Fly of the Month 06.20 Crossover Nymph
In general, a cross over nymph can be any nymph fly pattern recipe that has been adapted to be tied as a soft hackle fly pattern. However, the Crossover Nymph presented was originated by Devin Olson to imitate emerging Callibaetis mayflies for the National Fly Fishing Championship in 2018 on Big Lava Lake in Bend, Oregon. Back home after the tournament, Devin found his Crossover Nymph to be highly effective on his home rivers, especially in the morning as an attractor nymph prior to an afternoon hatch.
The tag under the tail provides a unique attractor which stands out among other objects in the drift. The CDC hackle provides movement and a life-like appearance. This approach to nymph and Softhackle design may be applied to imitate other species of mayflies in addition to the Callibaetis.
This nymph and its corresponding soft hackle version is considered by fly fishing tournament followers to be a goto fly pattern as a searching nymph. As an easy to tie, Jack McNeary often teaches this fly pattern as part of our annual Rocky River Trout Unlimited Beginners Fly Tying Class.
Crossover Nymph
Fly of the Month 06.20
Tom Adams and Alen Baker
References:
Internet; Jack McNeary RRTU Beginner’s Fly Tying Class
Crossover Nymph
Hook : Wet Fly size 16, 14,12,10
Thread : Veevus 14/0 Tan
Bead : Copper Tungsten
Tail: Coq De Leon Pardo
Tag : Brite Floss No 7 Orange
Abdomen : Grey Squirrel blend with UV
Rib: Mini Flashabou Pearl
Wing : Dun CDC
Thorax : Dark Grey Squirrel blend with UV
Directions :
- Debarb, add the bead and mount the fly in the vise. Begin thread wraps immediately behind the bead and continue to the hook bend. Return the thread to the bead and let the bobbin hang.
- Select a two or three inch piece of flashabou and tie in at the eye. To tie in, hold the flash at a 45 degree angle on your side of the hook shank and catch with thread. Making a soft wrap will bring the flash to the top of the shank and that is where you want it. Make three or four turns of thread, lightly binding the flash on top of the hook shank and then gently pull the flash eliminating the tag and avoiding having to cut the material. Continue the thread to the hook bend while keeping the flash on top of the shank, then return the thread to the bead and let the bobbin hang.
- Select a three inch piece of Brite floss and cut in half and the cut the smaller two pieces into half. Take those four pieces and tie in on top of the hook shank at the same place as the flash and repeat the trap method taking the thread to the hook bend and keeping the floss on top of the hook shank. Let the bobbin hang.
- Select four or five barbs of CDL. Align the tips and pull from the stem. Place the CLD on top of the hook shank after measuring to a hook shank in length. Secure with thread wraps being careful not to obscure or alter the floss tag. Trim any CDL waste and let the bobbin hang.
- Dub the thread with a thin dubbing noodle of the lighter squirrel dubbing and make tight touching turns to just beyond the half mark of the shank. Let the bobbin hang.
- Wrap the flash forward in open turns to form four or five ribs and bind the excess with thread and trim the waste. Let the bobbin hang.
- Dub the thread with the light squirrel dubbing and form a small “hump” of dub immediately in front of the ribbed section. This is a small lift for the next material. Let the bobbin hang.
- Select a CDC feather and clean by stroking from the base of the feather to the tip. Do the reverse to make the barbs stand out from the stem. Trim one side of the stem with scissors from the base to about one third from the tip. Pull back the barbs while leaving a small piece of the tip to tie in with. Tie in the CDC by the tip, immediately in front of the dubbing hump and make wraps, almost on top of another to form legs. Secure with thread and trim the waste. Let the bobbin hang.
- Dub the thread with a thin noodle of the dark squirrel dubbing and make wraps from the legs to the bead. Use a whip finish tool and make a four or five whip finish, trim the waste thread.
- Remove the fly from the vise and holding in your left hand, use your right thumb and index finger to pinch and then break off the CDC barbs that extend past the hook bend.