Blue Quill Nymph

Blue Quill Nymph — A Subsurface Option for Mayfly Activity

When trout are feeding below the surface and ignoring your dry fly, the Blue Quill Nymph gives you a mayfly-nymph option to work through the feeding zone. Available in sizes 14, 16, and 18, it lets you adjust your presentation to the size of the natural insects and the conditions in front of you. Drift it through riffles, softer current seams, and the heads of runs, concentrating on depth and a natural drift before changing patterns.

Pattern Details

• Style: Mayfly nymph
• Sizes: 14, 16, and 18
• Best water: Riffles, runs, and current seams in trout streams and rivers
• Techniques: Indicator nymphing, tight-line presentations, or a dry-dropper rig with weight adjusted to suit the water

Start your cast far enough upstream to let the fly reach the feeding zone, then manage slack to minimize drag. In shallower water, try it beneath a buoyant dry; in deeper or faster runs, adjust your rig’s weight and depth to keep the presentation controlled.

Add the Blue Quill Nymph to your box for subsurface mayfly fishing before and during hatch activity.