Matt Mickey
Pennsylvania
I'm 28 years old
(2000) and have been fly fishing (self-taught) since the age of 9. After graduating from college in 1994 I guided for Orvis a few years on all
the famous rivers around Montana's Yellowstone, including the Paradise Valley Spring creeks.
I've fished many of the west's best waters in surrounding states like Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and South Dakota.
I'm an avid fly tier, and am proud to say that I've never bought a fly in my life!
I have knowledge of most of the good fishing
here in PA, especially in the central part of the state.
The lower picture is a photograph taken while fishing a sulphur hatch on PA's Spring Creek. The fish was just one from a hundred fish caught that day!
Below is a nice scenic shot from the "$3 Bridge" over the Madison River, which appeared in the 1996 Orvis Catalog. The picture was taken by Andy Anderson. I was just in the right place at the right time!
Select One of Matt's Flies:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Tiemco 5262 #18-20.
Thread: 8/0 "Camel" Uni thread.
Tail and Legs: Light olive dyed pheasant tail.
Abdomen: "Baetis" dyed turkey wing biot (Fred Reese).
Thorax: "Baetis" poly silk (Fred Reese).
Wingcase: Natural dark goose quill.
Note 1: Turkey biots tie a very consistent and nicely segmented small nymph. It's also very easy to build the slim profile of the Baetis mayfly nymphs which is easy to make too bulky with dubbing.
Note 2: You can also use this exact style to imitate the Paralep (Blue Quill) nymphs. Simply change the colors to natural pheasant tail and rusty/mahogany biots and matching dubbing.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Partridge L3A #18-20.
Thread: Dark olive dun 8/0 or smaller.
Tail: Med dun hackle fibers.
Abdomen: Olive dyed hackle stem.
Thorax: "Baetis" poly silk (Fred Reese).
Wing: Dun poly yarn.
Hackle: Med dun.
Note: My #1 go to flat water baetis pattern. It has a better profile than the dubbed versions.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
#7 swimming nymph.
Thread: 6/0 brown.
Abdomen/Thorax: Custom "Hareline" color blend.
Tail/Gill Plume: Formed from a single ginger hen-back feather.
Ribbing: 3/0 tan thread.
Wing Case: Ginger hen back (tinted with brown Pantone).
Legs: Ginger hen back.
Eyes: Black mini lead (Umpqua).
Note: Terrific pre-hatch fly, fished dead drift, and swung to the surface with twitches. Lead eyes and the flowing materials provide a lot of action, and is a big producer for those big boys who aren't always willing to take the dry, but love the nymphs. Also very good to swing and twitch wet-fly style when the hatch is full blown as there is too much competition for the trout's attention on the surface, right thru dark!! Use a heavy tippets and hang on! Will also work well during the Brown Drake emergence.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Tiemco 5262 #10.
Thread: 6/0 brown.
Body: Fred Reese's "Vicarium" Australian possum.
Rib: Fred Reese's D-P Quill.
Tail: Three pheasant tail fibers (tied split).
Legs: Brown dyed teal flank.
Back and Gill Tint: Brown Prismacolor (dorsal side only).
Wing Pad: Mottled wild turkey flat.
Notes: Pay close attention to the shape of the natural.
Aim for the "bullet shape" of the Isonychia, and the flattened triangular shape of the
vicarium. Read the note section of the Sparkle Isonychia Nymph for more information.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Partridge L4A or L3A #18-20.
Thread: 8/0 olive.
Abdomen: Dyed olive hackle quill
Wing: Dun CDC.
Thorax: Fred Reese's "Baetis" poly silk.
Shuck: Olive brown Z-Lon (very sparse).
Notes: Terrific pattern for finicky trout in hard fished waters.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Tiemco 5262 #10-12.
Thread: 6/0 brown.
Abdomen/Thorax: Peacock herl.
Tail: Peacock.
Wingcase: Ruffed grouse wing feather/shoulder (treated).
Ribbing: Copper wire (twist) or copper tinsel (rib).
Legs: Brown partridge.
Note: Guiding on the Delaware, I needed an quick and easy nymph to tie that represented the Isonychia emergence. This one has a very realistic profile/color and like all trout, they love peacock.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Tiemco 5262 #6-10.
Thread: 6/0 tan.
Body: Custom golden stone blend.
Rib: Fred Reese's D-P quill.
Tail: Brown hackle stem.
Antennae: Brown hackle stem (tips from tail
section).
Legs: Mottled ginger hen back feathers.
Overback: Mottled "Thin Skin" or "woodduck" dyed
teal flank.
Underbody: Two strips large lead wire (along
sides).
Notes: It's easy to get caught up in tying overly elaborate stonefly
nymphs. This pattern is simple to tie but still contains all the necessary
criteria. It's very durable as well.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Tiemco 2457 or Dia Riki 135 #12-18 (#16 favorite).
Thread: 8/0 dun.
Body: Fred Reese's "Limeston Scud" Crystal
mohair.
Rib: Fine gold wire.
Tail: Medium dun hackle fibers.
Antennae: Medium dun hackle fibers.
Legs: Dubbing (picked straight down and
trimmed).
Shellback: Flexament (in three layers).
Underbody: Black crystal flash.
Notes: Nothing special design wise. The fish catching nature of this pattern comes from the combination of
materials.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Tiemco 100 #14-16.
Thread: 8/0 yellow.
Abdomen: Dyed wild turkey biot.
Wings: Light dun hen neck tips.
Hackle: Medium ginger.
Tail: Medium ginger spade hackle fibers.
Notes: Just a single elegant Sulphur pattern. Trim the hackle in a "V"
underneath for flat water. Prefer dyed hackle quill for #18's.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Tiemco 100 #14-16-18.
Thread: Tan 8/0.
Abdomen: Pale yellow dyed hackle stem.
Thorax: "Sulphur Spinner" poly silk (Fred Reese).
Tail: Light ginger hackle.
Wing: Crystal "Organza."
Note: This is a very good flat water spinner. It is surprisingly easy to see as well (can be tied with a post for added visibility for the old farts!) Pick some thorax fibers straight down to simulate the dangling spinner's legs which are quite visible to the trout below the surface film.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Tiemco 5262 #10-12
Thread: 6/0 black
Body: Hairline Isonychia mixture
Rib: 6/0 brown thread
Tail: Brown marabou (sparse)
Legs: Woodduck flank
Dorsal Stripe: One strand flashabou (does not show well in
photo) or whitish light dun hackle stem (more natural)
Wing Pad: Dark natural goose quill
Notes: Credit for the concept and technique for this and the March Brown
Nymph go to a terrific tier, Dave Rothrock of Jersey Shore, PA. I have only modified the materials slightly to my liking. Both are tied with the same
technique: overdub the body in layers, then pick out the gills, rib, then trim to shape.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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Tier: Matt Mickey
Hook:
Mustad 3906 #14-16-18.
Thread: Yellow 8/0.
Hackle: Mallard drake shoulder (only 1/2 side of feather/1 turn).
Body: Pale yellow rabbit (Hareline).
Head: Orange/yellow poly silk.
Wing: 2 strands pearl crystal flash.
Tail: Woodduck flank.
Note: This fly is 1/2 of my usual 2 fly nymph tandem prior to a sulphur hatch. Off a dropper with a sulphur nymph this combo is deadly. I don't know exactly what this fly is taken for, but I don't really care!! Drowned dun, emerging dun, drowned spinner, it doesn't matter because they eat it.
Select Another Fly:
Eastern Green Drake Jiggle Nymph
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to Matt's Introduction.
Be sure to visit our on-line store at http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html
for your tying needs.