Jim's Critter Nymph

Hook:   Mustad 3906B, Size #10
Thread: Uni-thread, Black ,6/0
Tail:   Small bunch of raccoon guard hairs
Body:   Blended raccoon underfur with chopped gray squirrel and gray spectra-blend
Rib:    Medium Copper Tinsel Wire
Thorax: Black Rabbit
Hackle: Partridge

1. Wrap thread from eye to bend. Tie in a bunch of clipped raccoon guard hairs, æ - 1 length of shank.
2. Tie in copper wire and rest in materials clip.
3. Blend 1/2 chopped squirrel, º raccoon underfur and º gray spectra-blend or other flashy gray dubbing and form dubbing noodle by touching thumb and finger to the tip of your wax tube and rolling the chopped hairs between your fingers. Apply noodle to thread, twist noodle tightly to the left, and dub body to 1/3 position back from the eye.
4. Wrap wire forward in 4 equally spaced turns to form rib. Tie off and clip excess wire.
5. Clip black rabbit hair from a zonker strip and twist on to thread in a dubbing noodle at the point where the wire was clipped dubbing in the same manner as with the body. Tie off just before the eye.
6. Select a partridge feather, remove fluff around bottom of stem and stroke hackle fibers back to separate top fibers for a tie in point on the stem. Lay feather across the shank with the dull side down and tie in. Make 3 turns stroking fibers back as you wrap hackle. Tie off and clip excess.
7. Whip finish the head and apply cement sparingly. Voila-go fishiní!

Ben Benoit, Nashville, TN (blbiii@aol.com)