The pattern notebook · nymph
Lightning Bug
How do you tie a Lightning Bug?
Lightning Bug is a nymph fly pattern for trout. Find its 8 materials and 21 tying steps below.
- Difficulty
- 2 of 5
- Target species
- trout
- Pattern designer
- Hammer Creek Fly Fishing
Added to catalog · Updated
At the vise
Materials
- Hook: Size 12-18 scud or nymph hook
- Bead: 3/32" tungsten bead, silver
- Thread: 8/0 UNI-Thread, Fire Orange
- Tail: Pheasant tail fibers
- Rib: Silver wire
- Body: Silver tinsel
- Flashback: Pearl tinsel
- Thorax: Peacock Ice Dub
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Tying instructions
Secure the hook in the vise.
Slide the bead onto the hook.
Start the thread behind the bead and wrap back to the bend.
Select 6-8 pheasant tail fibers and remove the butts.
Tie in the pheasant tail fibers for the tail, about half the hook shank length.
Tie in the silver wire for the rib at the base of the tail.
Tie in the silver tinsel for the body at the base of the tail.
Wrap the tinsel forward in overlapping turns to create the body.
Tie off the tinsel behind the bead and trim the excess.
Counter-wrap the silver wire forward to rib the body.
Tie off the wire behind the bead and break off the excess.
Tie in the pearl tinsel for the flashback on top of the hook shank.
Dub the peacock ice dub onto the thread.
Wrap the dubbed thread behind the bead to create the thorax.
Pull the pearl tinsel over the thorax to create the flashback.
Tie off the pearl tinsel behind the bead and trim the excess.
Select 4-6 pheasant tail fibers for the legs on each side.
Tie in the pheasant tail fibers on each side of the thorax.
Trim the legs to the length of the thorax.
Whip finish behind the bead.
Apply head cement to the thread wraps.