PMD Thread Frenchie
Lance - June 2021
Trenchie 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 (see our Egan’s Frenchie video) and counter wrap the pheasant 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 dense, durable and still catch fish. The brown 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 is great all year, but is particularly good when PMD’s and yellow sallies are about. There are many color combos 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. 2.3, 2.5, 2.8, and 3mm are most common, but I always have a few with 3.3-3.5mm 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 brown Thread Frenchie on your next summer outing. I'm confident it will become a staple for you as it has for me.
- Hook: Hanak H 400 BL Jig Hook - 16
- Hook (alt): Umpqua XC400BL-BN - 16
- Bead: Hanak Round+ Slotted Tungsten Beads - 3.0mm - Copper
- Bead (alt): Hareline Slotted Tungsten Beads - Classic Colors - Copper - 7/64" (2.8mm)
- Bead (alt): Fulling Mill Slotted Tungsten Beads - 2.8 mm - Copper
- Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier - Wood Duck
- Thread (alt): 8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge - Camel
- Tail: Whiting Coq De Leon Euro Nymph Tailing Pack - Dark Pardo
- Ribbing: Semperfli Tying Wire - 0.2 - March Brown
- Ribbing (alt): UTC Ultra Wire - Brassie Size - Sculpin Olive
- Thorax: Ice Dub - UV Shrimp Pink
- Coating: Loon UV Clear Fly Finish - Flow
