Description
Mayfly Nymphs – Life Below the Surface
Mayfly nymphs are the engine of the river and lake ecosystem. They are active year-round and represent a constant, reliable food source for trout and grayling from early spring to late autumn. To fish a mayfly nymph successfully, you must understand their behavior. They are categorized into three main types: Digging, Swimming, and Clinging nymphs, each adapted to specific environments.
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Digging Nymphs: Found in lakes and slow-moving river sections with soft or sandy bottoms. These include some of the giants, like the Green Drake (Ephemera danica).
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Swimming Nymphs: Agile and active, these are found in both still and moving water. They are often drift-feeders, like the Claret Dun (Leptophlebia).
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Clinging Nymphs: The "bodybuilders" of the mayfly world. Short, compact, and powerful, they live on rocks in the roughest currents, like the Yellow May Dun (Heptagenia).
Our Commitment: Anatomical Accuracy & Performance Since mayfly nymphs spend most of their lives tucked away near the bottom, they only become truly vulnerable when they lose their grip, drift to find food, or begin their journey to the surface to hatch. This is when the fish strike.
Our commitment is to provide imitations that match the specific silhouette and behavior of these three categories. By using J:son’s unique materials, we create nymphs with the correct proportions, lifelike legs, and balanced weight.
The Subtle Micro-Sinker – J:son Tungsten Mayfly Nymph 5 Grey-Beige (Hook #18) The Tungsten Grey-Beige Nymph 5 in size #18 is a technical masterpiece designed for matching the smallest mayfly species in the river. This tiny imitation is tied on a precision size #18 hook and features a muted, natural grey-beige tone that perfectly mimics the pale camouflage of micro-nymphs found in gravelly or sandy riverbeds.
Despite its miniature profile, the fly is equipped with integrated tungsten weighting. This allows it to bypass surface tension and sink rapidly into the strike zone—a critical advantage when fishing small flies in moving water where they otherwise tend to stay too high in the water column. J:son’s legendary anatomical realism is fully present even at this small scale, with a delicately segmented body and lifelike legs that provide a convincing profile. This is an essential pattern for clear-water stalking, technical spring creeks, or as a dropper fly when fish are keyed in on the smallest forage available.