Nymph
Gray Drake Nymph
Pre-emergence Gray Drake swimmer
Trout · GraylingSubsurface
Large agile-swimmer nymph of the Gray Drake — the active stage, since adults emerge off the water.
Fish this when
In the slower flats and margins during the Gray Drake emergence window, since the duns crawl out onto bankside stems to hatch rather than riding the surface, so the nymph is the only stage fish actually see in the water.
Why it works
The bulky profile and lively swimming action of a natural Siphlonurus nymph making its pre-emergence migration trigger a take from fish that never get a shot at the adult on the water.
Naturals it imitates
Gray Drake swimmer nymph (Siphlonurus)
Typical zone & fishable range
usually
Surface
Film
Subsurface
Deep
Setup sensitivity: medium
Quick facts
Tying difficulty
Intermediate