Quilldigon
A Polish-quill perdigon mayfly — drab enough to fool the picky, durable enough to survive.
Tying Recipe
Quilldigon
Tying Video
About This Pattern
A dense perdigon nymph with a Polish Quill segmented body, pearl Sulky tag, and black-nail-polish wingcase. Imitates small dark mayfly nymphs in rivers worldwide.
On the Water
How to Fish It
The drab version works on picky fish; add the hot-spot variation when you need to pull a fish out of a lie.
When to Use
BWO, PMD, and mahogany mayfly hatches — year-round on any trout river.
History & Lore
Nearly every trout river on the planet holds small dark mayflies. Devin Olsen began tying the Quilldigon around 2014 as he was experimenting with the Spanish perdigon style. The Polish-quill body looks uncannily like the banded segmentation of a natural mayfly nymph. You can tie it fully drab to be 100% imitative, but Devin finds even better success by adding a pearl Sulky tag or a fluorescent-orange thread hot-spot collar. It's one of the flies he fishes most often from his nymph box.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size Quilldigon should I use?
The Quilldigon is most commonly tied in sizes 14–20. BWO, PMD, and mahogany mayfly hatches — year-round on any trout river.
What does a Quilldigon imitate?
The Quilldigon primarily imitates baetis nymph, mayfly nymph. The drab version works on picky fish; add the hot-spot variation when you need to pull a fish out of a lie.
How do you fish a Quilldigon?
The drab version works on picky fish; add the hot-spot variation when you need to pull a fish out of a lie.
Pattern Details
- Category
- Nymphs
- Sizes
- 14–20
- Hook Styles
- jig hook, standard nymph
- Imitates
- baetis nymph, mayfly nymph
- Water Types
- tailwater, freestone, spring creek
- Origin
- Devin Olsen
Buy This Fly
Buy — Quilldigon (Tactical Fly Fisher)—
catches logged by anglers
Pattern Details
- Category
- Nymphs
- Sizes
- 14–20
- Hook Styles
- jig hook, standard nymph
- Imitates
- baetis nymph, mayfly nymph
- Water Types
- tailwater, freestone, spring creek
- Origin
- Devin Olsen