Humphreys Sulphur Nymph

[sroach]

Hello All,

Does anyone know a book that shows the pattern for tying Joe's Sulphur Nymph?

I found a YouTube Video that is really long and the ending fly is very bulking and buggy.

 

[redietz]

Sulfur nymphs (the naturals) are bulky, and Humphrey's imitation is quite fat. (See the version sold by Flyfisher's Paradide here.)

If the video you're talking about is this one, it looks about right. It falls very much into the "fuzzy nymph" category.

 

[RLeep2]

I agree with redietz. Back in the 90's when I was one of Joe's elves when he was teaching beginner's classes out of the Orvis shop in Tionesta, all the sulfur nymphs I saw him use were pretty chunky little buggers. These fatter body nymphs seem to be better in PA and they were far and away the better body configuration when I was fishing the WI and Iowa Driftless, a place where the sulfur is one of the few mayfly hatches that actually matter.

 

[afishinado]

Sulphurs > E Invaria are football shaped like Humps fly.

See attached pic from Troutnut.

The pattern is simple lighter amber dubbed abdomen with a darker thorax > gold wire > variegated soft hackle like partridge or wood duck for the tails and legs. Tie in legs on each side.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

I use this
http://www.littlejuniata.org/dark-sulphur-nymph/

 

[sroach]

Guys,

Very good information.

@redietz that is the video, when I look at the end of that video for the end result and match it to the link from the nymph from Flyfisher's Paradise its still looks off, but I think its really bad camera angle would have been nice if he pulled away and show a side profile of the finished fly.

@afish, thank you for the pic, you can see why Sulphur Orange is a good color body to use.

@nymphingmaniac this is a great page, I love the video for creating legs. The wing case is interesting. you don't see them on most.

I tied a few last night, and trying to keep thorax big and buggy.

 

[PENZZZ]

Here's a picture of the sulfur nymph I purchased from Joe back in the mid-80's. The wire ribbing has oxidized considerably so looks to be a dark brown color. I believe I have a video of Joe tying one on VHS. The thorax on this fly is very chunky. He wraps lead wire over dubbed cotton, then presses with pliers to flatten/widen the thorax.

 

[sroach]

Wow that is chunky, @penzz would you mind taking a few pictures on different angles?

is that a wood duck feather or tying Hungarian partridge he uses for the wings?


Thanks

 

[PENZZZ]

Found a folder where I'd stored pictures of Joe's Sulfur nymph. Here are top and bottom views. This is a working fly on eastern PA limestone creek, especially in Fall. Legs and tail are partridge barbs.

 

[STONEMAN]

Is this Forum amazing or what! Not just a reference but a pic of a fly tied and autographed by Joe himself. Sweet.

 

[sroach]

Ahh this is perfect. Thank you so much for posting these!!!

 

[tctrout]

Now this is cool; thanks for sharing!

TC

 

[PENZZZ]

Joe tied the sulfur nymph on his Master Nymphing Techniques video. He demonstrated using cotton dubbed on his thread to build up the base for the thorax. Over the cotton he wrapped flat lead which was held in place with wraps of thread and a couple drops of super glue. The tail fibers are partridge. Rib wire is "bronze" wire. Abdomen dubbing is "fur" which he states he's "spinning rather loosely" (tan). Thorax dubbing is "darker fur" (brown) which he instructs to "spin it very loosely". He references darker fur helps imitate wing case about to open. Legs are two clumps of partridge barbs, one tied in on the far side and one on the near side, in front of the thorax. Once finished he uses a pair of flat pliers to flatten out wire and lead built into the nymph giving it a flat/wide profile.

Best part of the video is when he removes the fly from the vise, extends it toward the camera and says "This nymph, in the hands of the right fisherman, will be deadly - you're going to catch fish with it". Has stuck in my mind for nearly thirty years.