Sub-Total: $0.00
Marabou Damsel Nymph
Marabou Damsel Nymph
Tying Instructions
1. Wrap leadfree wire around the front part of the hook shank. Keep a couple of eyewidths behind the eye free.
2. Attach the thread in front of the leadfree wire wraps and secure the wraps with the thread, bringing the thread down to the tail tie-in position.
3. Attach the copper wire ribbing with some thread wraps and attach a piece of marabou with the tail length being about one half the shank length. Leave the tag end of the marabou facing the eye.
4. Secure the marabou with thread wraps up to the leadfree wire wraps and trim off the tag end.
5. Attach another piece of marabou by the tip just above the wire wraps with the tag end extending towards the tail.
6. Secure the marabou with thread wraps down to the tail tie-in position and bring the thread back to just in front of the leadfree wire wraps.
7. Wrap the marabou forward up the front of the leadfree wire wraps and secure with thread wraps.
8. Trim off the tag end of the marabou and secure with some thread wraps. Wrap the copper ribbing forward with 5-6 evenly spaced wraps and secure behind the eye. Snap off the ribbing tag and secure with thread wraps.
9. Attach a third piece of marabou in front of the body with the fiber tips extending to the tail.
10. Trim off the tag end of the marabou and wrap with thread creating a small head. The marabou wing can be trimmed to about one half the shank length by pinching off with your fingers. Whip Finish.
| Materials
to Order Material, click the link |
|
|---|---|
| Hook | TMC 200R #8-12 |
| Thread | Danville Olive 6/0 |
| Head | Danville Olive 6/0 |
| Weight | 0.020 Leadfree wire |
| Body | Olive Marabou |
| Tail | Olive Marabou |
| Thorax | Olive Marabou |
| Wingcase | Olive Marabou |
| Ribbing | Copper wire |
Randall Kaufmann
Marabou Damsel Nymph
Designed by Randall Kaufmann during the early 1980’s. Damsel nymphs are usually 1/2 to 1 inch long with a very streamlined body. They swim with a rhythmic wiggle, that ceases when the nymph needs to rest. During the resting cycle, the nymph slowly drifts downward.
Need for Movement
Randall noticed that most of the established damselfly nymph patterns at the time lacked the animation that he saw necessary to achieve the lifelike movement of the nymph within the water column. By incorporating Marabou for the tail, body, and wingcase, he succeeded in getting the animated movement of the fly. The colors of the marabou are also adaptable to the various colors that damsel nymphs acquire depending upon their environment. Most of these colors are olive, tan, and brown. An added benefit to this fly is that number of materials are kept to a minimum and it is easy to tie.
Variations
Some variations have been adapted to this pattern for specific locations around the Sierra. Notably, the Convict Damsel Nymph by Moose Patterson of Mammoth Lakes. Guide Tom Loe developed a nice variation with his Drifter’s Marabou Damsel Nymph and Emerger using a contrasting dubbed thorax and a sparse marabou abdomen. On the nymph, the marabou is secured to the top of the shank, ribbed with the thread to form a shellback, wingcase, and carapace. On the emerger, the tail and abdomen is secured to the the shank by a fine gold wire ribbing. The wing is a second piece of marabou that is secured over the dubbed thorax with the continuation of the gold wire ribbing. This provides a very durable tie down for the marabou wing.
Two other marabou damsels often used within the Sierras are the Damsel in Distress and the No Name Damsel. I don’t know who came up with these variations but the No Name is marketed by Umpqua Flies of Oregon.
Variations
Convict Damsel Nymph
| Hook | TMC 200R #10-16 |
| Thread | Danville Olive 6/0 |
| Eyes | Small Black Chain bead |
| Body | Olive Marabou |
| Tail | Olive Marabou |
| Thorax | Olive Marabou |
| Wingcase | Peacock Herl |
| Ribbing | Small Oval Gold Tinsel |
Drifter’s Damsel Nymph
| Hook | TMC 3761 #12-16 |
| Thread | Danville Olive 6/0 |
| Eyes | Black Mono Eyes |
| Body | Olive Marabou |
| Tail | Olive Marabou |
| Thorax | PMD Superfine |
| Wingcase | Olive Marabou |
| Ribbing | Danville Olive 6/0 |
Drifter’s Damsel Emerger
| Hook | TMC 3761 #12-16 |
| Thread | Uni-thread Camel 8/0 |
| Eyes | Black Mono Eyes |
| Body | Olive Brown Marabou |
| Tail | Olive Brown Marabou |
| Thorax | Caddis Green Haretron |
| Wing | Olive Brown Marabou |
| Ribbing | Small Gold Wire |
Damsel in Distress
| Hook | TMC 3761 #12-16 |
| Thread | Danville Olive 6/0 |
| Head | Olive Glass bead |
| Body | Dark Olive Simi Seal Dubbing |
| Tail | Olive Marabou |
| Thorax | Dark Olive Simi Seal Dubbing |
| Wingcase | Olive Marabou |
| Ribbing | Clear Vinyl Rib |
| Legs | Olive dyed Partridge |
No Name Damsel
| Hook | TMC 3761 #10-16 |
| Thread | Uni-thread Tan 8/0 |
| Eyes | Black Mono Eyes |
| Body | Olive Marabou |
| Tail | Olive Marabou and Brown Marabou |
| Thorax | BWO Superfine |
| Wingcase and Shellback | Brown Marabou |
| Ribbing | Small Gold Wire |