The Thread Frenchie
Lance - July, 2018
Frenchie style nymphs have been a staple in my fly boxes for many years. Their fish catching prowess is becoming well known, and there are many variations. Standard Frenchie style nymphs have one problem: Pheasant tail is very fragile. Even when you super glue the pheasant tail to the body and counter wrap it with wire, Frenchies tied with pheasant tail are left without much durability. We tolerate the lack of toughness since they work so well! I'm constantly tinkering with flies, and am always looking for quicker ties that are durable and still catch fish. The Thread Frenchie is one of those patterns. It is easy to tie, dense (which is a good thing in this case), durable, and fish love it. I find myself fishing and guiding more and more with a Thread Frenchie. This color combo has been my most productive, but there are many combinations you can try, to find which colors the fish prefer on your favorite waters. Vary the size of the bead to add a selection of weights. One great thing about jig style nymphs is that you can use various bead sizes on the same hook without crowding the hook gap. On a size 16 I carry these in a range of bead sizes. 2.3mm & 2.8mm are most common but I always have a few with 3.3mm beads for those times when you need a fly to get down fast. Though I designed this pattern for use on a Euro-style nymph rig, you can use it with an indicator setup or as a dropper below a dry fly. I've found this sleek little pattern is deadly behind a Bionic Ant, Chubby Chernobyl or hopper. Test the Thread Frenchie on your next outing. I'm confident it will become a staple for you as it has for me.
