Tying Tuesday: Attractors All Around

This week’s Tying Tuesday features three patterns that don’t imitate a specific insect or baitfish, but which have a profile and action that trout will surely respond to. We kick things off with a great-looking terrestrial pattern from Steve Cullen, a guide in the English Midlands. Is it an ant or a beetle? Who cares because it’s buggy, with a hint of flash, and floats well. It’s also easy to tie. Next up is a nymph that takes the kitchen-sink strategy to the next level. Pete Rosenau from Spawn Fly Fish walks us through the steps to tie the aptly named Overkill Nymph, which overs the trout a little bit of everything. Finally, Aussie angler Tom Jarman shares a simple zonker streamer that worked great for him at the recent World Fly Fishing Championships in the Czech Republic..

All Purpose Terrestrial Variant
Hook: Standard caddis-pupa hook (here a Partridge Grab Pupa), sizes 14-16.
Thread: Black, 6/0.
Rib: Fluorescent orange Pearl Tinsel, small.
Body: Black dubbing.
Adhesive: Superglue.
Wing: Dun CDC.
Hackle: Grizzly dry-fly hackle.
Head: Peacock herl dubbing.

Overkill Nymph
Hook: Standard curved nymph hook (here an Ahrex FW541), size 10.
Bead: Gold Hareline Plummeting Tungsten, 1/8-inch.
Weight: Lead-free round wire, .020.
Thread: Dark brown, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Tail: Dyed-gold gadwall fibers.
Body: Gold, copper brown, and black copper wire, small.
Flash: Opal UTC Mirage Tinsel, large.
Wingcase: Clear speckled black Thin Skin.
Collar: Wood duck gold CDC.
Thorax: Bronze Butter Spawn Dub.
Legs: Dyed-gold gadwall fibers.
Adhesive: Loon Clear Fly Finish, thin.

Czech Streamer
Hook: Standard wet-fly hook (here a Hanak 200), size 10.
Bead: Silver tungsten bead, 3mm.
Thread: Black, 8/0 or 70-denier.
Rib: Silver wire, medium.
Body: Peacock Spectra Dubbing.
Wing/tail: Black rabbit zonker.
Collar: Peacock Spectra Dubbing.
Adhesive: Superglue.