Mercer’s Rag Hex Nymph

Rag Hex Nymph

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Tying Instructions

1.Clip a piece of EZ Bug yarn about 2.5″ long. Peel back the fibers on 1/2 inch of one tag and expose the thread core. Wrap 6-10 wraps of thread around the core to keep it from unraveling.

2. Attach three ostrich herls with the tips even on top of the yar with the tips extending over the tie-down location. The length of the tails should be the same length as the abdomen. Secure the tails with 6-10 thread wraps. Clip off the Ostrich butts. Trim the longer fibers of the yarn so that a shaved core exists.

3. Clip off the Ostrich butts. Trim the longer fibers of the yarn so that a shaved core exists.

4. Apply a thin thread base to the hook. Attach bead chain eyes about 1 eye length behind the eye. Attach the abdomen piece to the top of the hook shank with the herl tail with an upward slant.

5. Attach the abdomen piece to the top of the hook shank with the herl tail with an upward slant.

6. Attach about 6-7 marabou fibers (Gills) on each side to the hook shank butting up against the abdomen base. The Gills should be about one half the abdomen length.

7. Attach two strips of turkey tail segments that are over each other behind the eyes.

8. Attach a clump of dubbing to the thorax area. Using a loose rope-dub technique.

9. Use a dubbing brush to tease out the dubbing. Tie off and trim the excess. The thorax should be wider than the abdomen. The top of the thorax should be trimmed short and the bottom slightly.

10. Pull the Turkey tail strips over the thorax and secure one at a time. Pull them back over the thorax one at a time and lock into place with thread wraps. Tie in a length of Sili Legs wrapping back so they sweep backwards. Trim the legs so that they just reach the end of the gills.

11. Tie in a length of Sili Legs wrapping back so they sweep backwards. Trim the legs so that they just reach the end of the gills.

12. Dub a head over the eye. Pull the turkey wing cases forward individually and secure in front of the beadhead eyes. Tie Off

13. Pull the turkey wing cases forward individually and secure in front of the beadhead eyes. Tie Off

14. Color the top of the abdomen with a tan marker. The belly of the abdomen needs to remain a lighter shade. Also color the top of the thorax on both sides of the turkey.

15. Apply epoxy to the wingcase. Apply the epoxy with the dubbing needle covering the whole surface including the edges. Then follow-up with another drop in the middle of the wingcase allowing it to smooth on it’s own.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	Daiichi 1120 #6-10
Thread	Uni-thread Tan 8/0
Eyes	Black Bead Chain
Body	Gold Ezee Bug
Thorax	Simi Seal, Amber
Tail	Three Gray Ostrich Herls
Wingcase	Dark Mottled Turkey Tailwith UV Fly Finish, Flow
Legs	Crazy Legs, Brown/Orange

Mike Mercer

Mercer’s Rag Hex Nymph

Mercer’s Rag Hex Nymph was developed by guide Mike Mercer of Redding, California. Mike developed this fly based upon a new body material called EZ Bug Yarn by Hugh Beglin and marketed by Metz. The material allowed Mike to develop an extended body that was durable yet soft and sinuous within the water. Metz discontinued the material but Cascade Crest of Medford, OR continues to market the material as Ezee Bug.

Tails and Gills

Mike added Ostrich Herl tips for the tail and secured them with a whip finish that also kept the EZ Bug Yarn from unraveling. Gills, on many hex nymphs, are filoplumes which tend to be small and weak. Mike used natural-gray Marabou and pinch-trimmed the marabou fibers so that they did not extend beyond the length of the abdomen yet provided very enticing movement to the fly.

Wingcase and Eyes

The wingcase are two pieces of mottled turkey with a coating of epoxy. By using two layers of turkey, this ensures that the epoxy will not soak into the thorax. Hex Nymphs being very lively encouraged Mike to also utilize a set of Crazy Legs to the fly just behind the eye. Many hex patterns utilize monofilament eyes, Mike was encouraged by Tim Fox to use Black bead chain eyes to also achieve some weighting to the fly and get some jigging type motion. The last step to Mike’s fly is the application of a tan marking pen applied to the top of the thorax to more closely match the natural.

Presentation

The Mercer’s Rag Hex Nymph should be fished along the bottom with a moderately fast short-strip. Give the fly a jigging action which mimics the naturals action. Hex nymphs can be fished during the day, especially within the Lake Almanor area where they are prolific. During the evening, when they are hatching, allows an opportunity to switch to a dry fly or emerger pattern.