Rabbit Strip Wiggle Hex nymph

From late fall all the way to early spring (prior to run-off) this is the “high confidence” nymph pattern that I always tie on first to start off the day. It has proven effective for me on both steelhead and browns. And, it doesn’t seem to matter if I’m dead drifting it below an indicator, or bouncing it along the bottom with split shot.

I first ran across this pattern surfing the Chuck Hawkins website. He ties it in a ginger color, but olive has proven more effective for me. Looking through the materials I had on hand, I found I only had to make two other minor modifications. I substituted olive dyed mallard flank for the grizzly hen saddle that he uses, and swapped out the small black mono eyes, replacing them with small black bead chain.

Here’s the tie:

Hook: TMC 105 sizes 4-8
Thread: olive 6/0
Tail: olive rabbit zonker strip
Body: olive dubbing
Legs: olive mallard flank
Wing case: peacock herl
Eyes: small black mono or bead chain

WH11. Tie the eyes onto the top of the hook shank, approximately one “eye length” behind the eye. Move the thread to the rear.

WH22. Cut off ¾ inch length of rabbit strip (measuring the leather hide only), and tie in at the rear of the hook.

WH33. With one hand, hold the rabbit fur perpendicular to the leather, and trim at an angle with scissors. The trimmed hair ought to be shortest near the end of the rabbit strip, and progressively longer as it gets closer to the tie-in point. Be sure to leave a few “untrimmed” hairs at the very end of the strip.

WH44. On top of the tie-in point, tie 4 or 5 strands of peacock herl, and the mallard flank. Tie the mallard flank in at the tip of the feather.

WH55. Spin on olive dubbing material, and dub right up to the eyes. This is the thorax, so it ought to be a fairly short section. Spin on just a bit more dubbing, and dub between and in front of the eyes as well. End up with the thread immediately behind the eyes.

WH66. Take one and a half turns with the mallard flank, and tie off immediately behind the eyes. Move the thread in front of the eyes

WH77. Divide the mallard flank on top of the hook, to make way for the peacock herl. Fold the peacock herl forward, and tie off in front of the eyes, as close to the eye of the hook as possible. Whip finish. Done.