Dirty Hipster
Fly of the Month 9.26 - Dirty Hipster
The “fly of the month” series for 2026 has included a number Euro nymphs to recognize the competitiveness of fly fishing, For September the Dirty Hipster is presented. Newberry’s Dirty Hipster has a hot spot by the tail to attract attention and looks super buggy.
This fly pattern has top ten status among American anglers that practice Euro nymphing. Tying the Dirty Hipster is straightforward, making it an excellent pattern for both beginner and experienced fly tyers.
In Euro nymphing, casts are really just lobs, and most drifts are in front and only run as far as the rod reaches. Once the “reading the water” is complete, take the first steps into the water (or begin from the bank) and cast upstream. Gather the line and leader. Then raise the rod tip so everything is taut. As the fly drifts downstream, follow its path with the rod tip and maintain a tight, constant connection.
Feel the bumps of the river bottom. If there a few or no bump, lower the rod tip. Use the leader to gauge the depth and the relationship of the fly with the rocks and structure along the stream bottom. Sometimes, there may be a need to speed up moving the rod and actually pull the fly through a run in order to stay in contact with the bottom through the entire drift.
After making drifts through the area directly, take a few steps forward until standing on top of the area just fished. Then repeat the process. After each few drifts, European-style nymphing allows sweeping the bottom with the fly in front of fish all over the river. No other method of nymphing break the river bottom down in such a way.
Dirty Hipster
The Dirty Hipster, designed by John Newbury, is a versatile Euro nymph pattern that effectively imitates various aquatic insects, including stonefly nymphs and mayfly emergers. Its combination of rubber legs, a flashy body, and a jig-style hook makes it an excellent attractor pattern, suitable for various fishing conditions.
This is a attractor that should be in every Euro Nymph collection. The Newbury's Dirty Hipster has fishy attributes that just works. The rubber legs, flash on the body, and hot spot are proven to attract fish. The fly just works!
Newbury's Dirty Hipster is weighted with a tungsten bead on a barbless Hanak jig hook. The construction of this fly is a proven formula to catch more fish:
Tungsten Bead - gets fly into the feeding lane faster
Jig hook – less snags and better hook ups as hook rides upward
Barbless hook – better penetration and less damage to the fish
The Dirty Hipster Jig is a combination of great fly design, balance, and natural imitation. This pattern is an exceptionally effective year round pattern to get you down in the water column quickly and present naturally to the fish. The rubber legs, flash in the body, and pronounced tail, bring this fly alive in the water. This fly pattern is easy to tie and has proven effective in various water conditions and is particularly successful in cold water.
Rather than imitate naturals, this pattern is an attractor fly. The Dirty Hipster fly can be fished alone. However, when paired with another fly, this nymph performs the best at the bottom of the rig on either a two Euro nymph rig or in a dry-dropper setup. For an extra sink rate in the fastest water, pinch a little split shot about 6 inches ahead of the fly.
One variation is the Dirty Hipster Golden Stone. A bold, buggy Euro nymph built to get down fast and stay in the zone. This is not your clean-cut, traditional stonefly. It is dirty, it is heavy, and it is highly effective for the take.
Designed with a tungsten bead and slim profile to sink like a rock, the Dirty Hipster Golden Stone brings just the right amount of flash and movement to stand out in technical water without spooking fish. With its golden body, durable materials, and rough-and-ready look, this fly crushes in pocket water, deep seams, and heavy current.
The Dirty Hipster is a must-have anchor fly when you’re dredging Euro-style through deep runs and fast slots—whether you’re hitting Tennessee tailwaters or backcountry North Carolina streams.
Fly of the Month 9.26
Directions:
Hook: Fulling Mill 5045
Bead: Natural Slotted Tungsten
Size: 10,12,14
Thread: White 8/0
Tail : CDL Pardo
Tag: Pink or Orange Fl thread
Abdomen: Natural Dark Hare’s Ear
Rib: Gold French tinsel
Mid Thorax: Spiky dub dark
Thorax: Natural squirrel dub
Legs: Black and White round
The “fly of the month” series for 2026 has included a number Euro nymphs to recognize the competitiveness of fly fishing, For September the Dirty Hipster is presented. Newberry’s Dirty Hipster has a hot spot by the tail to attract attention and looks super buggy.
This fly pattern has top ten status among American anglers that practice Euro nymphing. Tying the Dirty Hipster is straightforward, making it an excellent pattern for both beginner and experienced fly tyers.
In Euro nymphing, casts are really just lobs, and most drifts are in front and only run as far as the rod reaches. Once the “reading the water” is complete, take the first steps into the water (or begin from the bank) and cast upstream. Gather the line and leader. Then raise the rod tip so everything is taut. As the fly drifts downstream, follow its path with the rod tip and maintain a tight, constant connection.
Feel the bumps of the river bottom. If there a few or no bump, lower the rod tip. Use the leader to gauge the depth and the relationship of the fly with the rocks and structure along the stream bottom. Sometimes, there may be a need to speed up moving the rod and actually pull the fly through a run in order to stay in contact with the bottom through the entire drift.
After making drifts through the area directly, take a few steps forward until standing on top of the area just fished. Then repeat the process. After each few drifts, European-style nymphing allows sweeping the bottom with the fly in front of fish all over the river. No other method of nymphing break the river bottom down in such a way.
Dirty Hipster
The Dirty Hipster, designed by John Newbury, is a versatile Euro nymph pattern that effectively imitates various aquatic insects, including stonefly nymphs and mayfly emergers. Its combination of rubber legs, a flashy body, and a jig-style hook makes it an excellent attractor pattern, suitable for various fishing conditions.
This is a attractor that should be in every Euro Nymph collection. The Newbury's Dirty Hipster has fishy attributes that just works. The rubber legs, flash on the body, and hot spot are proven to attract fish. The fly just works!
Newbury's Dirty Hipster is weighted with a tungsten bead on a barbless Hanak jig hook. The construction of this fly is a proven formula to catch more fish:
Tungsten Bead - gets fly into the feeding lane faster
Jig hook – less snags and better hook ups as hook rides upward
Barbless hook – better penetration and less damage to the fish
The Dirty Hipster Jig is a combination of great fly design, balance, and natural imitation. This pattern is an exceptionally effective year round pattern to get you down in the water column quickly and present naturally to the fish. The rubber legs, flash in the body, and pronounced tail, bring this fly alive in the water. This fly pattern is easy to tie and has proven effective in various water conditions and is particularly successful in cold water.
Rather than imitate naturals, this pattern is an attractor fly. The Dirty Hipster fly can be fished alone. However, when paired with another fly, this nymph performs the best at the bottom of the rig on either a two Euro nymph rig or in a dry-dropper setup. For an extra sink rate in the fastest water, pinch a little split shot about 6 inches ahead of the fly.
One variation is the Dirty Hipster Golden Stone. A bold, buggy Euro nymph built to get down fast and stay in the zone. This is not your clean-cut, traditional stonefly. It is dirty, it is heavy, and it is highly effective for the take.
Designed with a tungsten bead and slim profile to sink like a rock, the Dirty Hipster Golden Stone brings just the right amount of flash and movement to stand out in technical water without spooking fish. With its golden body, durable materials, and rough-and-ready look, this fly crushes in pocket water, deep seams, and heavy current.
The Dirty Hipster is a must-have anchor fly when you’re dredging Euro-style through deep runs and fast slots—whether you’re hitting Tennessee tailwaters or backcountry North Carolina streams.
Fly of the Month 9.26
Directions:
Hook: Fulling Mill 5045
Bead: Natural Slotted Tungsten
Size: 10,12,14
Thread: White 8/0
Tail : CDL Pardo
Tag: Pink or Orange Fl thread
Abdomen: Natural Dark Hare’s Ear
Rib: Gold French tinsel
Mid Thorax: Spiky dub dark
Thorax: Natural squirrel dub
Legs: Black and White round
- Debarb and mount the hook with bead in place. Add the thread at the bead and make overlapping turns to keep the bead in place.
- Using pink fl hi viz thread to tie in the tail. Select six or so CDL fibers and align the tips and remove from the stem keeping the tips aligned. Measure the CDL tail using the hook shank as a go by. Place the CDL on top of the hook shank and make a soft wrap to hold their position and determine if that is correct. Finish with touching turns to cover the CDL and trim the waste fibers.
- Build a small tag with the pink thread and trim away the pink.
- Change thread to white. Tie in the French tinsel at the bead and wrap with tight turns to the side or bottom of the hook shank to the tag. Let the bobbin hang.
- Select the dark hare’s ear dub and form a small noodle. Make touching turns to form a small abdomen. Wrap the french tinsel in open turns to the end of the hare’s ear and bind in with several turns of thread and trim the waste tinsel.
- Select two rubber legs and tie in one on each side of the hook shank immediately in front of the dubbing. The length will be trimmed later but if there is extreme length now make cuts leaving them long but manageable for the time being.
- Dub a small noodle of dark spiky dub and make a couple of wraps to the bead and let the bobbin hang.
- Dub another small noodle with the squirrel and wrap behind the legs to push two forward and trap the other toward the tail. Finish the dub in front of the forward facing legs and whip finish.