Hook Size: 10
The Perfect Fly Yellow Drake nymph is a trout fly that imitates the Yellow Drake mayfly in the nymphal stage of life. Yellow Drake nymphs are burrowing nymphs. They come out of their burrows and dart about on the bottom and should be fished on or near the bottom.
The Yellow Drake is a member of the Ephemera genus of the Ephemeridae family of
mayflies. The most important specie to the trout angler is the ephemera varia.
Yellow Drake nymphs are burrowers. Most of the time they are in their burrows and not
available for trout to eat. They come out to feed, usually at night and to mold a few times
in their life. Trout can be caught on the nymph during the night.
When they emerge, they abandon their burrows and swim to the surface. Just prior to a
hatch, they may crawl around on the bottom for some time prior to swimming to the
surface. They can be easily taken at that time on the Perfect Fly Yellow Drake Nymph.
Presentation:
Fish the nymph in pockets of calm water right on the bottom. Add the necessary weight to
your tippet a few inches above the fly. Try fishing it dead drift but add short darting
motions.
You can also try an up and across, on the swing, presentation, allowing the fly to come
back to the surface at the end of the downstream drift. You are attempting to imitate the
nymphs swimming to the surface to hatch. Stopping the rod tip at the end of the drift will
accomplish this if there is much current.
Copyright 2003 James Marsh
