We post a lot of fly-tying video on this blog—mostly from our friends at Tightline Productions—but here’s one that’s unlike anything we’ve posted before. Devin Olsen is a member of Fly Fishing Team USA, so he approaches fly-tying from a competition perspective. This particular version of a Perdigon Nymph (a style created by Spanish anglers about six years ago) was inspired by Pliva River in the Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Olsen took a bronze in the 2016 World Fly Fishing Championship. For more on this pattern from Olsen himself, click here.
The fly is designed to get to the bottom quickly, imitate a variety of aquatic-insect larvae, and be able to withstand some punishment from rocks and fish. Some of these materials may be foreign to you, but you’ve probably got reasonable replacements in your tying kit. I’ll bet that this fly works great in cold water as the top fly in a tandem-nymph rig. Regular tiers will learn a few cool tricks here that will apply to other pattern, as well, which is always a bonus.
Pliva Perdigon Nymph
Hook: Hanak 230 BL, size 16.
Bead: Copper, 2.3 mm.
Weight: Lead wire, .015.
Adhesive: Superglue.
Thread: Olive Veevus Body Quill.
Tails: 3 or 4 Coq de Leon fibers.
Rib: Fluorescent Veevus Power Thread, 140-denier.
Body: Olive Veevus Body Quill.
Hot spot: Fluorescent orange Veevus thread, 16/0.
Wingcase: Black nail polish, two coats.
Coating 1: UV Loon Clear Fly Finish, thin.
Coating 2: Hard as Hull head cement.
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