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Stalcup's Gilled Nymph Fishing Fly

We idolized Shane Stalcup when learning how to tie. His book, Mayflies, is a classic. The Gilled Nymph was, according to Mt Stalcup, his favorite. The original technique is to wrap the ostrich forward and then rib with wire. Then, a bodkin is heated and the top and bottom ostrich fibers are singed to create a flat body while leaving "gills" on either side of the body. It is not a difficult technique. That said, Mr Stalcup was also a fan of V-Rib (also known as D-Rib).

Regardless, the star of the show is the ostrich. The ostrich creates gills, which come to life in the water. Here's our take on the gilled nymph:

• Hook: Firehole 718, size 14-18. Size 16 seems to be most popular. https://www.discountflies.com/...
• Thread: Brown 18/0 SemperFli Nanosilk (https://www.discountflies.com/...), or Classic Waxed 12/0 (https://www.discountflies.com/...)
• Tail: Three ostrich feathers tips, aligned. https://www.discountflies.com/... You can mix colors, including browns, tans, olives, and grey.
• Gills: Two ostrich feathers twisted together. https://www.discountflies.com/... You can mix colors, including browns, tans, olives, and grey.
• Body/Rib: Small V-Rib or D-Rib (https://www.discountflies.com/...). An alternative is Micro Tubing wrapper under medium tension (https://www.discountflies.com/...)
• Wingcase: Medallion sheeting. Alernatives include large Pearl Tinsel (https://www.discountflies.com/...) or Thin Skin.
• Thorax: Hare’s Ear or Squirrel dubbing
• Legs: Partridge Feather or Mallard Flank

Bubba's Callibaetis Fishing Fly

Here's our take on Bubba's, which is a callibaetis pattern with a devoted following of lake anglers throughout the mountain west. We think it probably works everywhere.

The Mottled Turkey tail fibers make a great body. The barbs create gills and the coloring is....well, natural. That said, this type of body can be fragile. To help durability we add a drop of glue on the hook shank before wrapping the turkey forward. We also counter rib with gold wire. An alternative is to use a tight, slim dubbing noodle of Hare's Ear.

But, the real star in our opinion is the Ostrich. Ostrich is a great material with really good movement in the water. Here's how we piece together Bubba's:

• Hook: Firehole 718, size 14-18. Size 16 seems to be most popular. https://www.discountflies.com/...
• Thread: Brown 18/0 SemperFli Nanosilk (https://www.discountflies.com/...), or Classic Waxed 12/0 (https://www.discountflies.com/...)
• Tail: Mallard Flank in Wood Duck Gold
• Body: Mottled Turkey Tail, use several barbs. An alternative is to use Hare’s Ear dubbing or a mix of 50-50 Olive-Brown Squirrel. We like the look of Turkey, but it can be less durable.
• Rib: Small Gold Wire. https://www.discountflies.com/...
• Wingcase: Medallion sheeting. Alternatives include large Pearl Tinsel (https://www.discountflies.com/...), Thin Skin, or no wingcase at all.
• Thorax: Two ostrich feathers tied in at tips. https://www.discountflies.com/...
• Legs: Mallard Flank in Wood Duck Gold