The Darth Vader Nymph

Black and deadly in appearence, the dark force of in the fly box

	The dark side

Get out your light sabres and put your old, scratched Star Wars video in the VCR.
And no cheating now! DVD's not allowed.
I personally recommend episode V, actually the second film released in the series, but never mind.
The movie runs a couple of hours, and that should give you plenty time to tie a dozen or two of this simple pattern. You may want to adapt the TdF tying paradigm.

The Darth Vader Nymph is a generic nymph pattern, created with no particular animal in mind, but with the purpose of giving it a nymphy profile, making it sink readily and be easy to tie. Eventually it did wind up being very much like a black stonefly nymph due to the colour and the clearly segmented rear body.

Its main trait - apart from the striking name - is its colour and the black copper body with integrated ribbing. This high tech effect, which is the reason for the name of the fly, is obtained by using the same material to create both the underbody and the ribbing. The material is a particularly attractive black enamelled copper wire made by Wapsi.

Weight	Heavy nymphs

	Darth Vader Buzzer
	Wire body

I am considering a replacement with Lureflash or a similar material in peacock like colours. That would produce the same effect, but be a lot more durable.

The fly sinks readily and can be fished as any nymph with or without a strike indicator. I prefer the Darth Vader in relatively large sizes not least because of its stonefly resemblance.

The stonefly is not the only natural that this nymph has potential to imitate. Dress is sparsely on a smaller hook and you have a generic, dark nymph. Cut all surplus material just leaving a slender thorax, maybe accentuated by a couple of orange dabs, and you have a heavy buzzer.

About Darth Vader Nymph

Type	Nymph
Originator	Martin Joergensen
Year of origin	2001
Tied by	Martin Joergensen
Difficulty	Very easy
Target species	Brown trout Grayling Rainbow trout (landlocked)

Materials

Hook	Heavy wire nymph hook, size 8-12
Tying thread	Black 8/0
Body and ribbing	Black copper wire (Wapsi)
Wing case (optional)	Peacock herl
Thorax	Black dubbing
Head	Tying thread

Tying instructions

1. Wrap 4-6 turns of heavy wire around the front part of the hook shank
2. Cover the weight with tying thread
3. Attach the copper wire behind the weight
4. Wind the copper wire in tight turns to the bend of the hook and then a bit
5. Return the copper wire in open turns to form a ribbing
6. Tie off and cut
7. Varnish the abdomen and weight (optional)
8. Attach a few strands of peacock herl just in front of the copper wire, pointing to the rear of the fly
9. Dub over the front part of the body
10. Bend the herl over the thorax, tie down and trim
11. Form a head, whip finish, cut thread and varnish

1. Wrap 4-6 turns of heavy wire around the front part of the hook shank
2. Cover the weight with tying thread
3. Attach the copper wire behind the weight
4. Wind the copper wire in tight turns to the bend of the hook and then a bit
5. Return the copper wire in open turns to form a ribbing
6. Tie off and cut
7. Varnish the abdomen and weight (optional)
8. Attach a few strands of peacock herl just in front of the copper wire, pointing to the rear of the fly
9. Dub over the front part of the body
10. Bend the herl over the thorax, tie down and trim
11. Form a head, whip finish, cut thread and varnish

Have no fear for the dark side: go out and conqour the universe with Darth Vader variations - or at least the nearest trout water...

Fast runs

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