Flyfishing the Sierras

• Hook: TMC 5262 #10-16
• Thread: Camel 6/0
• Rib: Small Copper Wire
• Tail: Wood-Duck Flank
• Abdomen: Tan Australian Opossum
• Thorax: Tan Australian Opossum
• Hackle: Wood-duck Flank

Notes: The Bird's Nest is a nymph pattern designed by the late Cal Bird in 1959. Cal was a master fly tier in the Northern California area and developed this fly for the Truckee River. Usually tied in tan colors to imitate caddis pupae, other colors used are cream, brown, and olive. Cal actually used a blend of Australian Opossum and dyed Coyote for the dubbed body. He also insisted on Wood-duck flank for the tail and hackle to achieve the proper stiffness. Often, other flytiers will substitute Teal or Mallard Flank and utilize Haretron or a similar dubbing for the body. According to Ralph Cutter in his fine book, "Fish Food" (2005), Cal claimed that he gave the fly it's distinctive name due to an entanglement with a bird's nest while on the Truckee and that the name should be spelled with a lowercase 'b'. Their mutual friend, Polly Rosborough, hinted that it may have gained a different spelling after he chided Cal upon naming a fly after himself. You might notice that the pattern also uses Polly Rosborough's technique of "tying in the round", which was particularly popular during the 1950's. Another interesting feature is the rougher thorax with more protruding fibers. Frank Matarelli designed a hook, known as Cal Bird's Dubbing Tool, This tool is used within the "improved" Bird's Nest to create a dubbing loop in which the Opossum dubbing is applied for a more buggy look on the thorax.
The Bird's Nest is generally considered an attractor pattern that can be fished on a dead drift, either weighted or unweighted. Sierra guide, Ralph Cutter, prefers to use this pattern for hatches of the Swimming Nymphs, Siphlonuridae, which include the Gray Drakes, Black Drakes, and Ameletus. He will use short strips which gives the Bird's Nest a lively action with the hairs of the body pulsating to the action of the Wood-Duck hackle. The Bird's Nest is often tied with beads of copper, gold, or black. Harry Mason has an excellent tutorial on this fly at his web site: Troutflies.
Variations on the Bird's Nest include Ken Morrish's Dirty Bird. Ken's fly is usually tied in Rust, Olive, and Natural Hare's Ear. It is a popular Steelhead fly in larger sizes of 6 and 8 but can be a good trout fly in the smaller sizes.

Variations:

• Hook: TMC 5262 #10-16
• Thread: Black 6/0
• Bead: Black
• Rib: Copper Wire
• Tail: Teal Flank
• Abdomen: Olive Haretron
• Thorax: Olive Haretron
• Hackle: Teal Flank

• Hook: TMC 5262 #10-16
• Thread: Black 6/0
• Bead: Copper
• Rib: Copper Wire
• Tail: Black Schlappen
• Abdomen: Black Haretron
• Thorax: Black Haretron
• Hackle: Black Hen Hackle Saddle

• Hook: TMC 3761 #10-14
• Thread: Black 6/0
• Head: Gold Bead
• Tail: 3 Pheasant Tail Fibers, small clump of Partridge
• Body: Hare's Ear
• Ribbing: Ultra Copper Wire, BR
• Wing: 4 strands Krystalflash
• Hackle: Hungarian Partridge
• Collar: Black Rabbit Dubbing