nymph
Egan's Thread Frenchie
A thread-bodied, UV-resin-coated jig nymph that captures the Frenchie silhouette without fragile pheasant tail. Wire-ribbed and coated, it holds up to fish after fish.
Originated by Lance Egan
Recipe
- HookUmpqua XC400BL — size 16 · Umpqua
- ThreadUTC Ultrathread 70D — Olive · Danville
- BeadSlotted Tungsten — Gold 2.5mm
- TailCoq de Leon fibers
- RibUTC Ultra Wire Brassie — Sculpin Olive
- HotspotHareline Ice Dub — UV Pink
- CoatingLoon UV Clear Flow or Solarez Bone Dry
History
The standard Frenchie has one weakness: pheasant tail shreds. Even with super-glue and counter-wrapped wire, a pheasant-tail Frenchie wears out after a dozen fish. Lance designed the Thread Frenchie to solve that problem — a tight thread body, counter-ribbed with copper wire, sealed under UV resin. The result is the same deadly silhouette and hot-spot collar, but the fly survives Euro-nymphing sessions where the pheasant-tail version would lose its body entirely. Lance now fishes and guides with Thread Frenchies more than any other nymph.
Fishing tips
Use small beads for tailwaters, heavier beads to anchor a rig. Olive is the signature color; brown and black cover warmer and darker water respectively.