# Prince Nymph "Problem"



## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

I hate to call this a problem but I really don't get it. I catch fish on the vast majority of my trips and usually not just one or two. But I have never caught a single fish on anything but a prince nymph. What gives? I've tried pheasant tails, hares ears, zebra midges, etc.. I fish the lower Provo 90% of the time. Anyone else had this "problem"?


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## Caddis-n-Cutts (Sep 28, 2007)

Have you been using the same size fly in the other patterns? I used to have a similar "problem" with the Pheasant tail. For me I think that it came down to confidence in the fly, I didn't think I would ever catch anything on the Pheasant tail so I never really gave it the same chance as some of my more productive flies. But if its working for you go with it and enjoy catching fish on the Prince.


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## smoothie (Nov 21, 2011)

I agree...it's all about confidence in the given fly. Keep trying other flies, and it will work out. I'd try a rainbow sow bug size 14 on the Provo...that should work.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

*Prince Nymph "Problem"*

If it ain't broke don't fix it. Good luck!


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

What JuddCT said. 

When I first started fly fishing, I thought I had to match every hatch, tie every fly, and be prepared with hundreds of different patterns. Over time, my fly selection got smaller and smaller, and any more, I carry a single, small fly box in my shirt pocket and leave the vest in the car. 

My own "problem" flies are pheasant tail and elk hair caddis. 1/3 of my fly box for the pheasant tails, 1/3 for EHC, and 1/3 for a few other bugs. I have those two flies in various sizes, colors, some beadhead, other flashback, some with longer legs, etc..... And a small pair of scissors to tweek them around as needed. 

Anyway, not a problem at all. If you're catching fish, go with it and thank the fishing gods for your good fortune.


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

Good points, all. I'll give that sow bug a shot and count my blessings that I have a fly that works nearly every time for me.


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## Flyfishn247 (Oct 2, 2007)

Try small pheasant tails, size 20 or 22 with a bead head and/or flashback. Try different colors too, I have had good success with black or green dyed pheasant tail. Add them as a dropper 10-12" behind your sow.


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## HopperLover (Jul 7, 2008)

Resist the urge to only use one fly. Matching the hatch on the Provo will get you into far, far, more fish than an attractor fly like the prince nymph. I understand that it can be maddening at times trying to figure out just exactly what fly matches the hatch. Even slight variations in fly patterns can make a huge difference in catching - and it can be frustrating trying to figure it out. But if you get to that one pattern that matches the hatch really well, you will probably double your catch rate. 

Here's a suggestion: fish a two-nymph setup, with the prince nymph being the top fly, and the bottom fly being the fly that best matches the hatch. Change the bottom fly frequently (every 20 or 30 minutes) until it starts to consistently catch fish. Get the size, pattern, and color correct in that order, and you should do well. Be patient and it will pay off. And then you will be catching fish on the prince nymph AND the other flies.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

twinkielk15 said:


> I hate to call this a problem but I really don't get it. I catch fish on the vast majority of my trips and usually not just one or two. But I have never caught a single fish on anything but a prince nymph. What gives? I've tried pheasant tails, hares ears, zebra midges, etc.. I fish the lower Provo 90% of the time. Anyone else had this "problem"?


Yeah, happens to me all the time. But I just change to a worm and a bobber and the "problem" goes away.


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

Thanks again for all the tips. Can't wait to hit the river!


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

*Prince Nymph "Problem"*

I'll add something else.

I think presentation trumps fly choice any day. Just my 2 cents.


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## Flyfishn247 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Re: Prince Nymph*



JuddCT said:


> I'll add something else.
> 
> I think presentation trumps fly choice any day. Just my 2 cents.


+1

I was just going to post that. Presentation is more important than matching the hatch, though if you can do both you have a winning ticket. That is why you can have 2 fishermen using the same exact fly yet having different results. I was teaching a couple of friends to fish the LP this spring and they would get so pissed because even though we were using the same fly, I was catching far more fish than they were. When they started concentrating on the presentation, they started catching fish.


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