Egan's Tungsten Surveyor

Lance Egan - July, 2017

The Tungsten Surveyor is one of my lesser known patterns, which I find interesting since the pattern is one of my more productive flies. It just works.
The Surveyor is a product of my love of Wapsi, rainbow sow scud dubbing and the hares ear. When I found fish really liked the Rainbow Warrior, another of my confidence flies was a bead head hares ear. With the success of the Warrior, I couldn't help but wonder how the fish would react to a hares ear tied with rainbow sow scud dubbing. Naturally, I started tinkering with a nymph similar to a bead head hares ear by substituting the hares mask dubbing for rainbow sow scud dub. A few versions later I had changed bead colors (gold to silver), adapted ribbing materials (gold tinsel to silver wire) and borrowed red thread, pheasant tail and pearl flash back from the Rainbow Warrior. The result is the Tungsten Surveyor. Fill a row in your nymph box. If you're out of space, buy a new Tacky or Umpqua box to fill with fish catching Surveyors.

Material List
  • Hook: Hanak H 400 BL Jig Hook - 14
  • Bead: Hareline Slotted Tungsten Beads - Silver - 7/64" (2.8mm)
  • Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier - Red
  • Body: Lead Wire Spool - .010
  • Tail: Nature's Spirit Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails - Natural
  • Ribbing: UTC Ultra Wire - Silver - Small
  • Body/Thorax: Wapsi Sow Scud Dubbing - Rainbow
  • Tools Used: Renzetti Master Vise, C&F Design Bobbin, Stonfo Comb/Brush Tool
Materials & Alternate Materials Listed Below
UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier
UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier

UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier

$2.49
Hareline Slotted Tungsten Beads
Hareline Slotted Tungsten Beads

Hareline Slotted Tungsten Beads - Classic Colors

$7.99
UTC Ultra Wire
UTC Ultra Wire

UTC Ultra Wire - Small

$2.49
Hanak H 400 BL Jig Hook
Hanak H 400 BL Jig Hook

Hanak H 400 BL Jig Hook

$8.95
Wapsi Sow Scud Dubbing
Wapsi Sow Scud Dubbing
Wapsi Sow Scud Dubbing
Wapsi Sow Scud Dubbing

Wapsi Sow Scud Dubbing

$2.49
Lead Wire Spool
Lead Wire Spool

Lead Wire Spool

$4.99
Nature's Spirit Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails
Nature's Spirit Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails

Nature's Spirit Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails

$4.99
Stonfo Comb & Brush Tool
Stonfo Comb & Brush Tool

Stonfo Comb & Brush Tool

$9.99
Renzetti - Master Vise - 6000 Series
Renzetti - Master Vise - 6000 Series

Renzetti - Master Vise - 6000 Series

$734.99