The Holographic Frenchie

Curtis - May, 2019

I'm not afraid of taking a given pattern and tweaking it to meet my nefarious purposes. So when I'd had a good solid year or so of fishing Lance Egan's thread Frenchie, I made some of my own tweaks and found a variation that seems to do well for me in different situations.

I used this variation last year on a couple of dry-dropper trips on small streams and along with a few other quick-drop slim nymph patterns, it did really well.

The breakthrough for me came on a two-day float down the Chimehuin River in the Patagonia region of Argentina. We had been fishing dry flies most of the first day and ended up switching more to dry-dropper rigs the second day. I had been messing around with different droppers and found that Lance's slimmer thread Frenchie was doing the trick for me. After I had a fish break off, I switched over to the Holographic version and the catch rate went up quite a bit for me. At the same time, Cheech also realized that the fish seemed to be shying away from more silver or gold beads. This "antique" style bronze colored bead seemed to be difference maker.

Chimehuin Rainbow Trout
Material List
  • Hook: Umpqua XC400BL-BN - 16
  • Hook (Option): Hanak H 400 BL Jig Hook - 16
  • Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier - Red
  • Thread (option): 8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge - Red
  • Bead: Hanak Round+ Slotted Tungsten Beads - 2.5mm - Bronze
  • Bead: Fulling Mill Slotted Tungsten Beads - 2.4mm - Metallic Brown
  • Tail: Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack - Dark Pardo
  • Body (option): Holographic Flashabou - Black
  • Body (option): Perdigones Pearl Body - Black
  • Ribbing: Semperfli Tying Wire - 0.2 - March Brown
  • Ribbing (option): UTC Ultra Wire - Brassie Size - Sculpin Olive
  • Hot Spot: Ice Dub - UV Pink
  • Coating: Loon Fluorescing UV Clear Fly Finish
  • Coating (option): Solarez Bone Dry PLUS 0.5 Fl. Oz. Squeeze Bottle with Tip
  • Materials & Alternate Materials Listed Below
    UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier
    UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier

    UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier

    $2.49
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub
    Ice Dub

    Ice Dub

    $3.50
    Hanak Round+ Slotted Tungsten Beads
    Hanak Round+ Slotted Tungsten Beads

    Hanak Round+ Slotted Tungsten Beads

    $6.50
    Hanak H 400 BL Jig Hook
    Hanak H 400 BL Jig Hook

    Hanak H 400 BL Jig Hook

    $8.95
    UTC Ultra Wire
    UTC Ultra Wire

    UTC Ultra Wire - Brassie Size

    $2.49
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire
    Semperfli Tying Wire

    Semperfli Tying Wire

    $4.20
    Perdigones Pearl Body
    Perdigones Pearl Body

    Perdigones Pearl Body

    $2.95
    Umpqua XC400BL-BN
    Umpqua XC400BL-BN

    Umpqua XC400BL-BN

    $8.95
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou
    Holographic Flashabou

    Holographic Flashabou

    $6.99
    Spanish Coq De Leon - Pardo
    Spanish Coq De Leon - Pardo
    Spanish Coq De Leon - Pardo
    Spanish Coq De Leon - Pardo

    Spanish Coq De Leon - Pardo

    $13.75
    Loon Fluorescing UV Clear Fly Finish (1/2oz)
    Loon Fluorescing UV Clear Fly Finish (1/2oz)

    Loon Fluorescing UV Clear Fly Finish (1/2oz)

    $19.00
    Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack
    Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack
    Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack
    Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack
    Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack
    Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack
    Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack
    Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack

    Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack

    $14.99
    C&F Design Hackle Plier
    C&F Design Hackle Plier

    C&F Design Hackle Plier

    $37.00
    Solarez Bone Dry PLUS 0.5 Fl. Oz. Squeeze Bottle with Tip
    Solarez Bone Dry PLUS 0.5 Fl. Oz. Squeeze Bottle with Tip

    Solarez Bone Dry PLUS 0.5 Fl. Oz. Squeeze Bottle with Tip

    $27.90
    Perdigones Pearl Body - Medium
    Perdigones Pearl Body - Medium

    Perdigones Pearl Body - Medium

    $2.95
    Spanish Coq De Leon - Brown
    Spanish Coq De Leon - Brown

    Spanish Coq De Leon - Brown

    $13.75