mask and some of the soft under fur- I think I'll just use that. The other question I had was on so small a fly, should the hairs of fur be chopped up and added to a waxed line, of just used as is? A #24 is so small that just a couple of hairs seem plenty. Is the purpose of the fur to absorb water and sink the fly? I don't have Ostrich herl so I'll try Peacock for the thorax- probably one turn is enough. Brown thread.

I known there are a lot of variations. I'm going to use three hairs of the hare's mask for the tail- about hook gap length, then what ever amount makes a streamlined fly- not too bulky, and I'll see if I can fit in a wrap of peacock herl and that's it.

How I ever get a 7x tippet through the hook eye GEEZ....I may do it ahead of time and keep in a ziplock.

[Jaydub 0]

If I was tying a #24 Muskrat nymph (Rosborough's), I'd use either muskrat or Adams Gray Superfine dubbing for the body, black dubbing for the head, no tail. It's probably imitating a midge larva or pupa so I'd keep it as thin as I could. On that small of a fly, ostrich herl would be as long as a collar hackle.

[flytire 0]

with a thread body and a little fur thorax, all youre tying is called "al's rat"

 

http://midcurrent.com/videos/tying-an-als-rat/

[Red Owl 0]

I want to thank everyone for the help. I read the pattern, looked at a #24 hook and GEEZ how do I get all that stuff on so small a hook? Answer: you don't. I think I'll do the gray thread and a bit of fur for the thorax. Makes a lot more sense.

Not to change the subject- just bending a little. I read Lee Wulff's book on Trout fishing and he said he tied a plain gray nymph that worked great but he couldn't sell it unless he added tails, etc. All I want is what works.

[Hellgrammite 0]

I think tails are very necessary on bigger sizes... on teenies, like smaller than 20? I doubt it.

[Jaydub 0]

I would agree about adding tails, to imitate things that have tails, but some insects do not.