Bitch Creek Nymph
The Bitch Creek Nymph is a chunky, heavily weighted stonefly imitation designed to crawl along the bottom of fast, turbulent rivers. Its rubber legs wave enticingly in the current, the contrasting orange-and-black body signals danger colors, and the weight keeps it glued to the streambed where large stonefly nymphs live. It is a workhorse pattern for western rivers like the Madison, Gallatin, and Green. Dead-drift it under an indicator with a heavy split shot.
- Type
- nymph (Stonefly)
- Hook sizes
- #4–8
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Best seasons
- spring, summer, fall, winter
Materials
- hook: 2X or 3X long nymph hook #4–8
- thread: Black 6/0
- weight: Lead wire wrapped under body
- tail: White rubber legs (2 strands, forked)
- body: Black chenille with woven orange chenille underbody
- body hackle: Brown rooster hackle palmered over body
Tying steps
- Mount a size 4–8 2XL nymph hook; wrap heavy lead wire along the shank.
- Start black thread; tie in two white rubber leg strands at the bend as the tail.
- Tie in black and orange chenille side by side; weave or wind them alternately to the 2/3 mark.
- Palmer a brown hackle over the body in open spirals; tie off.
- Wind a dense black chenille thorax; palmer hackle over the thorax.
- Tie in two more white rubber leg strands at each side of the thorax as antennae.
- Build a small head; whip finish and cement.
- Apply head cement to the thread head and allow to dry fully before use.