The Lancer Damsel

Curtis - September 2017

In the past couple of years, we've run into more and more situations where fish are feeding on damsels both in shallower waters as well as closer to the surface, so I've worked more on my weightless slower sinking damsel patterns. Besides this one, Cheech will be turning loose a tutorial on a one-inch-below-the-surface-sinking damsel in the next while that's a game changer for fish targeting damsels swimming literally just below the surface. In the meantime, this one will sink a bit faster but still not quite as fast as a bead-headed pattern.Oh, and the name...if you fish with Lance Egan, you'll learn pretty quickly that he's brokered some deal with the devil and the fish enough to make anyone feel like a noob on the water. This style pattern with the pheasant tail abdomen is a reference to his style of Frenchie nymph. More-so the theory that pheasant tail fibers possess a certain magical power for catching fish, so I've been using them a lot more lately.Case in point, the fish shown here was taken during a relatively light damsel hatch where my normal beaded patterns were sinking too quickly and getting caught up on weeds or moss. I threw on the Lancer Damsel and caught this guy on the first cast.

Material List
  • Hook: Fulling Mill 35005 Heavyweight Champ, Barbless - 10
  • Thread: Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0 - Medium Olive
  • Thread (Alternate): 8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge - Olive
  • Eyes: Maxima Chameleon Leader Material - 25 lb
  • Tail: Grizzly Marabou - Olive
  • Tail (Alternate): Fine Black Barred Marabou - Olive
  • Body: Nature's Spirit Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails - Olive
  • Body (Alternate): Ringneck Pheasant Tail - Olive
  • Ribbing: UTC Ultra Wire - Small - Gold
  • Ribbing (Alternate): UTC Ultra Wire - Small - Amber
  • Thorax: Ice Dub - Pheasant Tail
  • Hot Spot: Ice Dub - UV Shrimp Pink
  • Wing Case: Thin Skin - Olive
  • Legs: Premium Partridge Feathers - Olive
  • Legs (Alternate): Nature's Spirit Premium Partridge - Olive
  • Wing Case Coating: Loon Fluorescing UV Clear Fly Finish
  • Materials & Alternate Materials Listed Below
    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
    UTC Ultra Wire
    UTC Ultra Wire

    UTC Ultra Wire - Small

    $2.49
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge
    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge

    8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge

    $3.50
    Maxima Chameleon Leader Material
    Maxima Chameleon Leader Material

    Maxima Chameleon Leader Material

    $6.15
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0
    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0

    Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0

    $3.50
    Nature's Spirit Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails
    Nature's Spirit Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails

    Nature's Spirit Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails

    $7.99
    Veevus Pearl Tinsel
    Veevus Pearl Tinsel

    Veevus Pearl Tinsel

    $4.49
    Thin Skin
    Thin Skin
    Thin Skin
    Thin Skin
    Thin Skin
    Thin Skin

    Thin Skin

    $3.49
    Ringneck Pheasant Tail
    Ringneck Pheasant Tail

    Ringneck Pheasant Tail

    $9.99
    Loon Fluorescing UV Clear Fly Finish (1/2oz)
    Loon Fluorescing UV Clear Fly Finish (1/2oz)

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

    $19.50
    Premium Partridge Feathers
    Premium Partridge Feathers

    Premium Partridge Feathers

    $5.99
    Grizzly Marabou
    Grizzly Marabou
    Grizzly Marabou
    Grizzly Marabou
    Grizzly Marabou
    Grizzly Marabou
    Grizzly Marabou
    Grizzly Marabou
    Grizzly Marabou
    Grizzly Marabou
    Grizzly Marabou

    Grizzly Marabou

    $5.50
    Nature's Spirit Premium Partridge
    Nature's Spirit Premium Partridge

    Nature's Spirit Premium Partridge

    $6.99
    Fine Black Barred Marabou
    Fine Black Barred Marabou
    Fine Black Barred Marabou
    Fine Black Barred Marabou
    Fine Black Barred Marabou
    Fine Black Barred Marabou
    Fine Black Barred Marabou
    Fine Black Barred Marabou
    Fine Black Barred Marabou
    Fine Black Barred Marabou
    Fine Black Barred Marabou

    Fine Black Barred Marabou

    $11.75