Peacock Montana

Details: Published on Thursday, 02 August 2012 07:17; Written by Dennis Shaw

The Montana Nymph was first designed and tied by Lew Oatman of New York to imitate a large dark Stonefly nymph, but it has since become a popular general nymph. In the UK it is especially favoured on Stillwater. It has also been subjected to many variations, of which this, the Peacock Montana is one.

Instructions assume right-handed tyers

Materials list
HOOK – Kamasan B830 #10
THREAD - – Black 6/0
TAIL - 4 or 5 Peacock Herls cut square
BODY – 4 or 5 Peacock Herls
RIB – Copper wire
THORAX – Chartreuse Chenille
THORAX HACKLE – Black Cock
THORAX COVER - 5 or 6 Peacock Herls

	STEP 1 Attach the thread and wrap to the point shown. Catch the rib in under the shank as you go.
	STEP 2 Tie in 4 or 5 Peacock Herls for the tail.
	STEP 3 Fold the Herl buts back to the bend of the hook and tie down in this position. Then take the thread to the shoulder and apply a liberal coat of varnish to the thread wraps.
	STEP 4
	STEP 5 Twist the Herls into a rope and wrap to the shoulder to form the body. Tie off and trim the waste.
	STEP 6 Wrap the rib to the shoulder in even turns. Tie off and trim waste
	STEP 7 Tie in 5 or 6 herls on top of the shank for the thorax cover.
	STEP8 Tie in the hackle
	STEP 9 Prepare the chenille by stripping some of the flue to expose the core
	STEP 10 Then tie in as shown taking the thread to the eye
	STEP 11 Wrap the chenille to the eye. Tie off and trim waste.
	STEP 12 Wrap the hackle, in open turns, through the thorax. Tie off and trim waste
	STEP 13 Pull the herls over the thorax and tie down at the eye.
	STEP 14 Trim the waste, form a neat head, whipfinish and Varnish. Then trip the tails to length for the completed fly.
	Just a few of the many Montana Nymph variations

Dennis Shaw was born into a fanatical fishing family at Dalbeattie in Southwest Scotland. He graduated from the local "Barr Burn", with the proverbial cane, wool and bent pin for eels, to fishing the local rivers and lochs. Now married with a son and daughter and fishing the chalkstreams of Southern England, Dennis is always yearning for "home". He has been tying flies for over 35 years yet still learns something new every day.