Sometimes, someone new to fly fishing may get confused about the terminology that is often used in the sport. Perhaps one of the first new words a new fly angler will hear is “nymph.” What are nymphs and how important are they to fly fishing?

In this sport, the fly is the equivalent of bait or lures in other types of angling. Flies can be made from a variety of materials including feather, furs, wool, thread and more, and are said to be “tied” when they are completed. They are created to mimic or imitate a food that a fish will eat, such as an insect, a crayfish, a small minnow or other fish, a leech, or one of the stages of an insect before it becomes an adult such as the larvae or pupae state.

Generally, flies fit into one of five categories: Dry flies, wet flies, streamers, terrestrials and nymphs. The last one, nymphs, are one of the most important types of flies to know how to fish. They represent the stage of an insect and invertebrae before the adult stage. Fish feed on nymphs and they are a very important part of a fish’s diet.

Depending on the local entomology, nymph flies can represent a wide range of life including damselflies, mayflies, stoneflies, caddis and dragonflies. At this stage of life, they grow and eat below the surface of the water. When they are ready, they go to the surface where a metamorphosis takes place and they change into their adult state.

Nymphs are tied on heavier hooks than dry fly hooks because it is important to get these flies below the surface as quickly as possible. Sometimes a fly tier may add weight to the shank of the hook before tying the nymph in order to get it to sink faster and further. They can be fished at a variety of depths, depending on where the fish are feeding.

Although they are often tied up using feathers from a variety of birds as well as furs and dubbing, they can also be tied with a variety of natural and artificial materials. Often, glass or metal beads are used for the head. When it’s desired to get the nymph down deeper, often a tungsten bead head is used.

Fishing nymphs can be very productive for a variety of fish species including rainbow trout, brown trout, bass, panfish, and even catfish.

Some of the most popular and well known nymphs which are very productive include the Hare’s Ear and variants such as the Beadhead Hare’s Ear, Pheasant Tail Nymph, and Prince Nymph. The Hare’s Ear is so called because its body is dubbed with fur from the ear of a hare.

Another very effective pattern is Ian James’ The Muncher. It can imitate a variety of nymphs and is extremely productive in many situations.

There are a variety of fly fishing techniques which can be employed when fishing nymphs. The more you learn about angling with this method, the more productive you will be in bringing fish to the net!

You can learn more about fly tying and a variety of nymphs that you should have in your fly box. Once you begin to tie your own flies, it’s very likely that you may become addicted to it and perhaps enjoy that part of the sport just as much as casting on the water!