Fly Tying Group: At the Vise
Royal Coachman Nymph
Al and Gretchen Beatty

(Originally Published in the Flyfisher Magazine)

Each year we look forward to featuring the new Buz Buszek Memorial Award recipient’s fly pattern in this article. Reginald Denny’s Royal Coachman Nymph (copyright 1980 Reg. G. Denny) is one of those he sent us for inclusion in the Fly Pattern Encyclopedia published in 2000. It quickly found its way into our personal fly boxes and soon gained a prominent spot there-in. It is simple to tie and the fish in our part of the world find it very attractive. Reg calls it an attractor/suggestive mayfly pattern on his web site (http://www.telusplanet.net/public/rgdfly). We suggest you check the site out and the eleven other original Denny patterns featured there. You won’t be disappointed.

Reg explains about his fly, “One of the better mayfly nymph search-patterns for all types of water. Good all season. Use smaller sizes as the season progresses.” We couldn’t agree more. Last weekend we used it (among several other flies) on a pond in central Idaho to introduce our grand daughter Lainey to the wonderful world of fly-fishing. At the end of the day she had hooked six fish and landed two on it. Not bad for a twelve-year old on her first fly-fishing trip and of course grandpa wasn’t the lease bit proud! Yeah! Right!

On the trip home Al landed three nice cutthroats on it dead drifted under a dry fly in a stream north of McCall. This is a fly every trout angler should have in his/her fly box. We tie it as presented here today (Reg Denny style) and also with a bead head. The bead head version seems to work better on cloudy/over cast days while the standard version produces better in sunny weather. Which ever version you decide to use we predict you will be pleased with the results.

Materials
Hook: Size 10 to 16, Mustad 9674 or similar
Thread: Black
Tail: Golden pheasant tippets
Rib: Peacock herl
Body: Red floss, coated with Aqua Tuff
Thorax: Peacock herl
Wing case: Mallard flank fibers
Legs: Church window pheasant fibers
Head: Thread or optional bead

Step 1: Place the hook in the vise after pinching down the barb. Note: We are using a substitute hook from the one Reginald suggested because it is what we had. Place a thread base over the back three-fourths of the hook shank, tie on the tail material, and the herl for the rib. Trim any waste fibers and leave the thread at the one-fourth position on the shank.

Step 2: Tie on a strand of red floss at the one-fourth point, wrap to the back of the hook and forward again to meet the thread. Tie off and trim the extra floss. Coat the body with Aqua Tuff or cement of choice.

Step 3: Wrap the peacock herl rib over the wet body, tie it off, and trim the waste end. If you have a concern about accidentally touching the wet body/rib, do what we did; whip-finish the thread and place the fly in a rotating dryer for a few minutes.

Step 4: Select a slip of mallard flank feather that is as wide as the gape of the hook and tie it to the hook to later use as a wing case. Tie on several peacock herl strands and wrap them to form the thorax. Trim all waste materials.

Step 5: Trim a narrow “v” strip from the center of a church window pheasant feather. Tie this strip to the hook at the front of the thorax.

Step 6: Pull the wing case over the thorax/legs and tie it to the hook directly behind the eye. Trim the waste ends and wrap a thread head. Whip-finish, trim the thread from the hook, and apply a coating of Aqua Head to complete the fly.