How to Tie a Damsel Nymph: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why the Damsel Nymph is a Must-Tie Pattern

If there's one nymph that every stillwater fly fisher should have confidence in, it's the Damsel. From late spring through to early autumn, damselfly nymphs are a staple food source for trout in Scottish and English lochs and reservoirs alike. When fish are moving through the weed beds or cruising the margins, a well-tied Damsel Nymph fished on a slow retrieve is hard to beat.

After more than 30 years tying flies here in Scotland, we've refined our Damsel Nymph to be both realistic enough to fool educated fish and robust enough to survive a hard day's fishing. This guide covers our go-to olive version — the most versatile colour across a wide range of conditions.

Materials You'll Need

Step-by-Step Tying Instructions

Step 1 — Set Up the Hook

Secure a size 10 or 12  hook in your vice. A thick wired hook is important here — it gives the fly the slim, elongated profile of a natural damselfly nymph. Run a neat thread base from behind the eye down to the bend.

Step 2 — Tie in the Tail

Select a small bunch of olive marabou fibres — around 8 to 10 fibres is plenty. Tie these in at the bend to form a tail roughly half the length of the hook shank. Marabou is the key material here; its natural movement in the water mimics the undulating abdomen of a real damsel nymph perfectly. Trim any excess.

Step 3 — Tie in the Rib

Tie in a length of fine gold wire or clear monofilament at the bend, alongside the tail. This will be wound forward later to segment the body and add durability.

Step 4 — Dub the Body

Apply a thin, tapered amount of olive dubbing to your thread and wind it forward in touching turns to about two-thirds of the way up the shank. Keep the body slim — damsel nymphs are slender creatures, and a bulky body will cost you fish. Counter-wind the rib forward through the body in evenly spaced turns and tie off.

Step 5 — Tie in the Wingcase

Cut a strip of olive raffene or a section of feather fibre and tie it in flat on top of the hook, pointing forward over the eye. This will be folded back later to form the wingcase over the thorax.

Step 6 — Dub the Thorax

Apply a slightly darker or browner olive dubbing to your thread and build up a fuller thorax section, leaving enough room behind the eye for the wingcase and head. The thorax should be noticeably bulkier than the abdomen.

Step 7 — Form the Wingcase

Pull the raffene or feather fibre strip forward over the thorax and tie it down firmly behind the eye. Trim the excess. The wingcase should lie flat and cover the full width of the thorax, giving the fly that characteristic nymph silhouette.

Step 8 — Finish the Head

Build a neat thread head, whip finish, and apply a drop of UV resin or head cement. For a more realistic finish, add a pair of small bead chain eyes before dubbing the thorax — this also helps the fly sink to the right depth on a slow retrieve.

Fishing the Damsel Nymph

The Damsel Nymph is most effective fished on an intermediate or slow-sinking line, retrieved with a slow figure-of-eight or a long, slow pull. In warmer months, damsel nymphs migrate toward the shore in large numbers — fishing parallel to weed beds or along the margins can be deadly. Watch for fish moving in a consistent direction and intercept them with a well-placed cast.

On a floating line, try fishing the Damsel on the middle or point dropper with a dry fly on top — it's a classic combination for Scottish loch-style fishing that continues to produce throughout the season.

Colour Variations to Try

Olive is the standard, but don't overlook these alternatives:

  • Golden olive — excellent in clear water or bright conditions
  • Brown olive — a great choice for peaty or coloured lochs
  • Pale olive/yellow — worth trying when fish are being selective in flat calm conditions

All the materials you need are available in our Fly Tying Dubbing, Fly Tying Feathers, and Fly Tying Hooks collections. If you have questions about materials or want advice on adapting the pattern for your local water, get in touch — we're always happy to talk fly tying.

Tight lines,
Colin — Fly Tying Scotland

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