Red Fox Squirrel Nymph

Red Fox Squirrel Nymph

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Tying Instructions

1. Select a lead wire that is about the same thickness as the hook wire. I am using a .015″ leadfree wire.

2. Attach the lead wire and wrap 10-15 times over the middle half of the shank..

3. Attach the thread in front of the wire wraps and secure the lead wire with thread wraps. Wrap the thread to the bend of the hook, halfway between the point and the barb.

4. Clip a tuft of fur from the back of the squirrel pelt. The tuft should include 3-4 guard hairs and the under-fur.

5. Tie in the tuft of fur at the bend of the hook for a tail. Length should be about 1/2 to 2/3 the hook shank length.

6. Attach a piece of oval tinsel ribbing at the bend of the hook. For sizes #16-20, a gold wire can be used. For #10 -16, small oval tinsel size 18 works well.

7. Twist a portion of the abdomen dubbing around the thread. The dubbing can be a 50/50 mix of Belly fur from the Red Fox Squirrel skin and Squirrel Belly Antron. You can also use the SLF Blend that Whitlock has approved, however, I find that adding some actual Belly fur provides a better natural dubbing closer to the 50/50 mix Whitlock Blend.

8. Dub a tapered abdomen with the blended fur up 2/3 the hook shank.

9. Rib the tinsel around the abdomen 5-7 times. Secure the tag with thread wraps and trim.

10. Prepare another blend of dubbing for the thorax. The thorax can have a 50/50 blend of Back fur and Charcoal Grey Antron. Or, you can use the blend SLF mix but I find that a little more Back fur added to the SLF blend brings some nice guard hairs to the mix.

11. Create a dubbing loop and insert the dubbing within the loop.

12.Twist the dubbing loop to create a chenille of dubbing with protruding hairs.

13. Wrap a heavy thorax and secure about two eyewidths behind the eye.

14. Attach a dark mottled partridge feather by the tip in front of the thorax.

15. Stroke the barbs to the rear and make a single wrap.

16. Tie it off; then trim the excess. Trim to 6-8 legs. Whip-finish.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	TMC 5262 #12-18
Thread	Uni-Thread Rusty Brown or Black 8/0
Head	Uni-Thread Rusty Brown or Black 8/0
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Red Fox Squirrel dubbing and Squirrel Belly Antron ,60:40 mix
Tail	Fox Squirrel Tail Fibers
Thorax	Red Fox Squirrel dubbing and Callibaetis Antron , 70:30 mix
Legs	Dark Mottled Partridge, trim to 6-8 legs
Ribbing	Uni-French Small Gold Oval Tinsel

Dave Whitlock

Red Fox Squirrel Nymph

The late Dave Whitlock developed this pattern in the late 1960’s and considered it one of his best nymph patterns. The pattern can be tied to represent October Caddis, Mayfly Nymphs, Caddis Emergers, and even Little Yellow Stonefly Nymphs.

Consistent Pattern

The impressive aspects of this fly is that it has been a consistent performer for nearly 40 years used upon a wide range of species of trout ,char, and whitefish due to the impressionistic design. Dave was influenced by the fur-bodied nymphs tied by Polly Rosborough, Thom Green and Ted Trueblood.

Not having the furs they used, he gravitated to the Red Fox Squirrel due to local availability. The material maintains a very appealing and active movement within the water. Using both the squirrel belly and the back fur makes this fly unique, giving it a reddish brown appearance. Air bubbles and light on the fur give the fly a distinct halo of liveliness.

Whitlock Blends

Dave uses a blend of fur and synthetic sparkle dubbing in a 60:40 ratio (natural to synthetic) for the abdomen and in a 70:30 ratio for the thorax for the best dubbing properties. For the thorax blend, cut or shave the back hair off the skin and mix it thoroughly is a small coffee-grinder-type blender. Cut Yarn or synthetic dubbing into 3/8 to 1/2 inch lengths. Place the synthetic in the blender and mix it thoroughly. Take a 70/30 portion of fur and synthetic and blend those together.

For the abdomen blend, cut or shave belly hair off the skin and repeat the procedure outlined above except for the belly fur synthetic color and the 60:40 fur to synthetic ratio. Dave markets these blends as SLF dubbing. They have all of his colorations for his nymph patterns. No wing case is necessary. His original RFSH nymph had a mottled dark brown wing case but tests have proven the fly is as effective, or even more effective, without the wing case.

Beadhead Red Fox Squirrel Nymph

Hook	TMC 5262 #10-18
Thread	Uni-Thread Rusty Brown or Black 8/0
Head	Gold Bead
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Red Fox Squirrel dubbing and Squirrel Belly Antron ,60:40 mix
Tail	Fox Squirrel Tail Fibers
Thorax	Red Fox Squirrel dubbing and March Brown Antron , 70:30 mix
Legs	Dark Mottled Partridge, trim to 6-8 legs
Ribbing	Uni-French Small Gold Oval Tinsel

Beadhead Rubberleg Red Fox Squirrel Nymph

Hook	TMC 5262 #10-14
Thread	Uni-Thread Rusty Brown or Black 8/0
Head	Uni-Thread Rusty Brown or Black 8/0
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Red Fox Squirrel dubbing and Squirrel Belly Antron ,60:40 mix
Tail	Fox Squirrel Tail Fibers
Thorax	Red Fox Squirrel dubbing and March Brown Antron , 70:30 mix
Legs	Dark Mottled Partridge, trim to 6-7 legs and Buggy Nymph Legs, Olive
Ribbing	Uni-French Small Gold Oval Tinsel

October Caddis Pupa, RFSN

Hook	TMC 2302 #6-10
Thread	Danville Black 6/0
Head	5/32 Hourglass Eyes, Black
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Tag	Flat Gold Mylar Tinsel
Body	Red Fox Squirrel dubbing and Squirrel Belly Antron ,60:40 mix
Tail	Fox Squirrel Tail Fibers
Thorax	Red Fox Squirrel dubbing and March Brown Antron , 70:30 mix
Legs	Partridge Feather
Antennae	Mallard Flank , Natural
Ribbing	Uni-French Small Gold Oval Tinsel

Caddis Pupa, RFSN

Hook	TMC 2457 #12-16
Thread	Uni-Thread Rusty Brown 8/0
Head	7/64 Tungsten Bead, Gold
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Red Fox Squirrel dubbing and Squirrel Belly Antron ,60:40 mix
Tail	Buggy Nymph Legs, Orange and Pearl Krystalflash
Thorax	Red Fox Squirrel dubbing and Callibaetis Antron , 70:30 mix
Ribbing	Gold Wire, Small