Photographing mayfly nymphs led me to notice how prominent their gills are and just how much they vibrate, like a beckoning trigger.

Mayfly nymph of the family Leptophlebiidae or Prongills

Click in images to enlarge

So I put out a challenge to fly tyres to come up with an effective imitation of a mayfly nymph with gills and many responded with wonderful suggestions, not the least Andrew Fowler of KZN. See http://www.tomsutcliffe.co.za/fly-fishing/fly-tying/item/833-tying-gill-bodied-nymphs-text-and-images-by-andrew-fowler.html.

Then Dirk Le Roux alerted me to the pure genius of Lucian Vasies’s fly tying when he found an article on Marc Fauvet’s wonderful website,Limp Cobra, (http://thelimpcobra.com/ ) describing Lucian’s ingenious approach to adding gills. I had a look at it and the quality of Lucian’s tying was immediately evident as are his skills in macro-photography!

I asked Lucian if I may post his technique as I think his method of adding gills is extraordinarily innovative. Happily he agreed and I thank him for it as well as Marc Fauvet who was most helpful in securing his approval.

LUCIAN VASIES’S GILLED G-NYMPH TYING RECIPE

Hook: Daiichi D 1270 #14

Thread: Yellow body thread from Devaux

Tail: Mallard feather fibres

Underbody: Yellow thread -Devaux

Body: Trout Line nymph skin

Gills: Cream yellow thread -Devaux

Torax: Yellow thread and Trout Line nymph skin

Legs: Partridge feather fibres

Dirk Le Roux variation on a theme

Dirk Le Roux is not slow on the uptake either. Using Lucian’s method of adding gills, he uses a CDC feather rather than Devaux thread. He ties the feather in by the butt with the tip pointing forward, then pulls back two or three fibres (both sides) for each one or two wraps of body material, one or two depending on the material width.

Tom Sutcliffe